Michelle J. Walker-Davis, Ed.D.

Executive Director

Dr. Michelle J. Walker-Davis joined the DC Public Charter School Board in August 2020 as the Executive Director - and brought with her over 20 years of deep expertise in school administration, education policy, nonprofit management, and community outreach.   

Dr. Walker-Davis spent seven years early in her career working in DC on education. She was the senior advisor on education to former Mayor Anthony Williams, chief of strategic planning and policy for DCPS, and worked in the District’s Office of Budget and Planning.

Most recently, Dr. Walker-Davis was executive director of Generation Next, a coalition of civic, business, and education leaders from across Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN, dedicated to closing achievement and opportunity gaps.  The organization uses rigorous data analysis and community engagement to identify what works and replicate the most promising practices. 

Prior to Generation Next, Dr. Walker-Davis was for nine years with the St. Paul, MN Public Schools - a culturally diverse, urban school district of 39,000 students and 6,500 employees.  She left there as its chief executive officer where she served as second-in-command to the superintendent and worked closely with the district’s elected Board of Education and local elected officials.  Dr. Walker-Davis played a key role in the revolutionary redesign of the district as it addressed equitable education in the face of issues relating to race and poverty.

Dr. Walker-Davis has a Doctor of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.  She has served as a volunteer board member for several education organizations, including an international Montessori training center, regional affordable housing organization, and a local educational reform initiative.