Meet Nichole Baker, one of our 2022 conference speakers!

Nichole Baker, Associate Director, Prospect Management & Portfolio Development, Kent State University

What was your first job?

I worked a concession stand at Geauga Lake Amusement Park the summer I turned 14- miss that place!

What piece of advice would you give to yourself at the beginning of your career?

Speak up- you are your own best advocate. Do not let anyone push you down or silence you. Things may not always go the way you want but you will never regret saying out loud what you would like to have happen and actively working towards it.

What was your first nonprofit job?

I parlayed a summer working as a conservation manager at a buffalo reserve in Colorado that was managed by the Nature Conservancy into a full-time position with the San Francisco office of the organization…and my career in philanthropy was born!

When/where was your first Apra conference?

I went to the New Orleans conference in 2015 while I was 5 months pregnant with twins! It was hot as heck, and I was as big as a house, but it was all worth it for those beignets.  

If you were so wealthy you didn’t need to work, what would you do with your time?

I would travel.  I was very fortunate to explore quite a bit before I became a mom, seeing parts of Africa, Europe and South America, but there are still so many places on my bucket list!