Catawba County News

Annable Joins Catawba County as Communications and Marketing Director

Published: September 28, 2026

Catawba County has hired Virginia Annable to serve as Communications and Marketing Director beginning Oct. 19, 2026. Annable will join the County Manager’s Office to lead countywide public information and education efforts, helping connect residents with information about county services, programs and priorities.

Annable is no stranger to the area, as she brings more than a decade of local and regional journalism experience to the role. Her most recent role as editor of the Hickory Daily Record and other Lee Enterprises regional newspapers has helped deepen Annable’s familiarity with local government operations and uniquely positions her to engage with the public on Catawba County’s critical issues, priorities, and projects.

Throughout her career, Annable has held several progressively responsible roles with Lee Enterprises, covering city and county government as a reporter and investigative reporter before moving into leadership roles as an editor and managing editor. Her work has included the Hickory Daily Record, The News Herald, The McDowell News, Statesville Record & Landmark and Mooresville Tribune. Prior to these roles, Annable worked as a reporter at the Lenoir News-Topic and at NPR and PBS affiliate WUFT News in Gainesville, Florida.

“Virginia has built her career by sharing information with the public in a way that consistently builds connection and gets the message across. We are excited to welcome her to the Catawba County team so she can help amplify our story and share our good work in a way that reaches our citizens and engages them where they are,” said County Manager Mary Furtado.

“I am excited to join this team and tell Catawba County’s story. Through my work in local news, I have learned the important role local government plays in our lives. I look forward to being a part of it in my next role,” Annable said. “I care deeply about this community and look forward to serving the public by helping people stay informed about and connected to their local government.”

Annable earned a master’s degree in digital communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after completing a bachelor’s degree in journalism from University of Florida. She resides in Morganton with her husband and enjoys hiking, antique shopping, and a good nonfiction book.