Neil Watkins

Deputy Director, Program Advocacy and Communications (BMGF) and SUN Movement Executive Committee member (SUN Donor Network Representative)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

United States of America

Biography

Neil Watkins leads the foundation’s policy, advocacy, and communications work on nutrition and agriculture. He manages a global portfolio of policy and advocacy grants on nutrition and agriculture issues and led the development of the foundation's first nutrition advocacy strategy.

Before joining the foundation in 2012, Neil led advocacy and policy efforts on a range of global poverty issues in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served as director of policy and campaigns at ActionAid USA, and before that as executive director of Jubilee USA Network, an alliance of more than 75 faith-based organizations, development agencies, and human rights groups advocating for debt relief and global poverty eradication.

Neil holds a B.S. in foreign service and international relations and affairs from Georgetown University.