Dr. Dana Van De Walker is a lifelong learner and proud educator with nearly 20 years of service. Originally hailing from central Illinois, Dana graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science. She has now been a Texas resident and Conroe community member for more than 10 years.

Not long after graduating with her master’s, Dana moved to Korea where she taught elementary and middle school English as a Second Language (ESL) and earned her CELTA teaching certificate. From there, she took a position teaching Elementary English Education at Chinju National University of Education. Ultimately, she rounded out her Korean experience with a position at Daegu University, where she worked jointly as an assistant professor and administrator in the Office of International Affairs.

In 2015, Dana moved to Texas to accept a job in international education at Sam Houston State University (Eat ‘Em Up, Kats!) and work on her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Leadership, which she completed in 2021. For the past 5 years, Dana has found her home at Lone Star College, where she oversees a large student program.

Dana is passionate about affordable and accessible education for all Texans and is committed to serving the interests of all community members. When she’s not working, Dana loves to travel with her wonderful wife, cook and host dinner parties, and volunteer in her community.