Meet Blake Laytham, 2017 Alum

Blake Laytham attended the University of Kentucky for his undergraduate studies and then went on to graduate from the Patterson School in 2017. During his time at Patterson, Blake majored in diplomacy and minored in international security. He started his current role at Walmart Headquarters as a Senior Manager on the Risk Intelligence team in April 2024. His team focuses on security risks to Walmart operations in the Latin America region. His specific job requires him to analyze incidents that pose a threat to Walmart people, facilities, operations, and sourcing to enable the company to mitigate any negative effects. Prior to this current job, Blake held several other positions that centered around risk management and intelligence. These include a position at a cyber security and intelligence start up, a contract job through Control Risks as an analyst and team lead for global security operations for Uber, and an internship at the Center for National Interest. In this internship, Blake produced significant work that was mentioned in the book The Russia Trap by George Beebe.

For his future career, Blake is hoping to stay at Walmart and advance to more senior roles within the company’s Global Governance department. Blake says his time at Patterson prepared him for his career by showing him the linkages between international commerce and political turmoil/conflict. He highlights the Patterson school’s unique manner of weaving commerce throughout the curriculum as a key to the development of his analytical skills. In addition, he mentions the importance of the professional writing format that Patterson professors require. Blake’s advice for current Patterson students is to work hard post-graduation and to not shy away from opportunities. Utilize the holistic skills you gain during school in all the career opportunities you receive.