PEABODY — Citizens Inn has a new leader.
Carolina Trujillo will assume the role of executive director later this month.
Citizens Inn is a non-profit that provides a spectrum of services to families and individuals across the North Shore who are experiencing a housing crisis or food insecurity.
“The Citizens Inn Board of Directors is pleased and very excited to announce our new Executive Director Carolina Trujillo,” said Steve Pettengill, president of the board.“The entire board, Citizens Inn’s staff and community look forward to Carolina’s leadership in navigating our organization forward with continued success in serving the needs of our community.”
Trujillo brings with her more than two decades of experience in the human-services sector, including more than 10 years in roles focused on families, children, and health care.
“I am excited about this opportunity, first because I have a great interest in advocating for the needs of our communities and making sure that we are appropriately working towards meeting those needs” said Trujillo. “I am grateful to be entrusted with the opportunity to lead this organization that has been around for almost 40 years.”
Citizens Inn addresses two of the biggest challenges that the American society currently has – housing insecurity and food insecurity, Trujillo said.
“I am mission-centric,” she said. “We are looking at service efficiencies; looking at continuing to provide quality services to our community and supporting them while we’re all recovering from the challenges brought on by the pandemic. We need to make sure that we get our services out there, develop partnerships, and be an active part of the fabric of the communities in Peabody, Salem, Lynnfield, and surrounding cities and towns.”
Trujillo sees her role at Citizens Inn as providing strategic leadership to continue to move the organization in the right direction, as well as being a voice that reflects the needs of the communities the organization serves, creating bridges between the organization it’s partners and community members to continue to advocate and hopefully help decrease the challenges they face.
“I think that leadership starts with heart, good listening skills, and striking the right balance between listening and action,” said Trujillo.
Trujillo, who was born in Colombia, has lived in Lynn for the past five years and has become deeply involved in the community.
“I feel that in my 24 years of being in this country, the city of Lynn has offered me a sense of belonging in a community that I have never felt since moving to the U.S.,” said Trujillo.
Trujillo is currently Vice President Volunteer Engagement Director at Eastern Bank Foundation and was Community Relations Director for Essex Media Group.
She holds volunteer leadership roles as a member of the Board of Directors for The Northeast Arc, Beth Israel Lahey Health, YMCA of Metro North, and the North Shore Maritime Center.
Trujillo is a committee member of Leaders Engaged and Activated to Drive System-wide Change (LEADS), Lynn Education District, Lynn Business Partnership, Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), and Stop the Violence Lynn.
“What motivates me is being an immigrant myself. I know that immigrant communities face, disproportionately, a lot of challenges, trying to understand the American system,” Trujillo said. “It is personal to me to be a good advocate, to find ways to support the community and find ways to stabilize families, which is exactly what Citizens Inn does.”
Trujillo was born in Cali, Colombia. She came to the U.S. aspiring to further her education. She holds two master’s degrees – in public administration and political science with a concentration in international relations – from Suffolk University.
“I think that my story is no different than a lot of the immigrant stories that you hear: In pursuing your dreams, you are trying to advance a professional career and to situate yourself in ways that are meaningful, but that allows you to earn a decent living,” Trujillo said.
Trujillo will step into the position of the outgoing Executive Director Corey Jackson on June 20.
“We are confident that under her leadership, Citizens Inn’s success and impact in achieving its mission and vision will continue to flourish,” said the Board of Directors in a statement.
According to Citizens Inn, the organization has experienced significant growth in the last nine years under the leadership of Jackson. Despite three-fold growth in clients from 2019 to present, Citizens Inn continues to compassionately meet the needs of the community, thanks to steadfast support from donors, volunteers, and dedicated staff.
Alena Kuzub can be reached at [email protected].
