Katrina Garnes

On Wednesday I attended Voices for Georgia's Children ’s first GA-CALL of 2026, “Chats, Apps, and Traps: Child Policy in a Tech World,” and I left with a renewed sense of urgency because this is bigger than tech. It is about the whole child.

One takeaway that stayed with me was that two-thirds of children under 13 have at least two social media accounts, and the impact is showing up academically, socially, and emotionally. Hearing perspectives across policy, education, and behavioral health made it clear that we all have a responsibility to create smarter guardrails, especially as Georgia moves forward with the new statewide law restricting personal devices in grades K–8 during the school day.

A quote that stuck with me was simple but powerful: “Tech is a tool, not a replacement.” We cannot run from technology. We have to embrace it, stay informed, and build the right guardrails so it supports our children rather than harms them.

As a proud board member of Voices for Georgia’s Children, I’m grateful for Judy Fitzgerald's leadership, for the thoughtful moderation led by Polly McKinney in her advocacy role, and for Joshua Q. England and the entire voices teams work coordinating such a meaningful conversation. These are the conversations that move awareness into action, and I’m proud to help be a voice for Georgia’s children.



Photo Credit: Voices for Georgia's Children

I am truly honored to share that I have joined the board of directors for Voices for Georgia's Children, led by the phenomenal Judy Fitzgerald, MSW, Executive Director, and her amazing team.

From the very start of my career, I have made it my mission to give back and support our youth. If it weren’t for organizations like this, who knows where I would be today. That’s why this opportunity means so much to me.

Voices for Georgia’s Children is dedicated to ensuring that every child in Georgia has the opportunity to thrive. The organization works to improve the policies and systems that affect child well-being, knowing that a single policy change can benefit millions of children.

I am grateful for the opportunity to support this mission and contribute to a future where every child has the chance to reach their full potential.

You can learn more and support their work by visiting https://www.georgiavoices.org