About

Michael Walker

Founder & Principal Data Architect, RDM Datalab

LinkedIn

I founded RDM Datalab in 2025 after 20 years working in data across engineering, consulting, and enterprise data management. The firm focuses on data architecture, strategy, and governance for organizations that need to get more out of their data and AI investments.

I got my start in data engineering and technical lead roles, doing hands-on work building pipelines, modeling data, and leading small teams. I also spent time in consulting, which is where I first worked with Wells Fargo as a client. That relationship eventually turned into a full-time role, and I spent nearly a decade there in data management positions of increasing scope.

At Wells Fargo I worked across payments, risk, and corporate functions. The work ranged from building data roadmaps to leading governance programs to managing teams of 14 to 24 analysts. Over that time I contributed to initiatives that produced real, measurable results: tens of millions in efficiency gains, meaningful reductions in regulatory risk, and reporting cycles cut by half.

What I bring to clients is a combination of technical depth and business context. I can work through a data model in the morning and sit down with a CFO in the afternoon to talk through what their organization actually needs from its data. That combination is hard to find, and it's what makes the consulting work.

Right now I'm consulting with Provisio Partners on data architecture and strategy for nonprofits, building economic benchmark data products through RDM Datalab, and deepening my work in AI product management and modern cloud data tooling.

I'm based in Aptos, California and work with clients in the Bay Area and remotely.