Elaine Walton was born in St. George and raised on a dairy farm near Toquerville, Utah. She attended high school in Hurricane and junior college in Cedar City. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University and a PhD from the University of Utah.
Sister Walton started her academic career as a member of the social work faculty at The Ohio University, where she was recognized as Outstanding Graduate Teacher of the Year in 1993. While at BYU, she served as an associate professor and director of the School of Social Work.
For more than a decade she developed and evaluated family-strengthening programs in the child welfare arena, authored numerous publications, and participated in many national and international conferences. As a psychotherapist Professor Walton counsels women who struggle with difficult life circumstances and helps them take charge of their lives.
Sister Walton and her husband, Wendel, have 10 children.
