Atlantic Council

Biography

Nancy J. Walker

In September 2009, Dr. Walker joined the Atlantic Council’s new Michael S. Ansari Africa Center as its first Director.  Over the last year, Nancy Walker split her time between Washington, DC and Ankara, Turkey.  As the Ansari Africa Center grows and more of its work is Washington focused, Dr. Walker felt that the Center needed a full time Washington-based Director and is delighted to now serve as a Senior Fellow.  

In August 2007, Dr. Walker moved with her family to Ankara, Turkey, where she divided her time between consulting on African security and development; guest lecturing on American politics, women and leadership, United Nations reform, and various African issues; and volunteer activities in Ankara.  She was also a Visiting Scholar at Bilkent University.

From 1993 to 2003, Dr. Walker served in leadership positions within the Department of Defense.  She was the first Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.  Previous Pentagon assignments include Director of the Office of African Affairs and United Nations Branch Chief in the Office of Peacekeeping Policy.  In early 2004, Dr. Walker resigned from United States government after almost 15 years of service to pursue her professional interests in U.S.-Africa relations, African security policy, and leadership development.

In 1989, Nancy joined the United States government as the German and NATO Analyst at the U.S. Information Agency’s Office of Research.  Prior to working in government, Dr. Walker had a diverse career as a political producer for German television, policy consultant to the International Institute for Women’s Political Leadership, editor, public opinion survey researcher, and defense analyst for an investment bank.

Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and a doctorate in politics from Nuffield College, Oxford University, where she was a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellow.  Nancy spent a year in Germany with the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellow program.  At the Pentagon, Dr. Walker completed MIT’s Seminar XXI in national security policy.

Nancy Walker is on the International Advisory Board of the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces and the Turkish-American Association in Ankara.  Dr. Walker previously served on the Boards of the U.S. Committee for UNDP’s PCASED and the Mohican Hills Citizens Association.  Dr. Walker is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Women in International Security, American Political Science Association, Turkish-American-International Women’s Cultural and Charitable Society, Robert Bosch Foundation Alumni Association, and American Council on Germany.

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Nancy speaks fluent French and German, and conversational Spanish and Turkish.  She has been decorated by the President of Senegal for her work in advancing U.S.-Africa relations.  Dr. Walker speaks extensively on a range of issues.  She is married and has two children.  Nancy Walker can be contacted at nwalker@acus.org.