Joseph Walsh

Joe Walsh – Senior Vice President, People and Culture

Joe Walsh is in his sixth season as the Senior Vice President of People & Culture for the Arizona Diamondbacks, his tenth in Major League Baseball and his 23rd in the professional sports industry. In his role, Walsh oversees all people related responsibilities for the D-backs including culture, leadership development, talent acquisition, retention, Team Player relations, total rewards, organizational development, wellness, HRIS and payroll. He also develops and delivers the D-backs’ Leadership Academy, an annual yearlong cohort of Team Players engaged in classroom leadership development curriculum.

Prior to his move to Arizona, Walsh was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons from 2013-17. In Detroit, he was a member of the PS&E Executive Leadership Team overseeing the Human Resources Function for the NBA franchise as well as Pine Knob Music Theater, the Meadow Brook Amphitheater and the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom Hill. He joined the Palace in July of 2013 from his position as Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources at TaylorMade-adidas Golf in Carlsbad, Calif., where he led all Human Resources functions, strategies, tactics, and teammates in the US and overseas for the No. 1 golf equipment brand in the world.

Walsh previously spent 4 seasons (2007-10) in Major League Baseball as the Vice President of Human Resources for the Los Angeles Dodgers where he was responsible for all aspects of Human Resources including coaching, leadership development, recruiting, training, employee relations, administration, compliance, compensation, benefits and organizational development. While with the Dodgers, Walsh was instrumental in developing and implementing a new mission, vision and values with the team president and executive team as well as his work with the club’s Minor League

He and his wife, Deborah, along with their daughters, Rylie and Reese, live in Scottsdale.

Katelyn Ohashi, Civic Leader Award

I am honored to be a Giant Steps Honoree as a civic leader. Sharing my stories of body shaming, and educating others about the damage it can do to young women in sports is detrimental. I hope I can help young people understand the importance of self-worth and to find their own voices within.