MEET THE JUDGES

Jodi Murphy

Jodi Murphy is a National Certified Master Groomer. She has been a member of the prestigious Groom Team USA for four years ranking within the top four groomers in the country. Jodi was awarded Best American Groomer in 2005 and 2006 for her multiple wins in the grooming contest ring. She captured the World Championship title in the prestigious Oster Invitational Tournament of Champions . Jodi stamped the International contest ring with gold medals in Barcelona, Spain as well as Milan, Italy competing against the top groomers from around the globe. After achieving her goals in the contest ring she became a world renowned industry leader travelling abroad educating groomers. Jodi has produced over 100 educational videos that are used in grooming schools throughout the USA and abroad. She has a passion for teaching and is a true educator in this industry. Her videos are available to watch on her popular streaming site. She is also the author of the Award Winning grooming book, Dog Grooming Simplified. Jodi offers a wide range of products for groomers including her popular apparel line which she designed and manufactures, amongst other signature products. She has a worldwide presence in the grooming industry and has recently launched an online Distance Learning Program. Drawing decades of experience with Sporting dogs, Jodi is the inventor of the Award Winning Coat Tender®, the ultimate carding tool that took over 12 years to come to fruition. The Coat Tender is in demand worldwide.

Sally Hawks

Sarah (Sally) Hawks is a world renowned competition level professional dog groomer with over 25 years of competition, teaching and grooming certification experience. She began her grooming career in 1979 when she was hired as a bather in a shop in Newark, DE. Sarah quickly mastered the foundations of grooming and after 3 years of service, opened her own shop Dog Works by Sarah. As a result of her grooming expertise, she was invited to become a certifier for NDGAA, a role she still fulfills. Her skills at grooming made her a global champion in the competition ring winning many awards in the US and internationally from 1992 to 2007. Sarah earned many of the highest achievements for professional grooming including multiple “Best in Show” and “Best All Around”. She also won the coveted Cardinal Crystal Achievement Award for “Judge of the Year”. Currently, Sarah’s skill as a grooming instructor are in high demand. She teaches locally as well as well as travels nationally and globally teaching grooming seminars and certifying. Sarah’s first love is the Sealyham Terrier of which she is a breeder and has bred many Champions. Her expertise on terrier hand stripping is renowned and the subject of many training videos and seminars. She runs her own salon with many Sealyhams underfoot, and works closely with world class professional handler and breeder Margery Good, the 2010 AKC Terrier Group Breeder of the Year.

Lisa Hart

Lisa Hart is an award winning groomer with over 20 years experience in grooming and working with dogs in kennels and rescue. She specializes in Asian fusion styles and was named Asian fusion groomer of the year in 2019 and Best Asian style groomer in Europe in 2024. She was also named social media influencer of the year 2023. She was also nominated as Foreign speaker of the year at the prestigious Barkleigh awards in 2023 and 2024. She regularly competes in Asian classes and has multiple placings up to champion level and RBIS. She has recently started Judging and speaking internationally, Lisa is passionate about teaching and further education and has had the honor to work in multiple European countries as well as in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

Nathan Austin - Sponsored by Andis

Nathan Austin is an internationally recognized teacher, judge, and award-winning dog groomer with nearly 20 years of experience. He is an Andis global educator, Utsumi shear artist, and an NDGAA and AKC certifier. Nathan is the first recipient of the AKC Master Groomer of the Year (2023) and has won prestigious awards such as Best All Around Groomer (2022) and Best in Show at Groom Expo West (2024). He co-hosts the award-winning Another Grooming Podcast with his wife Kathlena, Juan, and Kat. Nathan also co-owns A Cut Above Grooming Salon, a hub of education, innovation, and compassionate care for dogs and their owners.

Kathlena Austin

Kathlena (Katie) Austin is an internationally acclaimed teacher and judge. Following her husband Nathan’s 2023 win, Kathlena became the AKC Master Groomer of the Year in 2024, creating a back-to-back victory that speaks to their shared love for the craft and unbreakable bond. She is an open-level competitor, vice president of the San Francisco Bay Scottish Terrier Club, and is developing a Scottie breeding program while showing in AKC conformation events. Kathlena co-hosts the award-winning Another Grooming Podcast bringing humor, expertise, and inspiration to their global audience. She also co-owns A Cut Above Grooming Salon, where she and Nathan foster a culture of education, skill, and compassionate grooming.

Macie Pisa - Sponsored by Affordable Grooming Shears

Macie has been grooming professionally since 2012. She started competing in 2014 and quickly rose to the top, becoming one of the youngest competitors in open division. Since then, Macie has catapulted her career in competitive grooming, with multiple Best in Show placements at the top grooming shows in the USA and Canada. She earned her Master Groomer certification from NDGAA in 2016 and a coveted spot on GroomTeam USA in 2019, where she was ranked #5 , 2022 she ranked #6 and 2023 she ranked #3. Macie was been nominated for Barkleigh Honors Up and Coming Groomer of the Year in 2017, and the Brian Stoppa Congeniality and Spirit Award in 2020. In 2021 she won season 1 of Pooch Perfect USA. Macie is passionate about continuing education and teaches techniques and skills at grooming shows across North America and Asia. Macie Specializes in Bichons and Poodles but has proved herself proficient in many breeds and techniques.