Los Alamos Community Foundation welcomes new executive director

The Los Alamos Community Foundation marked a leadership change Tuesday with a clear message for the county: the organization is growing, and so is the local money it can direct to nonprofits, schools, arts groups and community needs. At a gathering at the home of board member Vivien Chen, the foundation said goodbye to outgoing Executive Director Elizabeth Martineau and welcomed Alison Watkins, who has already stepped in as the group’s next leader.

The transition carries practical weight for Los Alamos County because the foundation now says it manages 22 locally endowed funds, holds assets exceeding $2 million and awarded more than $220,000 to local nonprofits in fiscal year 2026. In a town where many essential programs depend on a mix of public support, private giving and volunteer effort, that kind of funding can help stabilize organizations that serve vulnerable residents, preserve local culture and keep small nonprofits from slipping into crisis.

Watkins officially started May 27 after a broad search, following an announcement from the foundation on May 1. She came to the role from the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, where she served as assistant director. Watkins grew up in Los Alamos, returned from Fort Worth, Texas, in 2011 and previously worked for MainStreet and Creative District, Los Alamos Public Schools and the Los Alamos Historical Society. The foundation said the two leaders planned to overlap for several weeks, helping ensure a smoother handoff as Watkins takes over day-to-day leadership.

Martineau is moving to the Denver area to be closer to family, and the event underscored how deeply rooted Watkins already is in the county’s civic life. She has a long personal connection to local philanthropy, including helping with the Rae Douglas Christmas Families program in the 1980s, and she has pointed to memories of community support during the Cerro Grande Fire as part of what shaped her approach to giving.

The foundation’s expanding footprint also signals where future grantmaking may go. Its newest seed funds and endowments include Living Treasures of Los Alamos, Los Alamos Community Winds, Los Alamos Historical Society, Los Alamos Symphony Orchestra, UNM-LA Faculty Professional Development and the Jose A. and Mary M. Arellano Family. Seed funds are designed to help donors build toward the $10,000 needed to establish a named endowment, turning smaller gifts into permanent support for local institutions.

Founded in 2015, the foundation has steadily increased its reach. A 2024 retrospective said it had awarded more than 120 grants totaling more than $280,000 since its founding and had created endowment funds of more than $1.3 million. A 2025 grant recap showed that momentum continuing, with more than $81,000 awarded to 18 nonprofit partners, nearly double the prior year’s total. With Watkins at the helm, the foundation enters its next chapter with more assets, more funds and a bigger role in deciding which local needs get sustained support year after year.