Nicole R. Smith, CVA

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Nicole is a Panamanian-American, Human Capital Strategist, published author of Game On! Relentlessly Pursue Your Dreams and the 101 Note-taking Affirmation Journal Series, internationally known  speaker, blogger, and podcast host of From The Suggestion Box; Navigating Feedback The Good The Bad and the Say Whaaatttt???.

She earned her Bachelor's degree via a Division I full-ride track scholarship and after graduating, she founded Step It Up! Inc., a non-profit dance organization that  allowed her to perform for audiences nationwide and used dance to teach teamwork to kids in after school programs in addition to dancing and cheering for four Professional and/or Semi-Professional sports teams, 

Her volunteer / community engagement experience in sports, radio, TV, the performing arts, social services and associations has spanned nearly 20 years covering major markets nationwide including Chicago, Orlando, New York, Houston and Miami, allowing her to influence the leadership of thousands of volunteers and personally prepare nearly 1000 interns to enter the workforce.

She has  been a proud mentor for the Tessitura Network’s Career Accelerator program since 2021; a free program dedicated to diversifying Arts leadership. She has the opportunity to mentor young arts professionals of Latino, Black and Asian decent to help them not only find their voice, but express it in the board rooms in arts organizations. 

She was a contributing writer for The Life of a Single Mom  and Better Impact for two years and has been published in several industry journals including The Volunteer Management Report, Human Capital Leadership Magazine and The Chronicle of Philanthropy Magazine.

As a nod to her belief in continuous education, in 2021 she earned both her certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the USF Muma College of Business.

She has received several accolades to include being listed as one of Galaxy Digital's Top Names in Volunteer Engagement, Better Impact and Volunteer Hub's top Podcast for  Volunteer Engagement Professionals, receiving an Emerging Leader Award from ALIVE Impact Awards for Volunteer Engagement Professionals, awarded the Amplifying Voices Award from United Latinas, being listed as one of WLRN’s “Local Women Who Inspire You”and being selected as one of Legacy Miami’s Most Prominent and Influential Black Women In Business and Industry of 2019. 

She is passionate about giving back to her community, currently serving as an Advisory Council Member for L.O.V.E. Our Youth and former Board member of the Association for Leaders In Volunteer Engagement, Ageless CHIC Magazine the Arts and Business Council of Miami