Our Founder

Leah Dozier Walker currently serves as the executive Vice President for Equity and Inclusion at Waterford.org, a national early education non-profit whose programs reach over 300,000 children in 43 states each year. At Waterford.org, she leads the development and implementation of DE&I strategies both internally and externally, while aligning Waterford's organizational priorities to advance inclusive excellence across operational domains. 

Leah is also the founder and serves as principal consultant at Modern Impact Solutions, a professional services practice providing an array of DEI, communications, and strategic advising consultation. Prior to this, Leah served as the first ever Director for Equity and Community Engagement at the Virginia Department of Education where she spearheaded education policy development and professional learning programs to advance culturally responsive educator practices.

As a sought after thought partner and public speaker, Leah is recognized for her communication savvy, oral presentations, community relations expertise and steadfast commitment to excellence. A transformational leader, she has successfully modernized communication strategies, led cross functional teams, pioneered responsive engagement strategies, and elevated discourse on signature initiatives and programs. 

With a personal and professional dedication to equitable and inclusive impact, Leah possesses more than twenty years of leadership experience across the human services portfolio. Leah has worked as a program administrator and policy advisor in the administrations of Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, and Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Ranking Member of the Education and Workforce Committee. She is an appointed Trustee for the Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation and serves on a variety of education and human services advisory committees.

Beyond her professional endeavors, in 2019 Leah launched the Be Impacted Blog which strives to increase awareness of marginalized and underrepresented communities while elevating discourse on social impact strategies. In 2018, Style Weekly named Leah to its annual "Power List" as one of the most influential people in education in the Richmond region followed by Virginia Commonwealth University naming her to its annual "Alumni Power List" in 2019.

A proud HBCU graduate, Leah is a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Hampton University, and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. She resides in central Virginia with her two daughters and one feisty chihuahua.

• Trustee: Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation
• Expert Advisor: Equity in Virginia’s Public Education System: A Longitudinal Examination Spanning the Covid-19 Shutdown
• National Stakeholder Committee Member: KnowledgeWorks - REMIQS (Robust & Equitable Measures to Inspire Quality Schools) 
• State Advisor: Intercultural Developmental Research Association's Equity Assistance Center (EAC)
• Member: Strategic Engagement Advisory Council, School of Education - Virginia Commonwealth University 
• Member: Commonwealth Learning Partnership
• Past Vice Chair: Governor’s Advisory Board for Service and Volunteerism
• Past Member (ex-officio): Virginia Indian Advisory Board
• Founder & Member: African American Superintendent's Advisory Council
• Member: Virginia Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee
• Staff Lead & Report Co-Author: African American History Education Commission
• Staff Lead & Member: Taskforce on Diversifying Virginia's Educator Pipeline.