Nikole Collins-Puri

Nikole began her career at AT&T, where she developed a corporate-wide diversity and inclusion model that advanced AT&T’s position among best companies for diversity. After nine years at AT&T, Nikole pursued her passion for public service. Living in an Abbott District (funding category assigned to poor communities) and experiencing first-hand the economic disparities of communities and its connection with quality education access, Nikole began working in education advocacy at the College Board’s Advocacy & Policy Center. She led advocacy initiatives to ensure underserved students were prepared for college and career success. In this capacity, Nikole began elevating the critical connections between education, workforce readiness and economic security for the most vulnerable. After relocating to California, Nikole launched her own consulting firm, New Community Partners, LLC, which specializes in strengthening low-income communities by helping organizations plan, implement and sustain strategies effectively to maximize impact.

Nikole joined the Women’s Foundation of California as the Director of Programs last year where she provides oversight and develops program strategies for the Women’s Policy Institute, The Bridge to Living Wage Workforce Development Initiative, capacity building initiatives and grants management function for the Foundation.

Nikole holds her BA in Political Science from the University of South Florida and MPA from Baruch College at the City University of New York.