Katie Bolling graduated from Emory and Henry in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in media and communications, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre, and a minor in English.  During her time at Emory & Henry, she held leadership roles in several clubs and organizations, served as an editor for the campus newspaper, and worked as a marketing intern at Barter Theatre. In her senior year of college, she started interning at EO. After she graduated, she moved into a full-time position at EO as their data coordinator for Project Health, an initiative funded by the Department of Labor designed to provide students with opportunities in high-demand healthcare jobs. In her role at CECE, Katie assists with proposal development, project budgeting and milestone tracking, and final product editing and formatting.

1. What attracted you to the mission of CECE?

It's always been important for me to feel like I'm working somewhere that's helping other people, especially in my own community. I've lived in this area my whole life and am passionate about Southwest Virginia and Virginia as a whole. Through this role, I will be able to work on different projects and initiatives that improve people's well-being.

2. What projects have you been working on since starting at CECE?

I've been meeting everybody and learning about the different projects faculty and staff work on. I've been making sure our database is up to date and touching base with CECE team members to see how I can help them with the different tasks they're working on.

3. What skills are you looking forward to honing at CECE?

In this position, I look forward to growing my understanding of managing large grants and projects while learning about a variety of different topics. At my previous job, I mostly focused on one specific project. I'm also looking forward to learning more about the administrative and financial side of things because it's something that will be important for the type of work I'm interested in for the future.

4. Since moving to the New River Valley, is there a particular place you are looking forward to visiting or exploring?

I'm excited to explore Blacksburg's Main Street, see more of the town, and meet new people. I've lived in Abingdon my whole life, so I'm looking forward to trying all the new local restaurants and cafes.

5. What is a fun fact about you?

I love musical theater, and I love to sing. I did the Barter Theatre's Youth Academy program from 6th grade until I graduated high school. I'm fairly introverted so sometimes it surprises people that I would be interested in being up on stage. One of my favorite roles was in my senior year of college, when I played Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. That was fun because she is 9 or 10 years old. I got to learn the British dialect and got to be really funny in that role too.

6. What activities and hobbies do you like to do outside of work?

I'm into pop culture and trending songs, movies, and TV shows. I love to go to concerts. I enjoy hanging out with my cat, Opie. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to different restaurants, and participating in trivia nights. I also love to travel. I went to Tokyo, Japan when I graduated from college, and we've planned another trip to Tokyo and Kyoto in December. I also love day trips and enjoy going to Asheville, Boone, and Charlotte.