Aaron McNeil House will have a new executive director following the retirement of Kurt Anderson, who has led the crisis relief agency since 2012.
Tamara Watts-Hunter will begin her tenure on Oct. 26, according to a press release from Sondra Price, who chairs the Aaron McNeil board. Watts-Hunter previously was Anderson’s administrative assistant for more than nine years.
“We are excited about this leadership opportunity and the positive impact it will have on our organization,” Price said in the release. “Tamara’s experience and dedication will be valuable as we continue working toward our goals and serving our community.
Aaron McNeil House is located in a former Episcopal chapel and school building that served Hopkinsville’s African American community at Second and Campbell streets.
The agency is named for the Rev. A.H. McNeil, who came to Hopkinsville in the early 1890s to serve as the deacon and minister for the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. The agency now provides financial assistance for residents who need help paying housing and utility bills, operates a food pantry and oversees a monthly food commodity distribution service.
Price said Watts-Hunter will focus on “strengthening partnerships, supporting staff and the [Aaron McNeil] board, and ensuring that the organization continues to provide meaningful services to those it serves.”
Anderson, who practiced law in Hopkinsville prior to joining Aaron McNeil, will remain at the agency for one month after Watts-Hunter becomes executive director. His employment with the agency will end on Nov. 25.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
