Sharif Walker

Background

About Sharif Walker

Sharif Walker is a dedicated community leader and the President and CEO of Bethel New Life, a nonprofit rooted in Chicago’s Austin community. With a lifelong commitment to advancing wellness, economic empowerment, and neighborhood vitality, Sharif works to build sustainable pathways for families to thrive. Under his leadership, Bethel New Life continues to strengthen partnerships that promote health equity, family stability, and inclusive development across Chicago’s West Side. Sharif brings decades of experience in community engagement, organizational leadership, and youth empowerment, driving transformative impact citywide. He specializes in conflict resolution, direct service coordination, and neighborhood revitalization strategies, working alongside community stakeholders and civic leaders to help youth and families navigate systemic inequalities and socioeconomic transitions. Throughout his career, Sharif has led major community initiatives and held leadership roles that have advanced collective progress. His work has been recognized by the Black United College Fund of Illinois, Taproot Foundation, Chicago Public Schools, and other civic institutions for outstanding leadership and service to community development. Key leadership milestones include- Rebuilding Bethel New Life, Inc. into a key provider of wellness services and leading the Austin Food Ecosystem Initiative, a collaborative effort rebranding the Austin community around food, culture, and equity- Managing an $8M budget as a Program Director at After School Matters, supporting over youth annually and supervising 200+ instructors across schools, parks, and libraries- Expanding Mayor Daley’s Neighborhood Sports Program from 17 to 31 park district sites, broadening youth access to sports and mentorship opportunities- Advising Representative La Shawn K. Ford’s Office on youth issues in the 8th Legislative District and co-leading community dialogues to address those needs- Serving as Board Chairman of Austin Coming Together, where he led cross-sector partnerships to drive neighborhood revitalization and economic progress- Designing and implementing Ada S. McKinley’s first incentive-based behavioral improvement system, improving outcomes for over 150 students in therapeutic settings- Serving more than 15 years as an IHSA and community college basketball official, promoting youth development through mentorship and conflict resolution.