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Nancy J. Walker

Public Policy Fellow

Professional affiliation

Founding Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies

Full Biography

Dr. Nancy J. Walker, Public Policy Fellow with the Africa Program at the Wilson Center, has served as a senior career U.S. government official, occasional visiting professor, political organizer, community volunteer, UN consultant, guest lecturer, and mentor. Dr. Walker was the founding Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the Department of Defense, maintaining ties with African civilian, military, academic, and civil society leaders. Most recently Dr. Walker mentors young women and men, especially those pursuing public service careers.

Dr. Walker holds a D.Phil. in politics from Oxford University (Nuffield College) and an A.B. from Harvard/Radcliffe. She was a Bosch Fellow in Germany and completed MIT’s Seminar XXI program on national security. Nancy speaks fluent German, French, and rusty Spanish, Turkish. Dr. Walker was awarded the Senegalese Order of the Lion in recognition of her work in U.S.-Africa relations.