Katy Palombi

Katy moved to the Asheville area in 1997, after spending five years playing in the San Juan Mountains of Telluride, Colorado. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, with a focus in Natural Resource Management and Forestry. After working seasonally in resource management, she landed in Asheville where she built and managed the City of Asheville’s Outdoor Recreation Program. She later worked in the private sector as Operations Manager for a wine importation company and did bookkeeping for small businesses.

Katy brings more than eight years of nonprofit experience to RiverLink. She served as Finance and Operations Manager at RiverLink from 2018 to 2023, then spent three years as Development Director for the French Broad River Academy. She was thrilled to return to RiverLink in her new role as Strategic Opportunities Manager, helping to advance the organization’s post-Helene recovery and resilience goals. She loves the collaborative spirit of the RiverLink team and is grateful for the chance to work on projects that strengthen the Asheville community and the health of the French Broad watershed.

Her happy place is just about any trail in the woods. She spends her free time hiking with her dog, Levon, soaking up every minute she can with her two daughters, laughing with her husband, reading, gardening, skiing, and catching up with friends near and far. She loves to travel, but WNC is certainly home.