WALKER NAMED CENTRAL WYOMING COLLEGE FOUNDATION’S DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT IN JACKSON

Central Wyoming College Foundation is pleased to announce Michael (Mike) Walker as the new Director of Development based in Jackson.

“I’m so excited to have Mike joining our team at the Central Wyoming College Foundation. Not only because of his amazing background in higher education, but more importantly, because of his true passion for the mission of Central Wyoming College,” says Beth Monteiro, Executive Director, Central Wyoming College Foundation.  “His excitement for the future of Central Wyoming College in Teton County will be immediately apparent to everyone who meets him.

Mike is the development leader we need to help us bring CWC’s new Jackson campus to reality and unlock a whole new set of possibilities for how we can best serve the greater Teton County region.”

“What a phenomenal opportunity it is to work for Central Wyoming College and the Central Wyoming College Foundation in Teton County and Jackson,” says Walker. “There is a need for accessible and quality higher education, especially as a goal to provide needed infrastructure for this important region, and to be able to do so in a community that I love and where I live. Community colleges educate the majority of Americans and provide the right growth opportunity for all. I feel that my background and previous history has led me to this great organization to help underserved, diverse populations, and all Teton County residents from ages 15 to 99, to provide the infrastructure for workforce training and education that our community needs.”

Walker joins Central Wyoming College Foundation from Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where he was the National University Relations Specialist handling the graduate fellowship program.

Prior to INL, Walker served as the first Dean of Students/Student Affairs for the College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) in Idaho Falls. Walker led the charge on a variety of new departments at CEI, including student mental health counseling services, disability resources, enrollment management, the Title IX office, and student conduct.

In 2000, the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce selected Walker for the Distinguished Under 40 award. Some of his favorite accomplishments include starting an ESports program and club, creating a Behavioral Intervention Team, student retention initiatives, creating and fundraising for the Veteran’s emergency fund, hosting live broadcast updates for students (on YouTube and Facebook) during the pandemic, and changing students’ lives through improved connections and services.

Walker holds a BA in History (BYU-I, 2005), two master’s degrees, one in History (M.A, BYU, 2011) and one in Higher Education and Student Affairs (M.Ed., USU, 2017). He also  holds a postgraduate Education Specialist degree (Ed.S., USU, 2023) and will complete a doctorate in Higher Education in coming years.

Walker has served on several boards including the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce (2018-2022), Greater Idaho Falls Transit (2020-2023), and the Museum of Idaho (2020-2023, including as Chairman of the Board in 2023). Walker lives with his partner, Ben, in Wilson, and is a father to two amazing sons.

Walker enjoys trail running, hiking, shooting, biking, snowboarding, and loves everything the Tetons, Yellowstone, and the region has to offer in outdoor recreation. Walker is originally from the south Puget Sound area though his family grew up in the shadows of the Tetons. He is an avid hockey fan.