President/CEOThe Townsend Collaborative
Nicole is the founder of The Townsend Collaborative, a philanthropy network empowering high-capacity African American philanthropists to drive systemic change. With over two decades of leadership, her work ensures historically disenfranchised communities have the opportunity to thrive.
Previously, Nicole served as Chief Impact Officer at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, co-managing the $2.3B foundation. She also founded The Expectations Project, the nation’s largest network of faith-motivated advocates for education equity, mobilizing 50,000 people to impact policy. Her leadership experience includes C-suite roles at Teach For America and executive coaching with The Management Center.
Nicole began her career as a public school teacher in Compton. She holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Education Policy from UCLA. An author of two books, she remains a dedicated advocate for racial and economic justice.