President and CEO
Kimberly Churches joined The Washington Center (TWC) in October 2021. 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).
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 Eckerd Connects, DC Girls Baseball, 1455 Literary Arts, the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, and BUILD Metro DC. She is a member of the Cosmos Club and formerly of the International Women’s Forum of Washington, D.C. 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 and Fortune, among others.
Kim resides in Washington, D.C. with her daughter, and is always up for a game of Scrabble.