Walsh is a Chicago Public School teacher, an activist in the Chicago Teachers Union, and an advocate for teacher empowerment and education reform. She holds a B.S. degree in Elementary and Special Education from Western Illinois University, an M.S. degree in Special Education from the Chicago State University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Analysis from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She has taught 11 years at the elementary level an 11 years at the college level.