Charles Whitson

Executive Director & Founder

Born and raised in Taos, he brings a strong understanding of the community to this position. After graduating from Taos High School he moved to Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico where he studied business, astronomy, and sociology.

After his studies at UNM he started a business and family before deciding to return to Taos in 2018. He took the position as Taos MainStreet’s first Executive Director on January 1, 2020.

He is responsible for the daily operations of the organization, planning, fundraising, project implementation, as well as the management of staff, volunteers, programming, and communications. He is focused on developing and implementing projects in three main areas: physical improvements and infrastructure in the district, economic revitalization work, and capacity building.

It is critically important to him to create opportunities for younger generations who grow up in this community and those who might relocate to Taos. He strives to build partnerships across the public and private sector to help achieve MainStreet’s core objectives of engaging people, building places, and revitalizing economies.