Janell Watkins
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Development Team
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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Host a FIRE Speaker
Hosting a FIRE speaker is a great way to catalyze social change by educating members of your community about the importance of free speech, due process, and religious liberty.
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Explore Our Work
FIRE is a mission-driven organization of hardworking, dedicated team members committed to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.
Explore FIRE's Advocacy![Students on college campus](/sites/default/files/styles/479x250/public/2022/08/students-college-campus-Shutterstock-1.jpg.webp?itok=cIGWjclx)