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Jessica Shepard Watts
Jessica Shepard Watts
, PhD, is Chief Partnerships Officer at The Dallas Foundation, directing engagement with current and prospective donor partners, professional advisors, and key stakeholders. She has a distinguished career spanning development and external affairs in the nonprofit, education, and corporate domains. Her track record as an authentic relationship builder and results-oriented leader is evident from her tenure at esteemed organizations such as Axxess, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Dallas, and the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. Throughout her fundraising career, Watts has secured over $150 million from individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations. In her role at Axxess, she oversaw global university relations, corporate citizenship, and external affairs. Her university-industry partnership experience was integral to new executive initiatives, including partnering with the University of Texas at Dallas in opening its first office in Africa—UTD Africa, developing an Axxess MBA Rotational Leadership Program, and launching the annual Axxess Hackathon. Watts previously spent ten years in higher education, serving in corporate and foundation leadership roles at the University of North Texas and The University of Texas at Dallas. She began her career in corporate fundraising at the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. Watts holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University of Texas-Arlington and both a master’s and doctoral degree in public affairs from The University of Texas at Dallas. Watts has also been an instrumental leader, researcher, and past Board Chair for the Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers (NACRO).
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