Dr. Carol Mikulka is the founder of Walden Community School. Born in New Jersey, she spent her childhood in Argentina and Venezuela and graduated from high school in Puerto Rico. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Florida and trained in psychiatry at Columbia Presbyterian College of Physicians and Surgeons and St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital in New York, including a fellowship in Public and Administrative Psychiatry.

As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Mikulka has extensive experience working with adolescents, including leading an inpatient adolescent program for teens with significant social-emotional needs. Her work led her to study self-esteem, how it is protected or damaged, and how competition can diminish a child’s natural desire to learn.

Everything shifted when she became a parent. She felt a responsibility as both a parent and an educator to protect each child’s sense of self. She questioned narrow definitions of success and believed it should also include social growth, emotional strength, creativity, curiosity, and self-awareness. When she saw her own children beginning to lose their sense of wonder and curiosity in competitive school environments, including her daughter describing being told to “read for stickers,” she knew there had to be a better way.

This understanding led her to envision an environment built on cooperation, connection, and a deep love of learning. In 2002, she founded Walden Community School with this vision at its core. She sought to create a school grounded in collaboration and a cooperative spirit, one that avoids unnecessary competition. Her goal was to build an environment where children learn through inquiry, creativity, discussion, and real experiences, a place where their intrinsic motivation is protected and where learning feels joyful, meaningful, and connected.

Dr. Mikulka’s vision continues to guide Walden today as a community where every child is seen, valued, and encouraged to love learning.