Asheville Watchdog has named Catrina “Trina” Lloyd, an experienced nonprofit leader, as its executive director.

Lloyd started her new role Thursday and succeeds Linda Topp, who has run the business and administrative side of The Watchdog since January 2024.

“Trina’s track record of nonprofit leadership, her public service mindset and her enthusiasm for Asheville and the work we do will serve Asheville Watchdog well,” Publisher Bob Gremillion said.

Lloyd founded Kindness of Strangers, a Durham-based consultant business benefiting nonprofits, in August 2022. Since June 2024, she has served as the volunteer services coordinator for Meals on Wheels in Durham, working weekly with more than 200 volunteers.

Lloyd grew up in St. Louis, and was drawn to public service at an early age. Her father worked for the Salvation Army, the St. Louis ARC – a social services organization – and the state of Missouri simultaneously, and as a child, Lloyd would volunteer at all three organizations. As an adult, she has done volunteer work in several countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama.

Lloyd said she was naturally drawn to The Watchdog and its mission to serve Asheville and Buncombe County.

“Throughout my experience working with North Carolina-based nonprofits, I have found Asheville to be on the forefront of new initiatives,” Lloyd said. “In this new era of journalism and as we witness unprecedented changes in our government and culture, honest, nonpartisan publications like Asheville Watchdog matter more than ever.”

She received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and public relations and her master’s in nonprofit management from Park University, just outside Kansas City, Missouri.

Lloyd also served as chief of staff for Curamericas Global, now known as Impact Global Health Alliance, in Raleigh. It partners with other organizations to provide health improvement programs to underserved communities around the world. She was the operations and partnerships manager for the Emily K. Center, an educational nonprofit in Durham.

Lloyd will be based in Durham and will work in Asheville on a regular basis. She will work closely with Topp as she makes the transition into her new role.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate to have Linda as our first executive director,” Gremillion said. “She’s made a real impact during her time with us. While we’re sad to see her step away, we’re heartened that her successor has a wealth of experience and skills.”

Founded in 2020, Asheville Watchdog is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization created and run by award-winning retired journalists and media executives and funded by community donations. A mix of volunteers and paid employees, The Watchdog focuses on investigative and accountability journalism on topics of vital interest to the citizens of Asheville and Buncombe County.

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Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Keith Campbell is the managing editor of The Watchdog. Email kcampbell@avlwatchdog.org. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.

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