Lathan Watts

Lathan Watts serves as VP of Public Affairs at Alliance Defending Freedom. He oversees the development and execution of strategic communications plans for ADF expansion into state legal advocacy in collaboration with the legal (legislative primarily), CMA, and SRT teams. He represents ADF at external events, conferences and press conference, and in media. He serves as liaison between the communications department and other departments at ADF including ADF's executive-level team leaders regarding media engagement and public communication, specifically for the ADF President and General Counsel.

He also develops communications content—to include messaging documents, fact sheets, opinion editorials, and research resources—that translate ADF objectives, organizational vision, and issue advocacy into compelling stories and effective messages that inspire targeted audiences. He assists SVP of Communications, SVP of Corporate Engagement, and SVP of Human Resources in developing crisis communications processes and plans.

Prior to joining ADF, Watts spent nearly twenty years in various roles within the political, public policy, and non-profit sectors. He held campaign and official staff positions for U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling, U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Texas Governor Rick Perry. He served four years as a City Councilman in Lewisville, TX. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi and his Bachelor of Arts in History from Harding University.