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Changing the Game: Michael Watson's Fresh Vision for After the Harvest
From the court to the community, Michael Watson is passionate about overcoming obstacles to cultivate emerging leaders
Michael Watson now serves as After the Harvest’s Executive Director following his stint as Executive Director of ATH partner Raytown Emergency Assistance Program. He takes over for Lisa Ousley, who founded the organization in 2014 and retires at the end of 2023.
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, proclaimed change as life’s only constant. Embracing this notion, growth-oriented organizations not only accept change but also thrive in its midst. In this spirit, After the Harvest ushered in a new era with Michael Watson, an experienced professional deeply familiar with the challenges of food scarcity and the virtues of teamwork.
As Founding Executive Director Lisa Ousley prepares for her retirement at the end of December 2023, she has devoted the past year to familiarizing Michael with the organization she passionately nurtured for nine years. Watson acknowledges this collaboration, highlighting the
Michael Watson
valuable guidance he received from Lisa, especially in areas like grant research and reporting.
“You know, having Lisa here, taking stuff off my plate that allows me to focus on different things within these past ten months,” Watson said with a ready smile. “I feel like it’s been two years, you know, just as far as the things that we’ve learned, it’s been a really good partnership.”
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, proclaimed change as life’s only constant. Embracing this notion, growth-oriented organizations not only accept change but also thrive in its midst. In this spirit, After the Harvest ushered in a new era with Michael Watson, an experienced professional deeply familiar with the challenges of food scarcity and the virtues of teamwork.
As Founding Executive Director Lisa Ousley prepares for her retirement at the end of December 2023, she has devoted the past year to familiarizing Michael with the organization she passionately nurtured for nine years. Watson acknowledges this collaboration, highlighting the valuable guidance he received from Lisa, especially in areas like grant research and reporting.
“You know, having Lisa here, taking stuff off my plate that allows me to focus on different things within these past ten months,” Watson said with a ready smile. “I feel like it’s been two years, you know, just as far as the things that we’ve learned, it’s been a really good partnership.”
Watson stands as a paragon of both athleticism and community leadership. His basketball prowess made him a local and collegiate legend; he graduated as the all-time leading scorer for both the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Mid-Continent Conferences, eventually moving on to a decade-long international professional basketball career, playing as a free agent with the NBA’s Boston Celtics in his rookie year, then ten seasons of International Professional Basketball in Poland, France, Italy, Turkey, and Puerto Rico.
But Watson’s impact transcends the basketball court; he has been an influential community builder and non-profit executive. After retiring from basketball in 2012, he delved into philanthropy, founding the non-profit ‘MENTALITY by Michael Watson’ and serving as the District Director of Athletics for Kansas City Public Schools and helping establish the Urban Ministry for The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
Watson’s contributions to sports and society have been recognized with the retirement of his UMKC jersey and induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. In 2023, Watson was elected to the Raytown School Board, where his son Elijah attends.
But he’s nowhere near ready to retire as a community leader focused on helping people.
The ATH team at the 2023 Amaizing Sweet Corn Glean-A-Thon. (L to R): Clay Jarratt, Lisa Ousley, Michael Watson, Carole Jo Bradley, Brooke Freeman, Jane Fletcher and Autumn MorningSky.
Prior to joining ATH, he served for seven years as the Executive Director of Raytown Emergency Assistance Program (REAP), a non-profit organization that assists families and individuals with utility, rental, and food pantry assistance.
He believes his experiences on the court and working in the community have prepared him for the challenge of taking ATH to the next level.
“I think what my athletic background and career taught me was to turn obstacles into opportunities. That’s a big thing for me because in life, you’re always going to have obstacles – it’s guaranteed, like death and taxes – so how do you look at them? As an athlete, you deal with them on the court, balancing school, sports, life, children, and marriage. You balance all those things as an athlete,” he said.
LISTEN: “I think what my athletic background and career taught me was to turn obstacles into opportunities. That’s a big thing for me because in life, you’re always going to have obstacles – it’s guaranteed, like death and taxes – so how do you look at them?” – Michael Watson
It’s that kind of approach that make him a leader who can juggle multiple responsibilities, and not the least of which is understanding the needs of the people we serve and the volunteers and staff who make it happen.
“I think those lessons that I learned as an athlete carry into my life today in how I work with people on a team, working with volunteers, working with the best player on the team to the one who only plays fifteen minutes. Learning to pull in your own life experiences coming from nothing, and understanding what it’s like to serve people who have nothing,” he said, “The humility that it takes to come through a line and ask for food, for assistance. Being in that position a few times in our family – I lived that life.”
Watson’s dynamic leadership is evident in his championing of the new Urban Produce Push (UPP) initiative, which supports ATH’s mission as a cornerstone in alleviating food insecurity in the Greater Kansas City area by consistently supplying fresh produce.
As the region’s sole gleaning organization, ATH takes a holistic approach, overseeing every facet of the food chain system. This dedication to the cause is seeing renewed vigor in 2023 as we introduce the UPP – Urban Produce Push initiative. While UPP reflects ATH’s longstanding mission, it stands out with its intentional improvements and streamlined processes, reaching more people in urban food deserts who need better access to healthy food.
Through UPP, ATH is taking action to address communities struggling most with food insecurity, beginning with ten zip codes.
Under Watson’s leadership, ATH developed and launched the Urban Produce Push initiative in October.
In these areas, there is a significant lack of resources such as quality grocery stores, community gardens, and access to fresh produce. With the help of our partners, our goal is to bridge these gaps and create a more balanced food landscape by providing support where it’s needed most urgently. Learn more about UPP here.
Watson has found that meeting the farmers who are indispensable to ATH’s success has been enlightening and fun.
“As we introduce the Urban Produce Push in 2024, we’re not just pushing produce; we’re pushing boundaries,” Watson said. “It’s a testament to ATH’s unwavering commitment to evolve, innovate, and create a more balanced food system for everyone.”
As Watson works closely with staff, volunteers, the board of directors and our community partners through change, he is a constant, steady presence, devoted to the growth of ATH.
This article is part two of a series documenting ATH’s leadership transition from Lisa Ousley to Michael Watson. To read more about Lisa’s story as the founding executive director of the organization, click here.
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