Kenneth L. Walker
Board Member
Executive Vice President of Inclusion & Culture, Per Scholas
Ken Walker serves as the Executive Vice President of Inclusion and Culture at Per Scholas, where he leads the strategic alignment of our external-facing work with our internal culture of inclusion. In partnership with the Talent Solutions team, Ken leverages tech industry trends, employer needs, and economic mobility opportunities to help inform internal employee experiences grounded in belonging equity and a thriving organizational culture. His leadership helps model the inclusive, forward-thinking environment that defines successful 21st-century American companies.
As part of Per Scholas’s employer strategy, Ken’s Workforce Initiatives team drives employer engagement, experiences, and events, focusing on key industry sectors, including energy, healthcare, finance, artificial intelligence, and technology. This targeted approach strengthens our ability to respond to the evolving needs of employers and the learners we serve, reinforcing our mission to connect skilled talent with high-growth tech careers.
Ken’s commitment to inclusion and workforce development is longstanding. In 2015, he co-launched Diverse by Design (DxD) in partnership with the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), the nation’s leading African American senior technology executives association.
Through DxD, Ken:
· Engaged more than 150 employers in critical conversations about workforce challenges and solutions.
· Launched customized training partnerships to drive equitable hiring and advancement.
· Hosted over 40 events to share best practices and explore innovative workforce development approaches.
· Established the North Star Award to recognize and celebrate industry change-makers.
Ken brings over 30 years of experience in sales, business development, and nonprofit leadership across media, entertainment, government, and telecom sectors. After an 18-year career at IBM as a Client Executive in the media sector, Ken spent three years driving business development at Silicon Valley start-ups before transitioning to nonprofit leadership.
Ken loves life, positive energy, and the power of kindness and decency. He believes in seeing and honoring the humanity in others. Ken lives in Brooklyn with his partner of 25 years and spouse of 13 years.
