Donna Walker

State: Alaska
Spouse: Gov. Bill Walker

Alaska First Lady Donna Walker was born in Anniston, Alabama and moved with her family to Kailua, Hawaii, when she was 12. She received a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University before heading north to Alaska in 1976 where she was the recreation director for the Glennallen construction camp during the building of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. She met and married Governor Bill Walker when she moved to Valdez to become the city’s first director of the Parks and Recreation Department and later the community relations director for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

Mrs. Walker graduated from the University of Puget Sound Law School in 1983 and practiced primarily municipal law for the next 30 years while raising four children and supporting their school, church and sports activities. She took a year away from law to work as a caseworker for the Office of Children’s Services.

The first lady serves as the honorary chair of the Alaska Children’s Trust and assists other organizations in improving the health, safety and well-being of Alaska families. She also is initiating efforts to strengthen unity in Alaska’s culturally diverse communities using Bridge Builders of Anchorage.