Meet the Executive Director

Mary Walker serves as the Executive Director for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council). Created by the RESTORE Act of 2012 and comprised of the Governors of the five Gulf Coast States and Cabinet-level officials from six federal agencies, the RESTORE Council is responsible for restoring and protecting the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf Coast.
Previously, Ms. Walker served as Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast region. In this role, she oversaw environmental protection efforts in the eight Southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as six federally-recognized tribes.
Prior to her appointment as Region 4 Administrator, Ms. Walker served as EPA’s Deputy Regional Administrator, where she provided leadership to the senior career staff. She has also served as the EPA’s Water Protection Division Director for the Southeast, where she implemented and oversaw federal water programs in the eight states of the region. Prior to her federal service, Ms. Walker served as Deputy Director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.



