Bill Walker
2038 Vine Street | Berkeley, CA 94709
m: 510.759.9911
Profile
I help environmental groups and other progressive public interest organizations tell their stories in new ways to new audiences. We work together to shift the debate and make change happen.
Decades of experience as a journalist and as an activist specializing in strategic communications. Research, writing and editing skills of the highest professional standards. Track record of success in designing and executing advocacy campaigns. Polished spokesperson in all forms of mass media. Proven builder and leader of project teams who deliver the goods on deadline.
Activism
Current: Principal, Deadline Now.
I am the communications director for The Story of Stuff, producing The Good Stuff podcast. I am also a strategic advisor to Friends of the Earth and Human Impact Partners. Past clients include Free Range Studios, Fenton Communications, Environmental Working Group, Earthworks, Breast Cancer Fund, Oil Change International, GAIA, Earth Economics and many others.
Campaign Director, Earthjustice.
Led campaign strategy for the US’ leading environmental law firm. Designed and executed paid, earned and online media campaigns to advance litigation and legislation. Hired and oversaw advertising, PR and other creative consultants, supervised three campaigners, managed a $1.5 million annual budget and produced a variety of materials for campaigns.
Vice President/West Coast, Environmental Working Group.
Led West Coast campaigns, strategy and operations for Environmental Working Group. From a 1-man PR bureau, built team of researchers who turned out headline-making reports on toxic chemicals, water, public lands and agricultural policy. Led West Coast fundraising, initiated and maintained relationships with leading foundations. As part of management team, participated in governance of $8 million-a-year organization with 30+ employees.
Communications Director, California League of Conservation Voters.
Headed strategic communications for the nation’s largest state-level environmental PAC. Wrote press releases, op-eds, speeches and other materials. Researched, wrote and designed CLCV’s annual California Environmental Scorecard, which scores the records of state legislators, governor and other officials.
West Coast Media Director/National News Bureau Chief, Greenpeace USA.
Senior press officer. Designed and executed media strategies for local, state, national and international coverage of protests, campaigns and other events. Acquired expertise on issues including toxics, global warming, ozone depletion, disarmament, fisheries and more. Gained extensive experience in print, radio and TV interviews. Promoted to head of organization’s national news desk in Washington, where I led a team of press officers for the U.S.
Journalism
Senior writer, The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, CA.
State, national and foreign correspondent for the highly respected metropolitan daily in California’s capital city. I reported and wrote major investigations, breaking news and features on issues including race relations, politics, the environment and AIDS in Africa. National finalist, Livingston Awards for young journalists.
Regional reporter, The Denver Post, Denver, CO.
Regional and national correspondent for the leading newspaper in the Rocky Mountain West. I reported and wrote major investigations and features on issues including Native American policy, energy extraction, gays in the military. Numerous state and regional awards.
Staff writer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, TX.
Wrote and reported news, investigations and features for a Pulitzer Prize-winning metropolitan daily. Major stories included the Cuban refugee boatlift and the rise of evangelicals in politics. Numerous local and state awards.
Freelance
My reporting, essays, criticism and ghostwriting have been published in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee, The Huffington Post, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Alternet, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Greenpeace magazine and Propaganda Review. Editor of ECO, collaborative NGO newspaper covering the 1993 UN convention on the international fisheries crisis. Managing editor of World Trade Observer, NGO newspaper covering the 1999 World Trade Organization convention.
Education
University of Houston, BA in Journalism.
Affiliations
Board of Directors, The Watershed Project, Richmond, CA.
