Distinguished Engineer
Hometown: Aurora
Civil Engineering ,
Kathryn A. Walker earned a Master of Science in 1982 from the University of Missouri-Rolla, following her graduation from South Dakota State University. She also earned a Professional Engineering degree in 1999 from the University of Missouri-Rolla. Walker began her telecommunications career by installing telephone lines for Wisconsin Bell and later developed fiber optic network specifications for U.S. Telecom, leading to her 20-year career at Sprint. Her industry experience included leadership roles in product planning and management, fiber cable engineering, network inventory, design and constructing of network buildings and the development of network standards and drawings. Walker served as assistant vice president of human resources for Sprint Technology Services in 1995, then as vice president of product management for Sprint Business in 1997, and in 2002 was senior vice president of network services for the Global Markets Group. In 2003, she was appointed as executive vice president of network services where she led the strategic direction of Sprint’s wireless and wireline networks and directed the design engineering, operations and performance management of Sprint’s nationwide PCS wireless network and the domestic and international wireline voice, data and Internet networks. This included responsibility for access management and integrated technology planning for domestic and international strategic ventures. Additionally, Ms. Walker was an active board member of the Sprint Foundation and serves on the University of Missouri Board of Trustees.