Animal Hero Kids Team

Animal Hero Kids is an all-volunteer kindness education charity empowering youth to compassionate action via free school presentations highlighting stories of animal rescue and advocacy and action for other animals.

Animal Hero Kids’ dynamic volunteer executive director, Susan creates and presents interactive humane education programs around the globe. Each exciting presentation concludes with cruelty-free vegan fare. Her programs, which often showcase stories of outstanding acts of kindness by youth, have been featured extensively in national and international media. Susan’s Background.

Alexi is an award winning former professional journalist. She consults in the areas of grant writing, news releases and fundraising events.
Alexi has been helping Animal Hero Kids since 2011. She lends her expert view in navigating sponsor, donor and media relationships. “ It’s vital to prevent cruelty and unite others to be a voice for the voiceless, this is exactly what Animal Hero Kids does. I am honored to be a part of this team“ says Alexi.

Erin Fontes brings with her technical, business and creative acumen from other projects such as her most recent role as Managing Director with the Broward County Film Society, as well as Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator with the Humane Society for Greater Savannah and others.

Erin is a writer currently working on her first novel; a comedic and heart-felt approach to helping children and young adults understand how to live with cancer, spoken through the voices of animals. She believe in the creative voice, especially those that embody personalities of animals and integrates its importance in all aspects of her life.

When she’s not working, you will find her advocating and volunteering to help the homeless, with hospice, and re-homing lost and found animals. Erin began volunteering at a very early age, values volunteerism as a way of life and is passionate about her newest endeavor with Animal Hero Kids and plant-based living.

Sean Russell is a seasoned media producer, marketing professional, and educator who believes in living cruelty-free. He currently serves as lead organizer and founder of SoFlo Vegans and manages a production company called Lesaruss Media.

After a chance encounter with Susan Hargreaves at a vegan expo, Sean agreed to play the role of Ronnie V. Cow. He would later jump at the opportunity to volunteer with Animal Hero Kids, allowing him to combine his passions for being an advocate for children, compassionate vegan and media producer.

I believe in the saying,”You are what you eat.” I truly believe this too the core. I have been vegan for about 4 year and I love how I feel, think, look, and how I am giving back not just to the animals but to the planet. Living and eating with compassion has changed my life completely. I was in the military for about 8 years and have served in OIF III AND IV. With that said I have seen a lot of death, poverty, hate, destruction, captivity, and many horrible things and the dark side of war.I believe that it is time to shine a light of peace and upon this country and let us be aware of what’s important in this world. Peace, love, compassion, connection, and life. As Mahatma Gandi says,” Violence begins with the fork.”

“I volunteer with Animal Hero Kids to support young hearts and minds. Seeing compassion and love at such an early age is the most beautiful thing! I love to help Animal hero Kids, Inc to continue to influence others to see love can conquer hate no matter what age!”

Robert has been working for the protection of animals since 2008 in various capacities including Humane Educator, Wildlife Rescuer, Captive Wildlife Specialist, and Undercover Cruelty Investigator. His goal as AHK’s Wildlife Coexistence Director is to educate kids of all ages and adults how to peacefully coexist with wildlife and to provide humane solutions for all human-wildlife conflicts.

Robert has responded to thousands of wildlife emergencies and conflicts in Florida. In his words: “Rescuing a sick, injured, or orphaned animal in the field is always a profound and emotional experience for me. It is also, of course, profound and emotional experience for the animal. It is very clear to me in these moments just how innocent, vulnerable, and helpless these animals are. These moments fuel and fortify my courage, my sense of urgency, and my commitment to protect and defend all animals.”

AHK’s wildlife presentations and workshops are designed and customized for schools, camps, residential communities, homeowners associations, facilities/maintenance/golf course management & staff, governmental agencies, police, firefighters, nonprofits, businesses, and many other groups. Robert also offers safe wild animal handling workshops. We use engaging, interactive, multimedia programs (including costumed characters for the young ones) to demonstrate the key components to wildlife coexistence, rescue, and protection.

If you are interested in a complimentary wildlife presentation or workshop, please contact us at SusanH@AnimalHeroKids.org. Because Animal Hero Kids is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we request a donation which allows us to continue to reach approximately 30,000 students and adults each year with our humane education programs.

Mikaela is a 20-something year old living and working in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She works as a vegan pastry chef by day, but is also a recipe developer, micro blogger and lover of ALL animals. Just a few years ago Mikaela was unhappily pushing papers at a law firm.

In 2012, she decided to quit her job and pursue her passion for food. Mikaela attended the Living Cuisine Academy and received her Raw Food Chef Certification. It was there that Mikaela learned the importance of using wholesome, responsibly farmed, organic ingredients. Mikaela has been working as the Pastry Chef for Greenbar and Kitchen, a strictly plant-based restaurant located in Fort Lauderdale since September 2015. Mikaela’s intention is to make plant-based food as mind-blowing as possible. She believes that “all beings will benefit from humans incorporating more plants into their diets.” She is known as the “Non-dairy Fairy”.

After being asked to participate in the 2016 Vegan Cookie Challenge, hosted by Animal Hero Kids, Mikaela knew she wanted to be a part of this charity. Hearing stories of children showing such compassion toward all living beings was such an inspiration to her.