Walter Taylor, M.S. Ed., NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher), is the Director of Professional Development (PD) for the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation (CTUF) Quest Center and is responsible for the strategic planning, development, and implementation of professional learning opportunities for educators. Mr. Taylor earned his General Administrative Endorsement – Type 75 from Lewis University, Master of Science in Special Education from Chicago State University, and Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from National-Louis University. He has endorsements in Elementary Education (K-9), Learning Behavior Specialist I, Learning Disabilities, Biological Science (Middle School and Junior HS), and General Science (Middle School and Junior HS). Walter brings over 13 years of teaching science, language arts, and special education in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), over 16 years of facilitating PD for public education teachers through the CTUF's Quest Center and the Golden Apple Foundation (GAF), and over 29 years of curriculum development experience with CPS, CTUF, and the GAF.

Mr. Taylor is also a mentor for the GAF and a professor in the Education Department at National Louis University. In addition to designing and teaching curricula to pre-service teachers and classroom teachers for the GAF and the CTUF, Walter provides graduate-level PD to teachers. His signature PD offerings and programs include Restorative Practices, Cultural Competency, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Anti-Racism, Differentiated Instruction, Questioning and Discussion Techniques, Classroom Management, Managing and Monitoring Student Learning, and Student Engagement. Mr. Taylor has done extensive work using restorative practices. He works with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the AFT Congressional Black Caucus in many capacities (esp., restorative practices), leading him to travel to many places domestically and internationally. Walter has done restorative practices PD in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico City-to name a few.