Katarina Walker (born 1966 in Auckland, New Zealand) is an Australian gaming analyst, programmer, author of the book The Pro's Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon , and professional player. She has specialized in the American casino game Spanish 21, and its Australian analogue, Pontoon.
After moving to Australia as a child, she excelled in mathematics and won several highly-coveted grants, including the Clough and Telecom scholarships for engineering. In 1989, she featured in an ABC documentary about women pursuing careers in the mathematical sciences. She was one of the first two women to graduate with a first-class honours degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Western Australia, an achievement which was honoured on the front page of The West Australian newspaper on April 25, 1990. Walker also has a Master's degree in Information Technology from the Edith Cowan University, where she won the Bankwest prize for the top student in computer programming. After briefly lecturing in computer science, she commenced doctoral studies, leaving soon after to pursue a fulltime career in the gaming industry, mentored by Don Schlesinger. She is a member of Australian Mensa.
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