Natalie Walrond

Overview

Natalie Walrond brings to her work 30 years of experience in K–12 education, finance, and strategy, working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. In addition to project leadership, Walrond speaks and writes on social and emotional well-being, system alignment and coherence, academic excellence, and equity.

Walrond serves as Vice President, Whole Person, Family, and Community Systems, for the Early Learning, Health, and Human Development division. In this role, she partners with two other senior managing directors to oversee quality, impact, talent development, and business development for the division. In addition to directing strategic planning and technical assistance projects, Walrond serves as Associate Director of the Region 15 Comprehensive Center. Walrond also served as Director of the national Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety from 2019 to 2023. As Director, she led the vision, strategic direction, and external engagement of the center.

During her career, Walrond has served in a variety of roles: as a management team member, a board leader, an investor, and an outside consultant specializing in strategic planning and nonprofit board effectiveness. Walrond is a member of Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) and currently serves on the governing board of Beyond 12. Walrond also serves on a variety of advisory boards related to SEL and equity. She was awarded the Ed Myers Award for Exceptional Contribution to the WestEd Community in 2021.

Education

• MBA, Analytic Finance and Policy Studies, University of Chicago
• BA, International Studies and International Business, Trinity University

Select Publications

Valdez, A., Bell, A., Derby, K., Dolle, J., Fitzpatrick, R., Rovins, M., Walrond, N., & Willis, J. (2024). Systems change at WestEd: Six guiding principles. WestEd.

Valdez, A., Walrond, N., & Cerna, R. (2024). Essential conditions for advancing and sustaining cross-sector collaboration: A reflection guide for child-, youth-, and family-serving agencies. California Center for School Climate at WestEd.

Walrond, N., & Hashmi, S. (2023). Equitable, sustainable systems change at scale: Lessons learned from state collaboratives. Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety at WestEd.

Walrond, N., & Vasquez, H. (2023). The journey of reimagining school: Moving from islands of excellence to sustainable and equitable systems change. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy.

Walrond, N. (2022). Rooting social and emotional well-being efforts in equity:  A reflection guide. Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety at WestEd.

Walrond, N. (2021, Summer). Decolonize your board. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Walrond, N. (2021). Serving the whole person: An alignment and coherence guide for local education agencies. WestEd. Walrond, N., & Romer, N. (2021). Serving the whole person: An alignment and coherence guide for state education agencies. WestEd.

Honors, Awards, and Affiliations

2023–Present

Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center, Advisory Network

Collaborated to develop a tool for redressing exclusionary discipline practices. 

2022–Present

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Collaborating States Initiative (CSI), Advisory Committee

Serve on the general body, which supports the CSI in its mission to provide a community of practice and direct technical assistance for its members—state educational agency leaders.

2009–Present

Beyond 12, Governing Board

Serve as chair of Audit Committee and Treasurer; served as chair of Finance Committee. Advise founder/CEO on growth, financial management, and funder cultivation.

2017–2020

Center for Youth Wellness, Governing Board

Served as Chair of Strategic Planning Committee; served on Governance and Development Committees. Extended strategic planning process to create a clear and intentional roadmap for our larger vision of trauma-informed healthcare for all children.

2009–2015

Envision Education, Governing Board

Served as Board Chair and Chair of Executive Committee; Vice Chair, Chair of Education Committee, and Chair of Audit Committee; served on Audit, Education, Finance, Governance, and Development committees. Represented the organization publicly. Led the reinvigoration of board culture and board process. Engaged in long-range strategic planning efforts.

Chartered Financial Analyst designation, 1999

Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC), 2017