Doris Walker-Dalhouse received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. She is Professor of Literacy in the Department of Educational Policy & Leadership at  Marquette University, and Professor Emerita, Minnesota State University Moorhead. Her research and publications focusing on students experiencing reading difficulties and refugee children and families address the impact of sociocultural factors on the literacy development of ethnically and culturally diverse learners. Currently she is applying these theoretical lenses as principal research investigator on two funded projects examining literacy and social communication skills for children on the autism spectrum, and teacher preparation for teaching children on the autism spectrum. A strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in university and community settings, Walker-Dalhouse was a co-founder of the MSUM Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (S.E.E.D) faculty group, member of the MU Equity & Inclusion committee, member of the Moorhead (MN) Human Rights Committee, and Director of a Sudanese community-based reading clinic for K-6 refugee students funded by the Otto Bremer Foundation, and is presently a member of the MU Autism Initiative. 

Walker-Dalhouse has numerous professional journal publications, a co-authored book, research-based chapters and monographs, national/international conference presentations, and conducted teacher seminars in affiliation with the National Urban Alliance. Across her career, she has held multiple leadership position within literacy professional organizations, including as a Board member of LRA, ILA, and ALER, chair of multiple task force groups and committees, co-chair of the LRA Culturally Sustaining Literacy Pedagogy Study Group, lead writer for Standard 4: Diversity & Equity committee for the ILA 2017 Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals, and co-editor of the Research to Classroom column in The Reading Teacher. She received ALER’s Albert J. Mazurkiewicz Special Services Award (2013); the Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Excellence in Research Award (2007); ILA Celebrate Literacy Award (1995); and leadership awards for President of the Minnesota State Reading Association (1995) and President of the Red River (MN) Reading Association (1992).  She has served as a reviewer for multiple professional journals including Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Literacy Research, Teaching and Teacher Education, and The Reading Teacher. Walker-Dalhouse is the VP-elect of LRA.