Heritage Foundation Leadership for America

Virginia Walden Ford is a Visiting Fellow within Heritage's Domestic & Economic Policy Studies. Walden-Ford, an independent consultant on family, marriage and education matters, currently serves as the executive director of the D.C. Parents for School Choice Inc., a clearinghouse organization in Washington, D.C. that help s empower D.C. parents to make the best informed decisions on educational choices for their children.

Walden-Ford's tireless efforts helped school choice legislation pass in the District in 2003. Walden-Ford is a national board member of The Black Alliance for Educational Options Inc. (BAEO), president of its D.C. chapter and a board member of the Booker T. Washington Public Charter School.

She is the author of Voices, Choices, and Second Chances: How to Win the Battle to Bring Opportunity Scholarships to Your State. Walden-Ford also is the recipient of Heritage's 2004 Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship, the BAEO's 2004 Vision Award and the 2005 Leonard F. DeFiore Parental Choice Advocate Award from the National Catholic Education Association.