A conversation with
The Hon. David M. Walker
President and CEO
Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Former Comptroller General of the United States
and
Christopher Stone
Faculty Director
The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations
Wed. October 1, 2008 3:00 – 4:30 PM Bell Hall
(HKS Belfer Building, 5th Floor)
Peterson Foundation President and CEO David Walker Stresses Accountability for Foundations and Grantees
October 3, 2008
By Laura Johnston
The Hauser Center launched its first seminar of the New Leaders in Philanthropy Seminar Series on October 1, 2008. The series brings new leaders from the major US charitable foundations to the Hauser Center for discussions with faculty, students, and other leaders about trends in US philanthropy and their ambitions for the nonprofit sector.
The first event included a public conversation between the Honorable David Walker, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and Christopher Stone, Faculty Director of the Hauser Center and Guggenheim Professor of the Practice of Criminal Justice at Harvard Kennedy School. It was followed by a lively Q&A exchange with the audience.
The Peterson Foundation is a new foundation with Walker at the helm for the past six months as its first President. Walker acknowledged that as a new foundation and new leader in the nonprofit sector, he and the foundation are facing challenges common to start-ups such as learning a new sector and the rules that apply to the sector.
Walker’s extensive previous experience as Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) dovetails appropriately with the foundation’s commitment to transparency and accountability, both for itself and its grantees, through an emphasis on metrics and measuring outcomes. When questioned by the audience on how to successfully measure outcomes, and in particular how to approach the question of metrics with grantees, Walker responded that although no metrics are perfect, it is key to grasp the extent to which you are changing public opinion and attitudes (for example through conducting polls) and stated “you can’t manage something unless you measure it.”
According to Walker, the Peterson Foundation distinguishes itself as being “focused on the fiscal future of the nation as #1,” and is “an action tank not a think tank.” In addition to fiscal issues, the foundation is taking up other issues such as healthcare costs, energy consumption and weapons proliferation that Walker categorized as “generational challenges” in such that these challenges may take a generation to solve.
The foundation uses strategies to address these issues that include both movements to educate the public and actions to change policy. When questioned by an audience member about if Walker expected a political backlash from the foundation’s activities, Walker declared “As long as we’re stating the facts and telling the truth, I think we’ll be fine.”
About The Hon. David M. Walker
As President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Dave is now free to do what he wasn't able to do while serving as Comptroller General of the United States. For example, he can advocate for specific policy solutions, work proactively with grantees and other partners to build strong coalitions for positive change, and encourage and engage in grassroots efforts to bring pressure on Washington to act and hold people accountable if they fail to act. Prior to joining the Peterson Foundation, Dave received three presidential appointments and unanimous Senate confirmations, one each from Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. His most recent was as U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) from 1998-2008. He previously served as a Public Trustee for Social Security and Medicare, and as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Pension and Employee Benefit Programs. His career also includes twenty years in the private sector, where his last position was serving as a partner and global managing director at Arthur Andersen LLP. Dave currently serves on various boards and advisory committees, including as Chair of the United Nations Independent Advisory Committee. He has authored two books, and is a frequent commentator and Congressional witness. Dave is also featured in the critically acclaimed documentary I.O.U.S.A., which will be released in theaters around the country in August 2008.
