I am a policy analyst, facilitator, and researcher who bridges systemic change with transformative practice through sound therapy and creative facilitation.

My story in Seattle began as a touring musician. After recording an in studio session at KEXP, I moved to Seattle to work with El Centro de la Raza as a facilitator and teaching artist, where community organizers grounded me in multi-racial coalition building, shaping everything that followed.

After receiving my Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington, I've spent nearly 15 years translating grassroots power into lasting policy change. As Policy Director at Puget Sound Sage, I helped secure the nation's first $15 minimum wage in SeaTac, shaped Seattle's minimum wage law, and launched the organization's climate justice program. But policy is only effective if it’s implemented. So I built infrastructure to support workers rights, environmental justice, and community power. I served as the founding director of the Fair Work Center, a founding board member of Front and Centered, and co-facilitated the formation of the Washington BIPOC Census Coalition which later became the WA Community Alliance. Over the course of my career, I’ve raised $30 million for workers' rights, workforce development, environmental justice, and community development.

I was recognized by the City of Seattle for my work to advance civil rights, was named one of the 15 people who should run Seattle by Seattle Met, and was given an early career achievement award by the University of Washington School of Social Work.

My approach integrates three decades as a musician with 15 years practicing meditation and sound therapy. I hold a B.A. in Public Policy and Anthropology from William & Mary, with additional training in coaching for wellbeing and creative facilitation.

In 2020, I founded Transformative Shifts to weave together these threads, using sound, facilitation, and strategic analysis to build containers where both people and systems can transform. Since then, I’ve supported dozens of organizations, unions, foundations, and governments in finding clarity and well being in chaotic times, developing clear strategic focus through policy or work planning, and building organizational cultures that support both team well being and organizational effectiveness. At the same time, I’ve supported thousands of individual people in finding a sense of center, purpose, and ease through music and sound.

“Nicole is a leader through transition and transformation.” — Dr. Robin Starr Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn, Board Member, Goodwin Connections

Awards & Recognitions

Testimonials

  • Nicole came into my world when the board of Goodwin Connections began exploring how to close its doors. We knew it would be hard for our long time supporters, we knew there would be legal requirements and obligations, and we knew we wanted our remaining assets to honor our long time mission.

    Nicole made it easy - she stepped up to lead when we needed her to, she delved in to acquire all sort of specific expertise so that she could advise us, and she established a decision and communication process that allowed our board and community to process feelings and come to very difficult decisions in a way that built us up rather than divided us.

    Her compassion and quiet leadership in this process made something difficult and sad into something beautiful and kind.

    I felt better and more confident in our decisions and efforts throughout my time working with Nicole and would recommend her to anyone working though a potentially acrimonious situation or even just a group looking to make a strong and strategic decision.

    Thank you, Nicole, for all that you did for Goodwin and me personally during the last 6 months. I am so grateful and happy to have you in my network, and would enthusiastically work with you again.

    Carolyn Banks, Chief Operating Office, Liberty Mutual Surety

  • A coalition I was part of was facing two big issues - an ongoing conflict that was inhibiting our ability make decisions and an impending deadline to determine how our next annual budget would be distributed amongst us. Nicole skillfully built trust and understanding with the main parties in conflict and created a process for us to have difficult conversations grounded in restorative justice and healing. In addition to helping us re-center around our shared values and goals, Nicole worked with us to develop a new racial justice framework tool for budgeting through which we reached consensus on funding decisions transparently and equitably.

    —Elena, Puget Sound Sage

  • Nicole was a graceful listener, wise counsel, and a source of empowerment. She helped me navigate complex situations where race and identity bias manifested themselves in work interactions by providing advice from her own extensive experience navigating these dynamics. Nicole also empowered me to develop a “big picture” vision for my role based on goals that felt meaningful to me and the impact I wanted to make.

    — Diana, Seattle Foundation

  • I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for the wonderful retreat you guided us through last week on Friday. It was perfect – just what I was hoping for and what we as a team needed. It was wonderful to stretch, move, share and connect. I want to name a favorite part, but all if it had something that was so wonderful

    — Toshiko Hasegawa, Executive Director, CAPAA