Michelle Keenan, a nonprofit media veteran, has been named Asheville Watchdog’s first director of development.

Keenan, who started in her role this week, will be responsible for leading the nonprofit news organization’s fundraising and revenue generation. She also will focus on marketing, events, and community engagement.

“The Watchdog is lucky to have Michelle on board,” said Publisher Bob Gremillion. “Her strategic mindset and deep local knowledge of our market are a perfect fit for us in this period of rapid growth.”

Keenan worked at Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) from 1997 to 2024 in several key positions, including membership director, director of listener support and audience services, and most recently, associate director of development.

At BPR, she created an annual development plan and launched the station’s first major giving and legacy programs.

“I have been impressed by The Watchdog’s work since its launch in 2020,” Keenan said. “They quickly earned the public’s trust through their investigative and accountability journalism and have consistently punched above their weight in service to our community.”

“I’m excited to join this talented team and look forward to helping build partnerships and financial sustainability for Asheville Watchdog, as a vital resource for our region.”

Keenan graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in history and minoring in English. 

For much of 2024, Keenan worked as a part-time development consultant for The Watchdog.

“As a consultant over the past year, I was truly moved by the consistent outpouring of appreciation for The Watchdog. In more than 30 years of fundraising, I’ve never seen unsolicited feedback quite like it. To me, this is a testament to the quality and importance of this journalism for our community.”

The Watchdog, which offers its news content for free as a public service, experienced dramatic growth in its audience in 2024, growing its year-over year page views by 136 percent.

Founded in 2020, The 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. 

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/.

Related