“I am incredibly honored to be recognized with the American College of Healthcare Executives Service Award,” said Watkins. “Volunteer service has always been important to me, personally and professionally. Service to others not only builds the community in which you live and work, but as a healthcare executive it also drives you to find more ways to provide quality care to your neighbors.”

 

To achieve the Service Award, Watkins volunteered for more than 10 years with ACHE in a variety of capacities. He served as chairman of ACHE’s Early Careerist Committee from 2013 to 2016 and was recognized with the Early Careerist Award in 2015. He was Regent-at-Large for ACHE’s district 5. He has written articles for the organization’s Early Careerist newsletter and was a keynote speaker for the Early Careerist Forum during ACHE’s Annual Congress.

 

Outside of ACHE, Watkins works closely with Be the Match – National Marrow Donor program. A bone marrow donor in 2017, Watkins hopes to meet the 36-year-old recipient later this year. He agreed to be a donor after losing a friend to sickle cell, the same condition afflicting the donor recipient.