Biography

Royal P. Walker, Jr., recently retired after 22 years of service as associate director, then executive director, of the Institute for Disability Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Upon retirement, Royal has joined the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan as the director of member service and community outreach. In addition, Royal was recently appointed by former President Barack Obama to the National Council on Disability (NCD). The NCD mission is to be a trusted advisor, in collaboration with people with disabilities to: The President, Congress, federal entities, state, tribal communities, and local governments; and other entities and organizations. NCD fulfills its advisory roles regarding disability policies, programs, procedures, and practices that enhance equal opportunity and social justice. Royal served on NCD until mid-2015. Royal was the first executive director of the Gaming Commission of the Mississippi State Tax Commission from 1991 to 1992, and director of the Division of Budget and Policy Development at the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration from 1990 to 1991. He is a past president and Outstanding Achievement Award recipient of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, a past chair of the Mississippi March of Dimes, and former vice president of Family Voices of Mississippi. He has served on the board of directors of the American Task Force for the Homeless, the Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Children with Special Needs, the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and the board or council of many other national and state organizations. He received a B.A. from Jackson State University and a J.D. from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Royal is the recipient of a national leadership fellowship from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. As a fellow, Royal traveled extensively for three years, studying global strategies on promoting cultural diversity, education and health in South Africa, Egypt, China, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands. A member of New Hope Baptist Church since 1988, Royal has been a deacon since 2000. Royal and his wife, Evelyn, a physician, grew up together in their hometown of Drew, Mississippi, and have been married for over 32 years. Royal and Evelyn have two daughters, Kristi, a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Kandi, a graduate of Boston University. Royal and his family live in Ridgeland, Mississippi.