Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta's (FAKA) Leadership Team are volunteers and professionals in the community. FAKA's leadership team develops community initiatives alongside FAKA's advisory and medical board. All group programs are reviewed by FAKA's medical advisory board to ensure medical accuracy.
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Karen Harris
Founder | President, Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta, Inc. Karen Harris has been a dedicated food allergy advocate since 2010, when her youngest daughter, Mika, was diagnosed with multiple, life-threatening food allergies. At that time, limited resources were available in Georgia to support food-allergic families, which led Karen to form the state's first non-profit organization dedicated to food allergies: Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta. The organization is best known for its successful school advocacy program. Karen began to enter schools in late 2010, providing school staff with resources and education on food allergy and anaphylaxis management. In 2011, Karen served on the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Association (FAAN) Support Group Advisory Council and participated in their Safe@School Certification Program. In 2015, she served as VP of Restaurant and Food Service with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). She currently serves as a support group council member for Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE). Karen has delivered food allergy education presentations to thousands of school educators, staff, nurses, and administrators throughout Georgia. She has also presented to audiences during the Georgia Association of School Nurse Conference, Georgia Preschool Conference, Georgia Independent Schools Conference, Archdiocese of Atlanta staff training session, North Georgia UMC Conference, and related conferences for numerous districts in Georgia. In addition to her work in schools, Karen has advocated in her state capitol, drafted state-wide proclamations, and provided expert testimony to strengthen stock epinephrine legislation in Georgia. In 2011, Karen was recognized as a "HomeTown Hero” by the Great American Country (GAC) television series and singer/songwriter Trace Adkins for her efforts in Georgia schools and in her community. Karen has also been a guest on GPBS, Fox 5 Health News, Channel 11 Atlanta, and CBS and featured by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. Her work has been published by CalorieLab, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Allergic Living magazine, and numerous other media outlets. Karen herself manages soy and tree nut allergies and Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). She has two adult children who manage life-threatening food allergies and other related disorders. Karen has over thirty years of experience in the restaurant and travel industries and manages her family Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Buckhead, GA. She also serves as a community engager for Amazon and advances Amazon in the Community initiatives. Karen is a graduate of Brenau University and is currently pursuing a BS in health policy and administration at Pennsylvania State University. Her current focus includes food allergy research and policy to improve the quality of life for food-allergic individuals. |
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Tracie Andrews
Volunteer Education and Special Programs Director Tracie is a food-allergy mom of four who began volunteering with Food Allergy Kids of Atlanta in 2018, helping to lead support group parent meetings within the community. She is currently working on FAKA’s newest initiative, the Allergy-Friendly Baking and Cooking Club, to help empower local youth and teens to bake with confidence, while becoming advocates and guiding others to create inclusive environments. Tracie’s personal food allergy journey began in 2009, when her son Cade was diagnosed with multiple, life-threatening food allergies and asthma. When his younger brother Luke received a similar diagnosis two years later, Tracie began to explore ways to advocate on behalf of her boys and kids just like them. She started by joining her children’s elementary school PTO board, serving as the room parent coordinator and Chair of Health, Safety and Nutrition. Both roles allowed her to work as a liaison between parents, teachers and staff to help raise food allergy awareness, while creating safe and inclusive school and PTO-sponsored events. Tracie went on to use her passion for writing to create a food allergy-related blog, designed to empower food allergy families through recipes and encouraging stories about living with food allergies. In addition to maintaining her personal website at tracieandrewswriter.com, she also serves as a writing contributor for local parenting blog Atlanta Mom Collective, often bringing a food allergy parent perspective to her blog posts. After taking time off from her career to raise her children, Tracie recently joined the staff at Georgia Virtual School and will be teaching high school English in the fall. In her free moments, she loves getting creative in her kitchen, being active outdoors, and spending quality time with friends and family. Tracie lives in the Johns Creek area with her husband and kids. She is a graduate of Florida State University and received her teaching certification in secondary education from the University of West Georgia. |
Contact Us:
Email: info@fakidsatl.org
Office: (404) 512-7983
If you are interested in volunteering or joining FAKA's medical advisory board, advisory council, or leadership team, please contact us at info@fakidsatl.org.
Office: (404) 512-7983
If you are interested in volunteering or joining FAKA's medical advisory board, advisory council, or leadership team, please contact us at info@fakidsatl.org.