Beverly (BJ) Walker was appointed Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Acting Director in summer 2017. Ms. Walker has extensive experience in children’s services, human services, state and local government, and education. Her leadership and management experience in human services and education total more than 30 years
From 2004 to 2011, Ms. Walker served as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Resources. There she was responsible for the state’s human services programs, including child protection services, child care, and child support, managing 20,000 employees with a combined budget of $3.4 billion. In 2009, she played a key role in creating three streamlined agencies as part of a Georgia health and human services restructuring.
Ms. Walker previously worked as Illinois Department of Human Services Director of Community Operations and was former Gov. Jim Edgar’s Assistant to the Governor for Human Services Reform. Ms. Walker also served as former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Infrastructure, worked on research and development projects for Chicago Public Schools, and worked on education programming and policy with the North Central Regional Laboratory.
After her public-sector service, Ms. Walker served as a senior fellow with the Annie E. Casey Foundation. She recently retired from Deloitte Consulting LLP where she was director of its public-sector children’s services and human services practice.
Ms. Walker earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and a master’s degree from Northwestern University.