St. Vincent Catholic Charities Hires New Director of Development

A veteran fundraiser with extensive experience in community relations has been named as St. Vincent Catholic Charities’ new director of development. Tamara El-Khoury Watson assumed her new role effective Dec. 4.

New STVCC Director of Development Tamara Watson

She will be responsible for positioning STVCC as one of the top choices for donors in the Greater Lansing area. Her duties include leading the team responsible for planning and coordination of all development and community relations efforts for STVCC including donor cultivation, planned giving, annual appeals, major gifts, agency and third-party events, marketing, community relations and volunteer management.

A former journalist, Watson brings nine years of professional nonprofit experience, and most recently served as the senior associate of donor and public relations at Capital Area United Way.

“I am honored to join the STVCC team as together, with our wonderful supporters, we provide help and create hope in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community,” Watson said. “I look forward to working with the community to provide exceptional services to the children, refugees, immigrants and families who come to STVCC seeking a better future.”

Watson graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts double major in journalism and government and politics. Originally from Northern Virginia, Watson lives in East Lansing with her husband, Brendan Watson, and their two children.

Watson replaces current STVCC Director of Development & Community Relations Cindy Herfindahl, who retires Dec. 31.

For more information on STVCC and how to get involved with the agency, please visit www.stvcc.org.