INSTITUTION | American Indian Higher Education Consortium
POSITION | Tribal Climate Science Liaison at the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
Althea Walker is currently the Tribal Climate Science Liaison for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium at the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. She is a descendant of the Nez Perce, Hopi, and Gila River people and is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community. Althea is a Certified Public Manager and Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental & Resource Management & Master of Science in Environmental Technology Management from Arizona State University.
Her career has focused on environmental protection, green building, zero waste planning, community engagement, and climate change adaptation planning. Her work in these areas have included analyzing the impacts of dam operation and climate change on Columbia River salmon and lamprey migration and integrating Indigenous knowledge into climate change adaptation planning.
She is a Sequoyah Fellow (lifetime member) of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) and an editorial board member of the AISES magazine, Winds of Change. She is a steering committee member for the Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network, a board member for the hipéexnu’ kíi’u núun wisíix Inc., and most recently became an advisor to the Climate Science Alliance whose mission is to safeguard natural and human communities in the face of climate change. Althea previously worked for the Gila River Indian Community where she was the Environmental Education & Outreach Specialist.