Linda Watt

Ambassador Linda Watt served as a U.S. diplomat for 29 years. A recognized expert on Latin America, she served as Ambassador to Panama from 2002 to 2005 and acting Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, 1997–1999. She also served in Nicaragua, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Russia, and Washington, D.C.

She was the Chief Operating Officer of The Episcopal Church from 2007 to 2011, overseeing the mission program, communications, development, financial, and operations staff of The Episcopal Church Center.

Linda has been a Member of the Boards of Episcopal Relief and Development, Pro Mujer (a microfinance and human development organization), and the Adventures for the Mind Foundation. She is a long-time member of the selection jury for the prestigious Purpose Prize, a program of AARP that recognizes the accomplishments of social entrepreneurs over age 50. She was an Innovation Fellow for the San Francisco-based think tank Encore.org, leading its efforts to reach out to faith communities.

In the Diocese of Utah, she was a General Convention deputy and a member of the Standing Committee, as well as Senior Warden of her congregation. She recently served on the Church’s Task Force on Relations with the Church in Cuba. She is a certified Spiritual Director and a volunteer interpreter and translator in the immigration practice of Pisgah Legal Services. She is serving her first term on The Church Pension Fund Board of Trustees and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

She received an MA in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico and a BA in History and Spanish from Vanderbilt University.