It’s hard to believe that nearly 10 years have passed since I flipped the switch to launch Qcitymetro.com in November 2008.
Since then, a lot of great things have happened. We’ve seen our audience explode; we launched new products, such as the Morning Brew newsletter and the Qcitymetro Business Directory; and our list of sponsors and advertisers just keeps growing.
Growth is good for any new business, but it also brings fresh challenges, including more work. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that, starting August 1, Katrina Louis will join our team as managing editor. With Katrina at the daily helm, I will have more time to dream, interact with you, and focus on growing the business.
As the website’s top editor, Katrina will be responsible for deciding what content we publish. She also will be in charge of growing our social media channels as well as our email newsletters.
Katrina will certainly do that job differently than I have done it, and that excites me. While keeping true to the standards and values we’ve established, she will bring a fresh eye to our content creation.
Like many of us in Charlotte, Katrina arrived here from someplace else – Florida, in her case. She moved here in 2015 with her husband, Kallan, and they were featured on this website as Qcity Newcomers. Little did I imagine back then that she would play a key role in leading Qcitymetro into the second decade of its remarkable life.
Katrina holds a degree in public relations with a minor in communication studies from the University of Florida. Before moving to Charlotte, she worked as a multimedia specialist at the Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Florida. Most recently, she worked as communications manager for Charlotte Works.
Katrina also is committed to Charlotte overall, and its black communities in particular, as witnessed by the significant volunteer time she’s given to organizations including the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce, Urban League of Central Carolinas, Junior League of Charlotte and The Possibility Project.
At a time when the local news landscape has undergone cataclysmic change, I am excited to have a managing editor who also understands the importance of social media marketing and online branding.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing more about the future of Qcitymetro. We’ll also be rolling out some new surprises as our 10th anniversary approaches.
Meanwhile, if you see Katrina out and about, be sure to offer her the same encouragement and support you’ve given so generously to me. I believe the best is yet to come.
