Players’ Club: Catie Merino on Fray Leagues + Her Favorite D.C. Things

We love our DC Fray players, so we’re highlighting them in our Players’ Club series. Join Fray leagues here. 

For the better part of 10 years, Catie Merino has spent her Thursday nights getting her kicks on the kickball field — first in an Adams Morgan league and more recently in the LGBTQ+ league at Stead Park. Not only are leagues a way for Merino to meet new people, she also enjoys the goofy parts of the game and the fact that everyone is on the same level playing field. 

Originally from Los Angeles, Merino has lived in the District for the past 15 years, working in project management at NPR for the last eight. Last summer, Merino got her own electric bike, and has been riding around the city exploring the different neighborhoods of the District. We caught up with Merino to talk career highs, book clubs and how D.C. feels like a small town.

District Fray: What brought you to the D.C. area?
Catie Merino: I came for college originally — George Washington University — and I stayed because I loved it. I’m having a great run here and it’s home to me now.

How would you describe your career?
I started out as an executive assistant and the project management aspect sort of built on itself. During the pandemic, we had to figure out how to get news coverage from people reporting from home for safety reasons, so I was part of the team who pivoted to operations and helped get people the equipment they needed and mapped out how to do our work. We reimagined what NPR could be and who we could attract, and I took on a leadership role in that. 

What other hobbies or activities are you involved in?
I’m in a couple of book clubs, which I love. I live in a co-op and serve on the board in leadership. And I love spending time with people I care about. 

What’s your favorite thing about living in the D.C. area?
D.C. is very much a small town masquerading as a big city, and that’s what I really like about it. It feels really close to everything and there’s so much to do that’s free. There’s a lot of things that are interesting and beautiful, and you can sometimes take for granted how lovely it is to be bopping around. You meet a lot of smart people who showed up here because they care a lot about something and are super into it. It’s fun to have that level of enthusiasm when chatting. 

Your neighborhood: Adams Morgan. Favorite museum: The National Gallery of Art. Go-to cuisine: Mexican (Alero Restaurant on Connecticut). 2023 goal: Finding quality time with friends outside of parties or restaurants. Favorite D.C. sports team: D.C. United. 

Follow Merino on Instagram @catiemerino. 

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Keith Loria

A theatre buff and huge music fan, Keith Loria is a D.C.-based award-winning journalist who has been writing about the arts for more than 20 years. He started his career with the Associated Press and has written for Soap Opera Digest, Playbill and Music Review. He looks forward to 2021 and the theaters reopening! He’s the proud father of two daughters, who often accompany him on his theater outings. Visit his website at keithloria.contently.com.