I have had an affinity for herps since I was a little girl and my dad taught me how to catch frogs. My curiosity about wildlife grew through the years, and I started using iNaturalist in high school. At the beginning of 2021, I ended up meeting my mentor, best friend, and husband: Ty Smith (@tysmith). I went from casually observing wildlife to traveling all around Virginia and nearby states every chance I get in order to document wildlife. I have been blessed to see so many unique and beautiful species while out on my adventures, and hopefully over this summer I can work on catching up on posting all of my observations from my thousand + hours spent in the field over the past year. Recently, I was named Chief Outreach Specialist for Herping Virginia, a new organization dedicated to educating people about Virginia's reptile and amphibian species.

In May of 2022 I graduated from Longwood University with a BS in Business Administration, a concentration in marketing and a minor in technical theatre. As Chief Outreach Specialist for Herping Virginia, I use my business/marketing skills to help Herping Virginia reach more people through social media and in person events.

"My dream is that Herping Virginia will continue to educate and inspire people of all ages to learn more about the natural world around them- whether it is sparking a child's interest of frogs, or talking to farmers about how to safely co-exist with wildlife. " - Lindsey Hottinger

Herping Virginia: https://www.herpingva.org/
Find us on Facebook and Instagram @HerpingVirginia