Watson Donald serves as Federal Affairs Manager for Alabama Power Company. He has nearly 20 years of diverse experience working in government, for profit, and nonprofit organizations. Immediately prior to joining Alabama Power he spent seven years at Southern Research leading its first government affairs and, subsequently, external affairs team in the areas of government relations, marketing, philanthropic development, and STEM education outreach.
Previously, he served as a senior associate for a strategic advisory and advocacy firm in Washington, D.C. His clients included large international corporations, mid-sized firms, and start-up companies seeking guidance on the federal level.

Prior to joining the private sector, Donald served nine years as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill to Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Congressman Jo Bonner (R-AL). He primarily focused on defense, NASA, and foreign affairs, but also gained experience in the healthcare and agriculture issue areas.

Donald has prior service as a member of the board of directors for multiple nonprofit organizations with local and statewide impact: Business Council of Alabama, BioAlabama, REV Birmingham, and Central Six Alabama Works. He also served as past chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Birmingham Business Alliance. In 2013, he participated in the Children’s of Alabama Committee for the Future, and in 2017, was named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Donald earned a Bachelor of Science in business management from Birmingham-Southern College. He and his wife Jessica have two sons, Jack (8) and Sam (5).