Rev. Vernon K. Walker

Rev. Vernon K. Walker currently serves as Climate Justice Program Director at Clean Water Action Massachusetts, a position he assumed in September 2023. Since its founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking, and people power to the table. The mission of Clean Water Action is to protect our environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life. Clean Water Action organizes strong grassroots groups and coalitions, and campaigns to elect environmental candidates and to solve environmental and community problems.

For four years, Rev. Walker served as Program Director for CREW — Communities Responding to Extreme Weather, a Boston organization that equips community-based teams of volunteer leaders with the training, local and regional organizational structures, and technological support needed to build climate resilience. CREW teams engage in education, service, and planning to advance actionable, collaborative, and equitable solutions at the individual, community, and state levels.

Rev. Vernon K. Walker was born and raised in Philadelphia. Rev. Walker earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Psychology from Penn State University. After graduating from Penn State University, Rev. Walker attended Boston University and earned a Master Degree in Theological Studies with a focus on community engagement.

Rev. Walker took a plethora of MSW macro social work courses at Boston University School of Social Work. Rev. Walker is a Senior Fellow at the Environmental Leadership Program and Senior Fellow at Tufts University Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life through the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Rev. Walker completed a fellowship at Hebrew College’s Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership. Rev. Walker is a Senior Fellow in the Emerging Leaders Program through the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Collaborative Leadership.

Rev. Walker is currently a graduate student working towards earning a Master Degree in Public Policy at Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Department where he is a 2022 Neighborhood Fellow. Rev. Walker is also a recipient of the Robert Schalkenbach Scholarship for his studies.

Throughout his time in Boston, Rev. Walker’s social justice work has appeared in several different print and online newspapers such as the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Bay State Banner, Commonwealth Magazine, etc. Rev. Walker has also made TV appearances on Fox 25, New England Cable News, Boston Neighborhood Network, CBS Boston, NBC 10 Boston, etc. Rev. Walker has also lectured about his social justice work at various universities and colleges across the United States.