Dr. Pamela D. Walker joined PPL in 2018 as a Senior Consultant and has served on a number of searches as well as providing organizational and leadership coordination activities for colleges through PPL. She was named as a Vice President and co-owner in 2022.
Dr. Walker capped a distinguished forty-year career in higher education serving as the Executive Vice Chancellor for Educational Programs at the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and was instrumental in the collaboration between divisions responsible for providing state-level technical assistance for all instructional and student services activities. Walker led efforts developing the community college bachelor’s degree, guided the transformation of an Inmate and Re-Entry Education Program, fostered a culture of collaboration with the Chief Student Services Officers (CSSO), Chief Instructional Officers (CIO), Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) and college executive leadership, guided integration efforts for Student Success, Student Equity and Basic Skills, and led the 2015 task force on accreditation.
Prior to the Chancellor’s Office, Walker served American River College where she worked for 12 years including as interim president of the college. Prior to being named president, she held positions including vice president for student services, associate vice president for instruction, and dean of science and allied health. A significant fund developer her work at ARC was highlighted with the design of the college’s fund development approach by creating special advocate groups to raise funds for specific projects.
At Cerritos College she was the dean of health, physical education, recreation, athletics, and dance where she and her team negotiated the first significant beverage contract in community college athletics, and interim dean of admissions and records. She also held the position of associate commissioner for the California Community College Athletic Association where she served as a legislative liaison with the California Legislature and the Office of Civil Rights.
Walker is a tireless advocate for the benefits of education working throughout her career to develop programs of distinction to better serve students. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders, has served on several graduate thesis and dissertation committees, worked as a mentor with the University of California, Davis Wheelhouse CEO Leadership Institute, and currently serves on the Advisory Board for LIFT-Leadership Institute for Tomorrow at Cal State Fullerton.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Oregon State University in La Grande, master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento, and her doctoral degree in organization and leadership from the University of San Francisco.