Connie Walker O.M. named Burns Leadership Institute Leader-in-Residence
Former CEO of United Way Winnipeg to inspire curiosity, responsibility in leadership
The James W. Burns Leadership Institute has appointed Connie Walker O.M. as Leader-in-Residence (LIR), effective September 1, 2024.
Walker [MBA/94], who received the Order of Manitoba in 2024 in recognition of her championing of “an inclusive and thriving city where no one is left behind,” brings to this role her extensive senior leadership experience in the not-for-profit and public sectors, her unique career journey, and her drive to create connections to inspire purpose-driven leadership here in Manitoba.
The LIR helps to foster connections between the Burns Institute, the University and the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, serving as a link to the wider community. The role involves working collaboratively to provide input on critical leadership topics for UM students across disciplines, collaborating on leadership workshops, recruiting guest speakers, and developing networks among students and community leaders. The LIR also sits as an ex-officio member of the Burns Institute Advisory Board.
For Walker, this role—a nexus between the business, government, non-profit and academic communities—felt like a perfect continuation of her leadership journey following her retirement as President and CEO of United Way Winnipeg (UWW, 2014-2023).
“United Way Winnipeg (UWW) sits in the space between sectors—you’re working with the private sector, community agencies, government and labour to make a positive difference in the community we all love. The Burns LIR role seemed a way to bring some of those relationships and our shared responsibility to build a better community, to the School, and the students.”
As LIR, Walker will also work with the Burns Institute’s flagship program, the President’s Student Leadership Program (PSLP), assisting current PSLP fellows and alumni with continuous leadership development through community connections and engagement.
During her time as CEO of UWW, Walker welcomed multiple cohorts of the PSLP for site visits, sharing her leadership journey and the work of UWW with PSLP’s diverse student leaders, fostering the unique leadership learning the fellowship program provides.
Walker began her own leadership journey as a public health nurse, which offered the opportunity to meet remarkable Winnipeggers facing significant barriers. “I was welcomed into people’s homes – and sometimes my clients had no home. They taught me about what equity and inclusion really mean, and I’m very grateful for it,” she says.
This journey took an important turn when she began her MBA at the Asper School of Business. She recounts learning about finance, organizational behaviour, business strategy, and more, and just as important, she learned to be in teams where members had diverse backgrounds and experiences. Walker says she learned to think more broadly and to situate her leadership style in curiosity and connection.
“When we are curious, we have less judgment. We’re more open to ideas. We see dots to connect and opportunities we may otherwise have missed. We’re more creative and more inspired. At the root is the capacity to connect with people, including those who may be very different from us. The MBA program fostered this for me,” she says.
After completing her MBA, Walker worked as an Audit Manager at the City of Winnipeg and, for ten years after that, led a strategic planning team in the CAO’s office.
Returning to the community in a role with UWW felt full circle to her. “Working at UWW was the greatest privilege of my career,” Walker says.
She hopes to work with the Institute to inspire strong connections to the broader community knowing that our province (and the world), needs leaders who are inspired to make a difference and who actively bring their talents to the table to do so.
“In Manitoba, we have and need great leaders. In this role, I hope to emphasize our responsibility as leaders to create the city and province we all want for our kids and grandkids. We all need to be involved.’
“I see the potential in this community, and I want us to reach it. I am so excited about the next generation of leaders. I consider it an honour to share experiences and advice – and to learn from them!”
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The Burns Leadership Institute at the University of Manitoba was created through a visionary endowment from the Power Corporation of Canada, Canada Life, and IG Wealth Management. It is housed at the Asper School of Business and supports leadership education across faculties. Learn more about the Institute and leadership programming here.
With the Asper MBA, Connie Walker went from public health nurse to auditor to CEO. The Asper MBA program is designed to meet the market-driven needs of today’s industry professionals. With one of the most flexible and adaptable programs in Canada, the Asper MBA is designed to help students build their leadership skills in any field. Learn more here.