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Katie wadington (Photo: Angeli Wright/[email protected])

ASHEVILLE – After 15 years in the editorial room of Asheville Citizen Times, news director Katie Wadington will leave her post this month for a new role at USA TODAY.

Wadington has been editor-in-chief of the Citizen Times since 2016. Having started as deputy head of the copy office in 2005, she worked as a commercial editor for newsrooms, an editor and then a news director, among others. She was also editor-in-chief of WNC Parent magazine since 2010.

She has worked in journalism since 1995, working both in smaller community dailies and in a large metro newspaper.

The Citizen Times welcomed me when we moved from Chicago to Asheville, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to raise a family while working in a career that I 39 likes, said Wadington.

This decision is certainly bittersweet, but I am impatient to live a new adventure at the national level. I have worked with so many talented colleagues at the Citizen Times, and I miss getting to interact with them every day.

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Under the leadership of Wadingtons, the staff of the Citizen Times has received more than 60 NC Press Association awards. In 2017, the newspaper received first place of honor of general excellence in the category that includes the largest newspapers in the state. The newsroom also twice received first place for best community coverage and ranked second and third in other years.

In her new role on the USA TODAY political team, she will work as an editor on a new project that will involve the entire USA TODAY network.

I will be based in Asheville, working remotely, said Wadington. Having the ability to stay in western North Carolina while having a national impact has made this new role particularly attractive.

Editors Casey Blake and Todd Runkle will lead the press team after Wadington's departure in mid-March. Contact them and the whole ACT news team here.

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