Janell Watkins

Annual Giving Director
Janell Watkins

Janell, a native of southern Louisiana, earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology from Southeastern Louisiana University. Early in her career, she held various roles in the justice sector before transitioning to development in 2017, when she moved to Virginia to work for the Institute for Justice. 

Her lifelong passion for individual rights led her to join FIRE in 2022. In her current role, Janell manages all aspects of FIRE's membership program, direct mail efforts, and contributes to internal operations and reporting for the development team. Her focus is on keeping supporters informed and engaged with FIRE's mission and finding ways to share FIRE's work with new audiences. 

Now residing in North Carolina, Janell enjoys traveling with her husband, reading fiction, and volunteering in her community.

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