Chair Emeritus, Elected: 2023
Elected to the Board: 2013
Voting Trustee
Kathleen A. Walters is a retired senior executive with extensive leadership experience in the consumer products and paper industry, both domestically and internationally. Most recently, she was executive vice president and group president of Georgia-Pacific consumer products group. Georgia Pacific contained the largest retail and commercial tissue and tabletop businesses in North America, spanning more than 20 manufacturing locations and 15,000 employees. The group also included a Pan European tissue business (sold 2012), a printing and writing business, and a non-woven rolls goods business.
Prior to her association with Georgia-Pacific, Walters held a number of key leadership positions in Europe and the United States at Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Scott Paper Co. and was chief executive officer of Sappi Fine Paper North America.
Known for her ability to develop business strategies, Walters has a proven record of leading business groups in various situations, companies and geographies to improved earnings—from growth through innovation, revenue improvement and cost-efficiency strategies. She is adept at aligning large organizations with a vision for business, while understanding operational details that help individual units execute on strategic initiatives. Walters' functional management experience includes marketing, sales, logistics, financial analysis, treasury, investor relations and community relations.
Walters serves on the board of directors of Jabil (NYSE:JBL), the Georgia Aquarium and the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and is a former management advisor to the board of directors of Sappi Limited (NYSE:SPP).
She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences in 1973. She was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the University in 2023. She also received an MBA in finance and strategic planning, with distinction, from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1978.
Walters served as chair of the Board of Trustees from 2019-2023 and currently serves as chair emeritus through early May 2027. She serves on the Board Executive, Board Organization and Nominating, Investment and Endowment, Advancement and External Affairs Committees, and Athletics Committees. She also serves on the National Campaign Council Executive Committee; the Advisory Committee on University Climate, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility; and the Free Speech Trustee Advisory Group. She served as vice chair of the Board from 2018-19; chair of the Ad Hoc Workgroup on Volunteer Boards; was a member of the Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion; and was on the Steam Station, Annual Giving, Strategic Enrollment Planning, and Academic Planning Ad Hoc Workgroups. In 2017 she received the Dritz Rookie Trustee of the Year Award. Her Syracuse University service includes memberships on the Atlanta Regional Council and the University Libraries Advisory Board. She served on the search committee for the senior vice president of communications and marketing in 2017.
She and her husband, Stan Walters have supported the Maxwell X Lab by establishing the Walters Community Partnership Fund for graduate and undergraduate student research. They have established the Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Fund for Science Research and the Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Professorship for Quantum Science, both in the College of Arts and Sciences. They support a wide range of University priorities, including the Barnes Center at The Arch, where they funded the Kathy and Stan Walters Pet Therapy Room. They have supported other initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University Athletics and Libraries, and alumni relations.