James Watson

James Watson is an Emmy Award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience helping some of the world’s most prominent media companies launch new ventures on television and in print, including CBS News (“60 Minutes”), NBC Olympics, and The New York Times.

Nearly a decade ago, James returned to his hometown of Poughkeepsie, NY to help with its revitalization. In 2019, he partnered with Poughkeepsie’s Mayor, Superintendent of Schools, and community stakeholders to co-found the Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet to serve as the city’s cradle-to-career quarterback organization. James was also a co-founder of Lead for Poughkeepsie, an AmeriCorps-sponsored public service fellowship program created to attract and retain homegrown talent to pursue social impact careers.

James holds a B.A. from Boston College. He is also a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is a two-time Emmy Award winner and four-time nominee.