Updates regarding The National World War II Museum

Stephen J. Watson, a nationally recognized non-profit leader, is President & CEO of The National WWII Museum, where he has played an increasing role in strategic decisions and daily operations for the past 17 years. A native of Scotland who relocated to Louisiana in 1994, Watson earned his BS and MBA degrees at Nicholls State University before entering the non-profit sector with WWNO public radio in New Orleans. Watson, the grandson of a WWII Royal Air Force pilot, joined the institution then known as the National D-Day Museum in 2002 and launched a highly successful national membership campaign that today includes 160,000 members – the largest of any museum in the country. He was promoted to Vice President & COO in 2007 and Executive Vice President in 2014.

In his various roles, Watson has overseen all key areas of the institution, including operations, membership, educational programming, collections, fundraising, marketing, and exhibit development. As the Museum’s $400 million capital expansion enters its final phases, Watson’s innovation and leadership have propelled a comprehensive strategy to expand the Museum’s education programs and outreach. A naturalized US citizen, Watson lives in New Orleans with his wife, Gina, and their two children, Kate and Matthew.