Thrive Asheville brings together local community advocates, policymakers, and professionals from varied fields and backgrounds to find impartial solutions to our city’s toughest challenges. We connect some of Asheville's smartest problem-solvers with research and tools they may not have the budget or capacity to easily access on their own. Then we design the best community solutions together so that all in our city can thrive.
We collaborate with local residents and leaders from varied perspectives to understand our city’s challenges, forge new relationships, and act on the best solutions together.
Asheville is a place where all thrive—we share in the beauty and prosperity of our city because we are impartial, sustainable, and connected.
Thrive Asheville is made up of people from communities across Asheville. We work together with all groups to make Asheville better for all.
Thrive’s approach is place-based, meaning that we understand the issues, interconnections and relationships in Asheville and coordinate action and investment to improve the quality of life for our community.
We envision a transformed community and we work for change that significantly improves life conditions for local residents.
Thrive brings people together with varied perspectives and backgrounds to engage in deep connection, understand complex problems, and identify shared solutions – accomplished by building trust over time.
We find new strategies for moving the community forward, in order to create greater equity and address systemic and interrelated challenges.
By operating in a way that is open, trustworthy and inclusive, Thrive helps bridge differences and builds a stronger, more unified community.
Kate has worked at the intersection of community development, education, and equity throughout her career. She has led nonprofit organizations for more than 18 years. Kate believes that the collective impact approach to organizing and steering community energy towards meaningful goals can move the needle on issues we care about in Buncombe County.
Kristal Perez is the Program Manager at Thrive Asheville, with extensive experience in budget management and community engagement. She is dedicated to supporting program needs and raising awareness for the organization. Skilled in creating customized programs and training, Kristal uses data to assess program effectiveness and foster teamwork. Passionate about community involvement, she continuously seeks to improve programs through strategic planning.
Kristal is also part of the Collective Leadership Advancing Racial Equity (CLARE) program, which helps leaders build their skills and well-being as they work together in their communities. This program highlights the importance of strong leadership for racial equity and provides resources to help leaders tackle challenges.
Kristal has a Nonprofit Fundamentals Certificate from WNC Nonprofit Pathways and a certificate in Pathways to Leadership, a program from the Center for Participatory Change and The Campaign School at Yale University
In her free time, Kristal loves to hike, play pickleball, and bake. She lives in Asheville with her son, and they enjoy traveling and going on weekend adventures together, making wonderful memories along the way.
With nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit organization leadership, Holly’s subject matter expertise spans the fields of nature conservation, public health, and community development. Her comprehensive skill set emphasizes administrative coordination, board support, fundraising and donor development, project logistics, database applications, stakeholder engagement, and staff training. She applies these essential tools to help ensure that Thrive’s internal scope effectively supports its purpose-driven mission.
Bernie is a seasoned storyteller who works to develop and execute strategies that align messages with Thrive’s mission and goals. With experience that spans the worlds of journalism, research, nonprofit organizations, and public policy, Bernie develops content for Thrive’s website, newsletter, media relations initiatives, and social media channels.
2024 - 2025 Board of Directors:
Matt Allen, Land of the Sky Assoc. of Realtors (LOTSAR), • Larry Crosby, Foundry Hotel • David Feingold , Public Radio Executive, ret. • George Glackin, Hatch AVL • Holly Jones, NC DOJ • Kim McGuire, McGuire Consulting, ret. • Pete Perez, Executive and Community Arts, ret. • Missy Sherburne, Education and Technology • Lisa Gay Hall • Nonprofit Executive, Legal Sector • Patrick Fitzsimmons, Mayor of Weaverville • Justice Rogers, Federal Law Enforcement (ret.); Community Arts
Additionally, Thrive Asheville has several other community-led working groups, formed in support of specific initiatives.
Our working partners include Asheville Housing Authority, Buncombe County, WNC Superheroes, Children First/CIS, City of Asheville, and Pisgah Legal Services.
