Walsh, who previously served as Cadence’s Vice President of Education, brings an extensive background in literacy development and instructional design. Her tenure at the University of Chicago’s UChicago Impact saw the expansion of the STEP Literacy program to over 240 schools, reaching 110,000 students. At Cadence, she has already begun shifting the organization’s focus toward stronger home-school integration, notably through the Parent Partnership webinar series.

Looking ahead, Walsh plans to roll out Raising Readers, a literacy initiative designed to bolster vocabulary and language skills through both teacher professional development and direct family outreach. This follows the launch of a summer reading program aimed at engaging families in shared academic goals. Walsh, who holds an Ed.D. in Reading and Language from National Louis University, emphasized that her primary objective remains fostering environments where children develop a lasting affinity for learning.