Kristin Walker (MPP '06): Charting North Carolina's Course with Sanford Skills and a Blue Devil Spirit

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It takes a lot to navigate North Carolina's fiscal waters. Thankfully, Kristin Walker (MPP '06) is at the helm.

As the State Budget Director for the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, she choreographs the intricate dance of policy and dollars that shapes the lives of millions of North Carolinians. But her deep connection to Duke and Sanford is more than just a portion of her impressive resume; it's a through-line in her career of dedicated public service. From her days as an MPP student and teaching assistant to her recent role as an Adjunct Professor at Sanford teaching Public Budgeting and her long-serving tenure on the MPP Alumni Advisory Board, Walker's commitment to her alma mater runs as deep as her passion for sound governance – and perhaps, her enduring enthusiasm for Duke basketball.

Her journey from an aspiring policy professional seeking to hone her analytical skills at Sanford to a key leader in state government advising two Governors is a testament to the foundational skills and enduring values nurtured within Duke's halls. Kristin recently took the time to share her insights on her path, the critical role of public policy today, and what drives her commitment to making a difference. Here are her reflections:

What impact has Sanford had on your professional and/or personal journey?

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I came to Sanford hoping to advance a career in public policy but to be honest; I didn’t really know what that meant. I had worked for the federal government and a major university; I knew that I needed an advanced degree to get ahead. I also knew I needed to develop additional skills, particularly in data research, economics, and policy analysis. I love that Sanford allowed me to pursue a generalist curriculum, and that path has served me so well. I often liken working in the state budget office to “Grand Central Station,” where everything comes in and everything comes back out, hopefully better off than it was. We are involved in policy matters across every area of government. Every day is something new, which makes it incredibly challenging and rewarding.

Why does public policy matter in 2025 and beyond?

2025 has shown all of us how much public policy impacts our daily lives – whether that’s from hearing about the latest federal funding cuts or Executive Orders, or from understanding why your town council made a certain decision. We can’t have a working democracy without an informed citizenry. Now more than ever, we need to communicate well, and we need more people who can explain complicated issues clearly and succinctly.

What is the most interesting highlight so far in your career?

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Getting to serve as State Budget Director for two different Governors has allowed me to be “in the room where it happens” on many occasions. That can be exciting, but behind those moments, there are career public servants investing their dedication, knowledge, and passion to ensure those decision-makers can make those often difficult – sometimes life-changing for millions – decisions. The passion and commitment of those public servants is intense. This is not a job where most people will get rich or famous, but they come to work every day wanting to make the world a little better in whatever way they can. I find a lot of inspiration in their commitment.

Terry Sanford implored students to 'stand for something.' What do you stand for?

I stand for integrity and sound judgment. I don’t need people to like me (although that’s nice), but I do need people to respect me and know that I’m being honest with them.

What seeds of change are you planting in your community?

Since coming to the Office of State Budget and Management in 2017, I’ve been trying to bring more evidence and data into the work we do. I’ve also been working to provide professional development and training opportunities for state employees in the budget and operational excellence spaces so more state employees are better equipped to understand and use data and evidence in their programs. We’ve run a very successful Performance Management Academy for the last five years, training agency program managers on everything from developing a “theory of change” to how to partner with researchers to run a full-scale RCT. We also collaborated with the UNC School of Government (sorry, Devils!) to create a state budget professional certification program that involves three weeks of coursework at Chapel Hill in key concepts of state government budget and fiscal matters. It’s often said that government inertia is real, and I agree, which is why once you build a culture of continuous improvement and excellence, that culture will last long after any one individual leaves.