Master of labor and industrial relations and master of arts degrees from Michigan State University. Bachelor’s degree from Albany State University, Albany, Ga.
Also notable: Mr. Walker was the recipient of the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award by the Greater Lansing Area Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission.
Willard K. Walker has extensive experience working with workforce development, state policy, school-to-work, and race and diversity issues.
Mr. Walker has provided training on issues of inclusion, equity, and diversity for the Lansing Board of Water & Light; coordinated an Employer Conference on Workplace Diversity in the Lansing area; and assisted in a crime analysis evaluation for the Michigan Department of Human Services, Bureau of Juvenile Justice.
He has worked with clients to improve recruitment and retention of African American teachers, including development of a coordinated recruitment planning process for urban districts. He conducted research to address the plight of young males of color in a project initiated through the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
Before joining PPA, Mr. Walker held several positions with the State of Michigan, including director of the state’s School-to-Work Office. For the Michigan Department of Commerce, he served as director of the Office of Business and Education Coordination, director of human resources, and deputy director of the Neighborhood Builders Alliance.