Walter Abrego
Senior Associate Program Officer, Builders Initiative
Walter Abrego (él/he/him/his) is a Senior Associate Program Officer for Builders Initiative. In this role, Walter works with the Farmed Animal and rural arts programs. Walter is a systems thinker working to transform the food system to center on the well-being of farmed animals. His work drives toward a world where consumers are encouraged and able to make choices that are good for the animals, the environment, and their communities.
Walter joined Builders Initiative after serving as a Program and Grants Associate at the McKnight Foundation's Collaborative Crop Research Program. While there, he helped the foundation identify and fund regionally-based research projects in Africa and South America. He also has extensive political, policy, and issue campaign experience and assisted with advancing their respective causes.
A Salvadoran immigrant and son of two former meatpacking workers, Walter earned a joint bachelor's degrees in communications and Spanish from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Texas Tech University. Walter also serves on the board of the Coleman Foundation in Chicago. In his free time, he enjoys biking, cooking, camping, and organizing. Walter lives in Chicago with his dog Remi.