BENTONVILLE, Ark., Sept. 25, 2020 – The Walton Family Foundation named Chelsea Peters as chief strategy officer. Peters will lead strategy that will further progress toward foundation goals and drive impact. In this role, Peters will serve as a key advisor to Executive Director Caryl M. Stern, support engagement with the Board and work collaboratively with the foundation’s leadership team. Peters brings experience leading strategic planning and execution for organizations that are geographically and programmatically diverse.

Before joining the foundation, Peters served as senior vice president and chief regional strategy and operations officer at UNICEF USA. In this capacity, she led the strategic planning process to rapidly scale revenue and advocacy outcomes across major U.S. markets. Her leadership produced record-breaking fundraising, brand positioning and policy change.

Peters held several roles during her tenure at UNICEF USA. She managed nine regional boards and offices responsible for major gifts, special events, UNICEF Next Generation and community engagement. She is a founding member of Chief, a private network connecting and supporting women leaders.

"The foundation’s history is full of tremendous impact through each of our programs,” said Stern. “In this role, Chelsea’s talent and expertise will build on these achievements to drive even broader impact for people and communities.”

As a culture champion of the foundation’s mission and priorities, Peters will foster collaboration across programs and departments to collectively execute its plans and ensure strategic actions achieve the desired results.

In 2017, Peters was selected as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women NextGen. She is a Three Dot Dash mentor to global teen entrepreneurs addressing the world’s most pressing issues and serves on the Lacrosse Business Network Board.

Peters studied diplomacy and international relations at the School for International Training. She is a graduate of Bucknell University.

About the Walton Family Foundation The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses, work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. In 2019, the foundation awarded more than $525 million in grants in support of these initiatives. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.