Edmond Young Professionals created this blog series to get to know and hear from our incredible Edmond leaders. Learn more about the Ward 3 Edmond City Councilman, Preston Watterson.
Name: Preston Watterson
Title/Professional Organization: Edmond City Councilmember, Ward 3
In my day job, I’m a Program Manager with Northrop Grumman, managing Air Force & Navy aircraft modernization programs.
What originally brought you to Edmond? I came to the area from Texas to attend college at Oklahoma Christian University in 1998.
What is your favorite thing about Edmond? Our community offers so much…it’s hard to pick. I love being downtown on a Saturday morning. I love the traditions/events that we have, like LibertyFest and Heard on Hurd. And I love how many people are involved in giving back to the community through their non-profits, churches, and other organizations.
What made you want to run for City Council? I became interested in city government several years ago after reading a few books about city planning. Kind of dorked out over the engineering aspects of it. 😊
So I applied online to serve on Edmond boards & commissions, and Mayor Davis appointed me to the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Advisory Board in 2023. I enjoyed that, so when Ward 3 Councilmember Christin Mugg announced that her seat would open up in 2025 I decided to go for it.
I was interested in serving on City Council because I love this community and want to see it continue to thrive. I wanted to be a voice for families on the Council, supporting family values and priorities. Also, I wanted to ensure that our city leadership stayed reasonable, respectful, and open-minded.
What has been a pleasant surprise since being elected to Edmond City Council? My first 3 months have been like drinking from a fire hose…so many departments and activities going on within our city government. And we had to basically dedicate the first few months to reviewing & passing the 2025/26 budget.
I think the most pleasant surprise has actually been working with the city staff. I’ve been impressed with their dedication and heart for the city. It’s apparent that they truly care and want to make our community better.
Side note – I’m really glad I did Leadership Edmond before running for City Council. There was so much I didn’t know!
What is one piece of leadership advice that you received as a young professional that made an impact on you? Assume all authority not specifically denied.
An older, very successful leader in the Air Force said this to a group of us over dinner one night after a meeting. He was basically telling us not to wait for someone to ask us to do things, but to take initiative and do things we saw needed to be done. Fill the gaps; improve the process; innovate. Don’t ask for permission, just do it. Never say “that’s not my job” or be intimidated to take action in the gaps of organizations. Be the change you want to see; make it happen! Organizations need leaders who see a problem and solve it.
What is your favorite local Edmond spot to grab coffee, lunch, or shop? We have so many good coffee shops in Edmond, but I especially like the ones downtown (Evoke, Ellis Island, Summer Moon). My daughter and I are regulars at Around the Corner on Saturday mornings too.
