So far, PACF has funded seven students moving between the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and Nicaragua.
The Pan-American College Fund
Our Vision for Growth
WHERE WE’RE HEADED
Liberty is PACF’s first partner school. It’s where we started, but not where it ends.
We have two goals:
- Build a network of partner universities across the Americas
- Grow toward a full dual-degree program between schools
PACF ensures that a student’s education isn’t bound by a single university or a single border.
Every scholarship funded today is a step toward that larger goal.
The Pan-American College Fund
Our Vision for Growth
WHERE WE’RE HEADED
Liberty is PACF’s first partner school. It’s where we started, but not where it ends.
We have two goals:
- Build a network of partner universities across the Americas
- Grow toward a full dual-degree program between schools
PACF ensures that a student’s education isn’t bound by a single university or a single border.
Every scholarship funded today is a step toward that larger goal.
The Pan-American College Fund
OUR TEAM
Our team shares one commitment: using education to build real understanding across the Americas. That shows in who we are — educators, financial professionals, and military veterans. We also bring dual citizenship, firsthand experience living abroad, and extensive world travel.
J. Todd Watkins, MBA
Founder and Philanthropic Advisor
Pan-American College Fund
Nathan A. Ives, MBA
Executive Director
Pan-American College Fund
Richard Pine, MA
President of the Board
Pan-American College Fund
Tammy Ives, PhD
Creative Director
Pan-American College Fund
Christopher Pallas, PhD
Board Member
Pan-American College Fund
Kelly Watkins, BA
Board Member
Pan-American College Fund
Scott Schroeder
Board Member
Pan-American College Fund
William Wegert, PhD
Board Member
Pan-American College Fund
J. Todd Watkins, MBA
Founder and Philanthropic Advisor
J. Todd Watkins founded the Pan-American College Fund and serves as its Philanthropic Advisor. Before starting PACF, Todd served as an Officer and Pilot in the U.S. Army, and later earned an MBA from Kennesaw State University. He also holds a certificate in Social Sector Leadership from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, completed through their Philanthropy University program.
Todd has built his career around donor accountability. He holds professional credentials in investment fiduciary oversight (AIF and AIFA) and charitable gift planning (CAP), and holds Series 7, 65, and 66 securities licenses. As a Registered Investment Advisor with the SEC, Todd brings that same standard of accountability to his work for PACF — though donor funds themselves are managed independently by a contracted investment firm. He has traveled to 28 countries across four continents.
Nathan Ives, MBA
Executive Director and Board Member
Nathan Ives serves as PACF‘s Executive Director and is a member of the Board of Directors. He brings over thirty years of senior executive experience across the technology, energy, and nonprofit sectors, with a background in strategic planning and organizational leadership. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in physics, Nathan served as Assistant Chief Nuclear Engineer aboard the USS Groton, a nuclear submarine, before earning his MBA from Kennesaw State University, where he was elected to the Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. He also holds a Diversity Management Certificate from the University of Houston’s International Institute of Diversity and Cross-Cultural Management and is a certified Project Management Professional. He has traveled to sixteen countries across four continents.
Richard Pine
President of the Board
Richard Pine serves as President of PACF’s Board of Directors. He holds a master’s degree from Seton Hall University and a bachelor’s degree from Kings College in Pennsylvania. A former high school English teacher, he later built a career in sales and management within the building materials industry, including over a decade with Georgia-Pacific. As a past educator, Richard is a strong believer in the power of educational opportunity to enrich lives and communities.
Tammy Ives, PhD
Creative Director and Board Member
Dr. Tammy Ives serves as PACF’s Creative Director and is a member of the Board of Directors. She holds an MA and Ph.D. in Art Education from the University of Georgia, where her doctoral research identified blocks to creative thinking. She also holds a BA in Visual Arts from Kennesaw State University. She has designed and conducted six research studies in the United States and China, presenting her work at national and international conferences.
Tammy spent three and a half years living and working in China, first as a visiting professor in Yantai, then teaching critical thinking and college prep in Chongqing. In Hangzhou, she led an art program, overseeing its student art shows and special exhibitions while mentoring a Chinese colleague. She has traveled to twelve countries across three continents. At the University of West Georgia, she served as program director for the art education degree program, developing and teaching its courses. She is also an artist and designer who owns a branding and web design firm.
Christopher Pallas, PhD
Board Member
Dr. Christopher Pallas is Professor of Conflict Management and Political Science at Kennesaw State University, where his research examines how international institutions and NGOs engage with local communities in development policy. He is the author of several books and articles on global governance and nonprofit leadership. Before entering academia, he served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, West Africa.
Kelly Watkins
Board Member
Kelly Watkins is a Brazilian citizen who has spent over two decades teaching English in Brazil. She holds a degree in Language and Literature from the State University of Goiás, along with a specialization in English language instruction with a focus on high school grammar. She began her career as a student at a language institute, later working her way up from secretary to English teacher there — an experience that shaped her lasting commitment to teaching. Kelly has taught students from early childhood through high school, and now works as a private tutor.
Scott Schroeder
Board Member
Scott Schroeder brings decades of diverse construction industry experience to the Board. A veteran tradesman, he spent 20 years as a residential home builder and mason before transitioning into commercial construction management. His extensive field career includes serving as a Commercial Superintendent for 21 years, a Senior Commercial Estimator for 15 years, and managing specialized movie and television set construction for 5 years. Scott holds numerous industry certifications, including a 40-Hour OSHA Construction Management designation, pipeline construction, trench safety, and Level 2 Green Card erosion control certifications.
William Wegert, PhD
Board Member
William Wegert spent four decades at Liberty University, rising from Director of Graduate Admissions to Director of International Admissions, and ultimately Dean of International Student Programs. He built the university‘s international admissions work from the ground up, overseeing a team supporting nearly 1,000 international students from more than 60 countries, and helped establish the campus’s international student center. He has traveled to 20 countries building relationships between Liberty and schools abroad.
