# Carrie Walton Penner **Carrie Walton Penner** (b. 1970) is the daughter of [[Rob Walton]], granddaughter of [[Sam Walton]], and the [[Walton Family]]'s lead voice on education reform. She chairs the education program committee of the [[Walton Family Foundation]] and sits on the boards of KIPP Foundation, Charter School Growth Fund, and Alliance for School Choice — making her the family member most directly shaping the charter-school movement in America. ## Background - Born August 12, 1970 - B.A. in economics and history, Georgetown University - M.A. in Education Policy and Program Evaluation, Stanford University - Married to [[Greg Penner]] (Walmart board chairman); met at Georgetown - Internships at [[Rockefeller Foundation]], Aaron Diamond Foundation ## Education reform work Carrie joined the KIPP Foundation board in 2009 and has articulated "a clear vision of the charter school movement over the next five years" — positioning the Walton Foundation as the single largest private funder of charter schools in the country. The Foundation has invested over $1 billion in K-12 education, overwhelmingly directed toward school choice, charter expansion, and voucher programs. ## Why she matters for the KB Carrie is the policy architect connecting Walton wealth to the education-reform infrastructure — KIPP, charter school growth funds, and the broader school-choice movement that overlaps with [[DeVos-Prince Family]] and [[Koch Family]] education spending. She is a critical link in the [[Walton Family]] dynasty page.