Paula Watkins is the Executive Director of North Carolina Humanities Council. Accepting the position in 2014, Watkins uses her vast experience with humanities councils, along with her unique academic perspective, to strengthen and broaden relationships with North Carolinians.

Previously, Watkins served as Assistant Director and South Carolina Book Festival Director at SC Humanities. A Hartsville, SC native, Watkins brought two national programs to SC Humanities in 2004; Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare® and the traveling Smithsonian “Museum on Main Street” exhibition Barn Again. During the 2013 SC Book Festival, Watkins was honored by the City of Columbia with the key to the city because of her service in the literary and cultural arts, and Saturday, May 18, 2013 was named Paula Watkins Day.

Today, under Watkin’s leadership, North Carolina Humanities Council continues to share stories, design innovative humanities programs, and support cultural organizations in order to promote lifelong learning, community engagement and build informed and active North Carolinians.