Walker was born in a charity hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana. Walker was raised by a single mother in Ames and later Baytown, Texas, and was one of the country's first children to benefit from the Head Start Program. Walker said that his background "has given me an understanding of the need for investment in human capital and the centrality of private philanthropy making a difference in human lives." With financial support from a Pell Grant, Walker was admitted into the University of Texas at Austin. In 1982, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in government and a Bachelor of Science in speech communication. In 1986, Walker graduated from the University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor.
Career
Walker began his career in 1986 at the international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, after serving as a summer associate during law school in 1985. In 1988, he joined Union Bank of Switzerland and spent seven years in its capital markets division. In 1995, Walker left the corporate world to spend a year volunteering at a school in Harlem. He went on to become the chief operating officer at Abyssinian Development Corporation, a community development organization also located in Harlem. There, he was able to draw on his private sector experience to advance revitalization in Harlem, including the opening of a Pathmark supermarket in 1999 at 125th Street and Lexington Avenue. He also led the development of the first public school built in New York City by a community organization. From 2002-2010, Walker was vice president for foundation initiatives at the Rockefeller Foundation, where he oversaw a wide range of programs in the United States and internationally. Also, at the Rockefeller Foundation, he led a recovery program in the southern United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He joined the Ford Foundation in 2010 as vice president for Education, Creativity and Free Expression, one of the foundation's three major program areas. He also oversaw Ford Foundation's regional programming in four offices based in Africa and the Middle East. Walker was involved in securing funding for the American Folk Art Museum when the museum was experiencing financial difficulties. Walker served on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's November 2013 Transition Advisory Team.
Rockefeller Foundation
In July 2006, Walker was named the Rockefeller Foundation's vice president for United States and international initiatives. At the Rockefeller Foundation, Walker led the foundation’s work in the United States and globally - in supporting innovations that built economic development, sustainability and assets of poor and disadvantaged people - while creating long-term strategies that addressed increasing global migration, movements and urbanization. He also oversaw the foundation’s new strategy and vision for New York City, including directing the Rockefeller Foundation's support of the re-building of New Orleans. Earlier, from 2002, Walker served as the Rockefeller Foundation's working communities program director, where he oversaw a grant-making portfolio in excess of USD$25 million per year that created anti-poverty strategies focusing on education, employment, sustainable community development, and democracy building in the United States.
Ford Foundation
Walker was named president of the Ford Foundation in June 2013. He officially stepped into the role of president in September 2013, succeeding Luis Ubiñas.
Operation Detroit
Walker spearheaded efforts to save the Detroit Institute of Arts and city workers' pensions in the Detroit bankruptcy process. Walker stated that it was "unprecedented and monumental for philanthropies to undertake this kind of initiative, but if there was ever a time when philanthropy should step up, this is it."
Walker led nine foundations, many with ties to Michigan - including Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, William Davidson Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Ford Foundation, Hudson-Webber Foundation, Kresge Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, McGregor Fund, and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. These US foundations "have pledged to pool the $330 million, which would essentially relieve the city-owned Detroit Institute of Arts museum of its responsibility to sell some of its collection to help Detroit pay its $18 billion in debts. In particular, the foundation money would help reduce a portion of the city’s obligations to retirees, whose pensions are at risk of being reduced in the bankruptcy proceedings. By some estimates, the city’s pensions are underfunded by $3.5 billion." Walker's Ford Foundation pledged to provide $125 million for the $330 million common fund from the nine foundations.
Commencement speeches
On May 23, 2015, Walker was commencement speaker for University of Texas at Austin. On January 21, 2016, at Hunter College: City University of New York, Walker was 212th commencement speaker. On May 18, 2016, Walker spoke at 184th commencement for New York University. At Queens College: City University of New York, on June 2, 2016, Walker was 92nd commencement speaker; and, as well, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. On May 22, 2017, Walker was 184th commencement speaker at Oberlin College At Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville: New York, on May 18, 2018, Walker gave 90th undergraduate commencement speech. On May 20, 2018, Walker gave 206th commencement address at Hamilton College Clinton: New York; and was awarded an honorary degree. Also, on May 19, 2019, Walker was 218th commencement speaker at University of Vermont. Walker received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Amherst College on Sunday May 26, 2019.
Personal life
Walker is openly gay. His partner of 26 years, David Beitzel, died January 20, 2019, of a cardiac arrest due to an aortic dissection.
