Laura Walker

President (2020-2026) / Strategic Advisor to the Board of Trustees

President Laura Walker - woman with blonde hair wearing a blue blazer

Laura R. Walker served as the eleventh president of Bennington College from 2020 through early 2026. During her tenure, the College received a record number of applications and advanced several major institutional initiatives. Under her leadership, Bennington began the development of a new strategic plan and opened a newly renovated wing of its iconic Barn building.

Throughout her presidency, Walker focused on strengthening student mental health and wellness, advancing Bennington’s work as an anti-racist community, and supporting shared governance among the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students.

Prior to joining Bennington, Walker was an Executive Fellow at the Yale School of Management and the founding President and CEO of New York Public Radio. During her leadership, New York Public Radio received ten George Foster Peabody Awards and emerged as a pioneer in podcasting. She also served as the first Vice President of Development at Sesame Workshop and worked as a producer at NPR and Carnegie Hall and as a print journalist.

Walker’s career has been shaped by a commitment to education, the arts, and critical inquiry. She has led educational and cultural organizations, overseen media acquisitions, and raised more than $1.2 billion in philanthropic support.

Her leadership and community contributions have been recognized by numerous organizations, including the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. She has received the Jacqueline Onassis Medal from the Municipal Arts Society of New York and the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In 2009 and 2017, she was named one of New York City’s 50 Most Powerful Women by Crain’s.

Walker has served on the boards of several educational and nonprofit institutions, including Saint Ann’s School, the Educational Development Center, and advisory boards at Yale University and Wesleyan University, as well as Tribune Media. She currently serves on the boards of the Commonwealth Fund and Eagle Picher Trust, and on advisory boards for Pathfinder International and Wesleyan University.

Walker holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in History, magna cum laude, from Wesleyan University, where she was an Olin Scholar.

More Messages

President Walker News, Opinions, and Publications