What is it like to live, work, and play in the Roanoke Region of Virginia? See it through the eyes of some of the region’s young professionals in their own words.
Katey McBurney is a Roanoke native that moved back to the area after nine years of living in Washington, DC. Katey, husband Ryan, and their 2-year-old son moved back to the region in June with remote jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Katey works as head of the client success program at a financial tech company, Asurity, and Ryan is director of digital marketing for Interactive Strategies. Both companies are based in Washington, DC.
5 Questions with Katey McBurney
What brought you here?
Even though I haven’t lived in Roanoke for nearly 11 years, Roanoke has always been my home. Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I loved living in DC. But, after spending a year and a half in a small apartment with a toddler, we knew we needed to make a change. Roanoke is a wonderful community to raise a family in. In addition to that, we are really looking forward to getting outside more – hiking, biking, and enjoying the local breweries and restaurants!
What’s your favorite part about living in the Roanoke Region?
We love that you are still in a city but it has that small-town feel. Everywhere you go, there is a strong chance that you will run into someone you know – that doesn’t happen in a larger city!
What do you do for fun outside of work?
We really enjoy getting outside – either hiking, biking, going to a park with our little one, cooking out with friends and family, going to breweries, restaurants, and seeing live music! And my husband loves to golf!
Where’s your favorite outdoor spot in the region?
Since being back, we have really enjoyed taking short hikes on some of the trails around our house and walking the greenway.
What interesting fact do you share as a conversation starter?
In between college and moving to Washington, DC, I lived and taught English in Seoul, South Korea for a year. I even spent a weekend in Roanoke’s sister city, Wonju! It was an incredible experience. I look forward to trying out the Korean food options in the area!
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