Dr. Nancy E. Walker graduated from Hinsdale Central High School in 1966 and from Stanford University in 1970.  She earned the Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 1982, and the Master of Legal Studies degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 1999.  Dr. Walker has received 10 university awards and 3 state-level awards for teaching, research, and service to children, youth, and families.

During the 1970s Dr. Walker served as a psychometrist for an urban public school system, as a psychologist at a family mental health clinic, and as regional director of rural children's community mental health services.  From 1980-1998 she held academic appointments at Creighton University (Omaha, NE), including serving as Professor, Chair of Psychology, and co-founder and Director of The Center for the Study of Children's Issues.  During 1998 and 1999 she was Visiting Professor of Psychology and Postdoctoral Fellow in the Psychology/Law Program at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  Currently, Dr. Walker is Associate Director of the Institute for Children, Youth, and Families at Michigan State University.

Dr. Walker’s research interests are focused broadly on children and the law. She has conducted research and published scholarly articles related to forensic interviewing of abused children, children's rights, and child/youth/family policy initiatives. Her publications include two co-authored books, Children's Rights in the United States: In Search of a National Policy (Walker, Brooks, & Wrightsman, 1998) and The Child Witness: Legal Issues and Dilemmas (Walker Perry & Wrightsman, 1991), as well as several book chapters and articles in journals including Behavioral Sciences and the Law; Law and Human Behavior; Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy; Law and Contemporary Problems; Child Maltreatment; Expert Evidence; Teaching of Psychology; Journal of College Student Development; and American Journal of Family Therapy. Dr. Walker provides training on forensic interviewing techniques for judges, attorneys, caseworkers, law enforcement officers, and educators both within the United States and abroad.  She has given scholarly presentations at professional conferences throughout the United States, as well as in Iceland, Ireland, Italy, France, Belgium, Canada, and Spain.  She has been awarded more than $500,000 in grants for her scholarly and policy-oriented work, including grants from the National Science Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, The W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Youth Law Center.

Dr. Walker has two daughters of whom she is immensely proud:  Kristen Perry (age 25) is a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Africa, where she serves as an elementary school curriculum consultant.  Laura Perry (age 23) is a graduate student in Russian and East European Studies at Harvard University. 

Dr. Walker now lives in Haslett, Michigan with her Golden Retriever, “Daisy,” and her daughter’s 16-year-old turtle, “Adagio.”

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