Director of Business Development
email: mawalker[at]msu[dot]edu
Mary Anne is the Director of Business Development at MSUglobal. She is responsible for business and international research and program development. Mary Anne works with faculty and partner networks to build research/projects using technology, increase external funding, and enhance MSU’s brand. She is responsible for facilitating new program development across campus and works closely with faculty, research administrators and Associate Deans of Research. Mary Anne’s focus on higher education and development brings opportunities to MSU’s campus through expanding relationships with federal, international and foundation funding agencies who share our vision for creative problem solving and advancing knowledge.
Education
Mary Anne has degrees in Liberal Arts (AA), International Politics (BS Northeastern University) and International Law (MA American University) and is certified as an ESL Instructor. She teaches and consults on grantwriting and is publishing on international research collaboration.
Experience
In 2000, she started up and directed the MSU Office of International Development, supporting multidisciplinary international research and project initiatives with partners around the world. She studied as an undergraduate at Northeastern University and did graduate work at Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (U.S. Foreign Policy) and American University (International Law and Organizations). She served as a Fellow to the United Nations University. Mary Anne studied overseas in the UK through London School of Economics and Kings College and in Madrid, Spain on language pedagogy. After working 5 years with Sherin & Lodgen, a law firm in Boston, she joined US Agency for International Development’s Europe & New Independent States Bureau. She specialized in education and training programs, economic development, rule of law initiatives and finished her tenure with USAID serving as a Senior Democracy officer in Zagreb, Croatia managing projects that aided civil society development.
Mary Anne currently serves on the Executive Committee for the Commission of International Programs of the Association of Public & Land Grant Universities and Chairs the Subcommittee on International Development. She serves on the Board of Directors of the MSU International Development Student Association SCOUT BANANA.
