Katie Walker has joined the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce as Programs and Public Policy Director. In this position, Walker will be responsible for the Chamber’s focus on workforce development initiatives, small business programming and will work closely with the business advocacy efforts developing state and federal priorities and planning the Chamber’s annual trip to Frankfort and Washington, DC, and the Public Policy series.

For the past 15 plus years, she has been involved with workforce and community engagement in building regional partnerships. Since 2023, Walker has been with the Kentucky Chamber Foundation as a Project Manager for Western Kentucky. She has been leading regional workforce initiatives with a strong focus on strengthening healthcare talent pipelines. She has also utilized Talent Pipeline Management (TPM)® technology tools and data systems to support reporting, workforce planning and regional collaboration.   

Before joining the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, Walker served as Associate Director of Alumni Relations at Murray State University from 2013 to June 2023. She is a graduate of Murray State University and earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in P–20 and Community Engagement in 2025. 

She is also active in the region as a Board member of the Kentucky Area Health Education Center Boards, serves as Communications Chair for the Four Rivers SHRM Chapter, and is a class member of the current Leadership West Kentucky program.