Rachel Walker

Rachel Walker serves as Director of Construction at Empire AI, leading efforts to build the exterior infrastructure housing New York State's first super research computer. This facility, located on the University of Buffalo campus, supports a consortium of universities including Columbia and Cornell, with initial partnerships focused on medical research teams. It is designed as a closed-loop water system data center aiming for net zero operations and potentially LEED Silver certification. With more than 15 years in the field, Walker specializes in construction management and change management, having advanced from drafting and estimating roles into project and construction management. Her path began with a clinical psychology degree from the University of Tennessee, followed by an Associates in Engineering completed in 2011 at a community college after discovering an affinity for math and engineering through drafting courses. Earlier in her career, she contributed to launching pharmacy trailers nationwide at Walgreens during the 2020 civil unrest and COVID-19 period to ensure medication access in affected communities.