Kimberly Young Walker was recently interviewed by TheCelebrity.Online Magazine and below is the Q&A session we had with Ms. Kimberly.

Kimberly Young Walker As Cover Story Interview Feature – TheCelebrity.Online February 2023 Edition

How do you introduce yourself?

Kimberly Young Walker: I introduce myself as Dr. Kimberly Walker, Organizational Effectiveness Expert and Founder and CEO of The Assessment Team.

How was the transition from your childhood into adulthood/teenage and what good and bad things do you remember?

Kimberly Young Walker: My transition to adulthood was a little different – I was a mother at 17. I transitioned to adulthood a lot sooner than most out of necessity. I worked 20+ hours per week as a junior and senior in high school. I worked PT at my daughter’s daycare and for fast food on the weekends. I was an AP/Honors student. I was going to school full-time, raising my daughter, working, and managing the college application process – it was a lot. That transition also included custody battles and public intimidation campaigns from my daughter’s paternal grandmother. That time was traumatic and frustrating. When I came out on the other side of it, I felt invincible!

Struggle – What hardships have you faced during your life?

Kimberly Young Walker: Single parenting was tough. It was always a financial challenge. Although I had a full scholarship, I still had to get student loans to pay rent and daycare. Child support was $40 per week and did not arrive more weeks than it did. Food stamps were about $115/month. It would barely get two weeks’ worth of groceries.

During undergraduate school, I worked 2-3 jobs at a time while taking five classes and raising my daughter. My social life was essentially non-existent until I joined my sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho. During that time, I had to drive back and forth to my hometown for court due to the ongoing custody battle – that was eventually tossed out entirely. My family was working class. They offered support when they could, and most of the time, they couldn’t.

What things people usually do not know about you?

Kimberly Young Walker: I’m a recovering people pleaser. That is shocking to most people because I ‘appear’ to have a very tough exterior. I do that so people won’t want to get close to me. If they get close and they’re a user, it takes me a long time to figure that out, so I pre-emptively erect a barrier.

What make you unique from your competitors in the industry and life?

Kimberly Young Walker: What differentiates me from other Organizational Effectiveness firms is that I have been a practitioner for over a decade. My clients work directly with me every step of the way. Our promise is Future Focused and People-Centeredimprovement processes. Most firms forget about the people – only focusing on the place. The perspective is “the people can be replaced.” I like to quote Zandra Flemister (the first Black woman to serve as a special agent in the U.S. Secret Service) and say, “Good people can be replaced, but not easily.”

In life, my tenacity sets me apart. I’m an educated, unapologetic Black woman living in the deep south. I encounter subtle and overt racism, daily… and the gaslighting that often accompanies that behavior. I believe in my ability to persevere, and I if I’m betting on myself, “I completely double down.” – J.Cole.

What are your major upcoming events?

Kimberly Young Walker: I’m starting a weekend segment called “Sit Down Saturdays” on IG to discuss important aspects of organizational effectiveness, strategic planning, and curriculum design. We have guest speakers, discuss hard truths, and focus on how beneficial instituting policies and procedures around these processes can elevate an organization and entity.

What expert advice would you like to share?

Kimberly Young Walker: The advice I provide to anyone pursuing an important goal is – Don’t tell yourself “no.” Let them tell you “no.”

What are your social media links?

Kimberly Young Walker:

• IG: @theassessmentteam
• Website: https://theassessmentteam.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-young-walker-ph-d-24343544/