Nefertiti A. Walker

Nefertiti A. Walker is a Professor in the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management at the Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst. She concurrently serves as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Equity for the University of Massachusetts system. Her academic career includes roles as Associate Professor (2017-2022), Assistant Professor (2011-2017), and leadership positions in diversity and inclusion initiatives. Walker holds a PhD (2011) and MBA (2006) from the University of Florida and Stetson University, respectively.

Her research focuses on organizational diversity, equity, gendered and racialized organizations, and workplace bias. Key areas include anti-Black racism in academia, gender discrimination in sports leadership, and institutionalized privilege in internship systems. Walker’s work has been published in prestigious journals like Journal of Sport Management and International Journal of Sport Finance.

Teaching interests span sport policy, leadership, and DEI in business education at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Her 2022 NASSM Joy DeSensi Award recognizes her contributions to inclusive excellence. Walker’s leadership roles include overseeing equity initiatives across UMass campuses and advising on systemic inclusion strategies.