April, 29 2019
In March we invited you to meet our board member, Tamika Butler. This month we’re just as excited for you to meet the newest member of our Board of Directors: Wanji Walcott, Senior Vice President & General Counsel at PayPal! Please join us as we welcome Wanji to the OneJustice family!
What made you interested in becoming a OneJustice Board member?
As part of our global pro bono initiative, PayPal routinely engages with various organizations and partners to create opportunities for our teams to leverage their legal expertise to serve our local communities’ needs. Merging my personal passion for pro bono with my role as a founder of PayPal’s global pro bono program, I have participated in many of our Bay Area pro bono outreach efforts, and of the organizations we have been privileged to partner with, I was particularly drawn to the OneJustice team’s work. The organization’s innovative approach of bringing legal assistance and expanding access to legal aid programs directly to communities and people in need, regardless of their location, through programs like the Justice Bus Project is truly inspiring.
These efforts are directly aligned with my personal values system and PayPal’s mission to better serve the underserved. Expanding my ongoing partnership with the organization by joining the Board of Directors is an honor and I am looking forward to working in partnership with my counterparts to build on the strong foundation already in place.
What is your role at PayPal and how do you hope to use your perspective as a Board member?
I have served as Senior Vice President & General Counsel leading PayPal’s Global Legal team since 2017, responsible for oversight of daily legal activities.
With more than two decades of legal experience and a proven track record of helping businesses expand their offerings to reach global audiences, I hope to leverage my skill-set to help OneJustice strategically scale their efforts to reach a greater population of underserved communities in need of legal aid.
What are your hopes for your time as a Board member?
Serving as a OneJustice volunteer inspired me to evolve my thinking around how our PayPal business serves the needs of our underserved customers and communities. The value of this experience and the impact it has had on me – personally and professionally – is immeasurable. In my role as a Board Member, I hope to provide others the same opportunities to work directly with underserved communities through expanded programmatic engagements in the Bay Area and beyond.
Tell us about yourself – something you love to do, a hobby, recreational activity, or something quirky about yourself.
I live my life by the old adage that to whom much is given, much is required. I have had numerous mentors and sponsors throughout my career, and I feel a tremendous responsibility to pay that forward. I strive to serve as a role model for other aspiring women, diverse talent looking to advance their careers, the young people in my extended family and my own daughters – part of my purpose is to serve in this way.
Outside of this, I am incredibly fortunate in that I have the opportunity to travel and experience new countries, cultures and languages with my family. These family trips are incredibly meaningful to me and the diversity of thought, background and experiences we are exposed to in our travels has helped me become a more empathetic and inclusive person.