How EWB-USA Shaped a Career in Equity-Focused Engineering: A Conversation with Walt Walker of TYLin

When you look at the accomplishments of Walt Walker, PE, ENV SP (Vice President and Equity Practice Leader at TYLin) it’s easy to see a seasoned professional with a bold vision for water equity, environmental justice, and community-centered design. What you might not immediately see is the foundation of that vision: more than 15 years of volunteer service and leadership with Engineers Without Borders USA.

For Walt, EWB-USA wasn’t just an opportunity to volunteer his time. It was a training ground for leadership, a launchpad for professional purpose, and a space to redefine what engineering can create.

I recently chatted with Walt about how his journey through EWB-USA shaped the engineer, designer, and equity advocate he is today.

You were involved in EWB-USA for many years. What chapters were you part of, and what kinds of projects did you work on?

WW: Over my 15+ years as an active volunteer: I started out as part of the EWB-Rowan University student chapter, then post-graduation was part of the Philadelphia Professional chapter (serving two separate terms as chapter president), moved to NYC and became a member of the NY Professional Chapter, then a NYC state rep, and finally wrapped up my leadership time serving organization-wide as the Chair of the Council of Regional Presidents (CORP). I’ve also served in mentor roles for the EWB-UPenn and EWB-U of Delaware chapters.

I worked on international projects such as: water supply in the Philippines and El Salvador; sanitation infrastructure in Rwanda and Guatemala. And domestically, community service and early phases of Community Engineering Corp projects in Philly and NYC.

How did your EWB-USA experience influence your career or your identity as an engineer?

WW: It made me more well-rounded and gave me a broader perspective of the world. I’ve managed chapters, led designs, advanced community engagement plans, slept in village guest houses, organized local neighborhood cleanups, balanced budgets, developed leadership transition materials, and design chapter newsletters. And those collective experiences inspired me to rethink what my initial purpose or identity was intended to be. I am not just an engineer. I am a designer, a teammate, a partner that thrives on building community and sharing space with others.

What memories or lessons stand out most from your time with EWB-USA?

WW: So many memories I cherish! My biggest takeaway from my active time with EWB-USA was knowing the possibility I/we had the space to create and ideate unique, human-centered solutions.

The biggest lessons learned from my EWB-USA time was the process of challenging myself and others to better define what success on a project, or chapter looked like? Were we just raising money and trying to implement projects on our own, then branding that as ‘success’? Or were we instead leveraging that opportunity to build capacity and shift power to our service communities, rooted in trusted partnerships, storytelling, and a shared vision? I found the latter to be much more impactful, and I challenge EWB volunteers to think the same.

It is not enough to merely ‘construct the project’; the intent must be greater reaching and intentional. These reflections helped me reimagine what my professional career could like – resulting in creating a water equity and environmental justice practice at my engineering firm. That creation would not have occurred without the EWB-USA experience in my life.

How do you see EWB-USA as a stepping stone for young engineers today?

WW: Without a doubt, EWB-USA give me direct experience to human-component in design work and community building. I say that from two perspectives – one: being part of chapter/project team, as volunteers with limited time, unique personalities and strengths that need to be able to adapt to providing both the engineering and non-engineering needs of running a chapter and/or project. The second perspective being how we treat our project communities – they are resilient and creative; they should be respected as our partners and clients. These are all practices I’ve scaled up and use in my profession. It’s helped me grow and to be a better communicator, manager, and to be more adaptable.

What advice would you give to a college student at the start of their engineering journey?

WW: Listen. Try new things. Grow diverse skillsets. Know the difference between intent and impact. Build community. Tell your story – and elevate others to share theirs as well.

Walt’s evolution from chapter member to mentor, from volunteer leader to Vice President and Equity Practice Leader is a powerful reminder of what EWB-USA makes possible. Our chapters don’t just create clean water systems, resilient infrastructure, or stronger communities. They create leaders: empathetic, innovative, community-centered engineers who carry those values into their careers and into the world.

For thousands of alumni, EWB-USA was the place where they first learned to listen deeply, collaborate boldly, and design with intention. It was where they discovered the kind of engineer—and the kind of human—they wanted to be.

Now, we’re asking our alumni to help ensure that same transformational experience continues for the next generation.

This fall, we invite all former volunteers, chapter leaders, and mentors to join The Builder’s Circle, our alumni giving community dedicated to sustaining EWB-USA’s mission year after year.

Just as EWB-USA helped shape Walt’s career in equity-driven engineering, your gift helps launch the next wave of inspired, purpose-driven builders.

If EWB-USA played a role in your story, now is the perfect moment to pay it forward. Join The Builder’s Circle and help us keep this work thriving.