Kim Churches

Kim Churches joined The Washington Center’s as the organization’s fourth President in October 2021. In 2022, the Board unanimously approved TWC’s new strategic plan, vision and mission, for which Kim is charged with executing to ensure our relevance and impact.

Passionate about workforce development and career-connected skills, Kim brings more than three decades of leadership experience in nonprofit and higher education administration, joining TWC after serving most recently as the chief executive officer for the American Association of University Women (AAUW). In her tenure leading AAUW, a national nonprofit advancing gender equity, she developed and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure the organization’s mission focus, bolstering AAUW’s actionable commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, while enhancing financial sustainability and impact.

Prior to her work with AAUW, Kim served as the managing director for the Brookings Institution, an internationally recognized policy think tank. In that capacity, she strategically guided Brookings, providing vision and problem-solving skills while focusing on expansive partnerships, external relations and advancement. Her accomplishments at Brookings built on prior successful efforts as associate vice chancellor at the University of Denver and director of development at the University of North Florida. Kim has extensive experience working collaboratively in education as well as on capacity building for national and international nonprofits.

Outside of her official roles, Kim has devoted her leadership skills in board roles on behalf of several professional and charitable organizations, including the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, 1455 Literary Arts, Association of Fundraising Professionals, DC Girls Baseball and BUILD Metro DC. She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum of Washington DC, a global organization that represents women leaders in diverse fields. A dynamic and sought-after speaker, Kim has addressed several national conferences and conventions, and contributed to national media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today. Her thought leadership has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, The Hill, Fortune, among others.

Kim resides in Washington, D.C. with her daughter and husband, and is always up for a game of Scrabble.