A Little About Renée

Brand and Marketing Accelerator Renée T. Walker is an award-winning strategist, Newsweek Expert Forum contributor, TEDx speaker, keynote speaker, author and is president of RENEE WALKER & ASSOCIATES (RW&A), a strategy, brand and marketing communications agency. Honing her expertise through executive positions with multimillion and billion-dollar brands in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, Renée transforms growth-stage companies and executives into communication rock stars.

 She is the author of “Brand Power for Small Business Entrepreneurs,” a contributing author to the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs, and a featured contributor to industry executive publications. Renée is also an ANA national instructor and a TechTown Detroit Ask an Expert volunteer.

In 2012, she launched RENEE WALKER & ASSOCIATES (RW&A), a strategy, brand and marketing communications agency. Renée and her team provide innovative perspectives and data-driven strategies that solve complex communication challenges, optimize unique points of differentiation, disrupt markets and accelerate success.

Before establishing RW&A, Renée served as chief communications officer and associate vice president of University Communications at Central Michigan University—then one of the nation’s top 100 largest public universities—and directed a million dollar annual marketing budget. As manager of Corporate Public Relations for Kelly, Renée directed the Fortune 500 company’s public relations function, protecting the brand and developing strategies for its $3.8 billion sales organization.

And, while serving the chief protocol office for former Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer, Renée established the city’s first Protocol Office, produced high-profile events, conferences and domestic and global dignitary visits, including the Detroit Grand Prix, America’s Thanksgiving Parade and the White House Empowerment Zone Conference. Renée also served as a key member of the core bid team that secured the 2006 National Football League Super Bowl XL.

Renée sharpened her political acumen in executive and communication leadership positions on successful local, state and national candidate campaigns and multimillion and billion-dollar ballot initiatives. She counseled executives on communications, outreach and public policy. She also directed proactive and crisis communications strategies for controversial initiatives, fund development and constituent initiatives.

Renée earned a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Davenport University and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Administration from Central Michigan University. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and was previously accredited in public relations (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America.