Jen Walker

Community Programs Manager 

Jen Walker

Jen Walker (she/her) is the Community Programs Manager at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, where she facilitates the Community Transportation Academy, coordinates the Active Wisconsin network, and assists the Madison pro-housing campaign. She works to connect people, ideas, and resources, so that communities can increase safe, human-centered transportation options that help people thrive.

Jen has worked at the intersection of public health and land use / transportation planning for over 15 years, beginning at Active Living By Design (ALBD; now Healthy Places By Design), one of the first nationwide initiatives that linked physical activity access to policy and the built environment. She helped to create the Fit Community initiative, bringing ALBD’s model to communities across North Carolina and providing technical support to many innovative local demonstration projects that sparked larger change. Jen’s Wisconsin roots eventually brought her to UW Madison as an Outreach Specialist, where she supported coalitions in similar efforts, and helped to build a statewide active communities network.

Jen holds dual Masters degrees in Public Health and City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina, and a Bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University.

Outside of work, Jen enjoys quality time with family and friends – especially shared meals and outdoor activities (hurray for Wisconsin’s wonderful lakes and trails)! She also stays busy cheering on her kids’ sports and arts activities, walking her dogs, reading, trying semi-successfully to keep indoor plants alive, and volunteering in classroom literacy activities and on several community committees and boards.