Walters Empowers Faculty Members Through Work in OFAA

(July 21, 2026) — Karen Walters realized that she loved working in higher education during an internship in the University of Pittsburgh human resources department when she was an undergraduate. “I actually asked if there were any job openings when I was a senior,” she said. “All of what higher education represents is in line with my values and what I look for in a place that I work.”

Those values prompted Walters to apply for a faculty development coordinator position in GUMC’s Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs (OFAA). “I remember interviewing and it felt like a conversation,” she said. “I felt like I could do this job and that was going to be the right environment for me.”

More than nine years later, a lot has changed in Walters’ life, but she still works in OFAA, now as strategic project manager. “That’s crazy to think that it’s been so long, but time has flown,” she said. “I’ve been a part of OFAA the entire time and it’s been great.”

A Seat at the Table

After college, Walters worked at a financial firm, recruiting college students to participate in the firm’s leadership program. Though she enjoyed working with students, she quickly realized that the environment wasn’t right for her.

“The corporate world was tough for me, because there was a restructuring of HR and that caused a lot of people that I cared about to get laid off,” Walters said. “Something that I think the corporate world or other for-profit industries sometimes have an issue with is realizing that people are not numbers.”

For Walters, coming to Georgetown felt completely different. “It was a breath of fresh air compared to corporate,” she said. “I felt like I had a seat at the table. It felt like my ideas were not just heard, but people were saying, ‘That’s a great idea, let’s go forward with it.’”

“I think higher education sees people as people because people are our industry,” Walters added. “Higher education really sees people, and Georgetown’s central tenet of cura personalis, care for the whole person, really rang true for me.”

Growing Into Her Role

Over time, Walters expressed an interest in project management. She earned a master’s degree in project management at Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies and took on more projects in her office before she was promoted to her current position as strategic project manager.

“My team really respected what I could bring and just let me grow into my role, and then even beyond that,” Walters said. “I’ve just really enjoyed my experience here, and I can’t see myself working in any other kind of industry.”

Recent projects she has contributed to include the creation of a university-wide faculty activity reporting system and the development of faculty track policies for the Berkley School of Nursing.

“A lot is asked of our faculty, so when something is making their career difficult, I really enjoy being the person to help make that easier or guide them to resources that help,” she said. “We all have different ways to make this institution strong, and my way is by helping them.”

‘That’s My “Why”’

Throughout her time at Georgetown, Walters has taken advantage of training and leadership opportunities. She received mentoring through the Georgetown Women’s Alliance (GWA) mentoring program and training in the Bias Reduction and Improvement Coaching (BRIC) program. She has also represented the medical center on Georgetown’s Staff/AAP Advisory Council and served as president of GUMC’s Staff/AAP Caucus.

Walters’ participation in CENTILE’s LEAD program led to her development of the GUMC New and Early Career Faculty Mentoring Program, which she described as one of her proudest achievements. “We were asked to develop a project and identify a gap that we saw,” she said. “I saw there was a gap in mentoring across the various schools and departments at GUMC.”

After doing research internally and externally on faculty mentoring programs, Walters developed a proposal, which led to a pilot project. “We were crazy enough to pilot this in the middle of the COVID pandemic, but because it was completely on Zoom, we were able to launch it,” she said.

Mindfully pairing faculty mentors and mentees has been an important part of the program’s success. “We want faculty to see that they actually have a lot of similar challenges in their work, despite being in different departments or units,” Walters said. “I’ve heard mentees say that it’s nice to know that they’re not alone and not the only person who feels that way.”

The ninth cohort of the mentoring program will start this September. “I told this last cohort that in our first session with them, we always talk about their ‘why’: Why did you sign up for this program? Why did you choose to work in this environment?” Walters said, reflecting on the recognition ceremony held at the end of the program. “I told them that these ceremonies are my ‘why.’ Hearing how they describe what they value in the program, that’s my ‘why.’”

Making Family Memories

As the spouse of a construction engineer, Walters has moved frequently, including a period in which they lived in three different cities over five years. She currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. with her husband and their 2.5 year old son, Peter.

“We don’t have any family in the area, which makes it a little tough, but we enjoy having them come visit, and we enjoy the times that we get to visit them,” she said. “Peter has gotten used to road trips and plane rides, because most of my husband’s family lives in the UK.”

While Walters enjoys reading and listening to music, being an engaged parent and making memories with her son are her top priorities.

“He’s my whole world,” she said. “In my free time, I’m just really enjoying that time with him, because I know it goes by so quickly.”

Kat Zambon
GUMC Communications