Nicole de Beaufort is a strategic leader with deep expertise in philanthropy, communications, and systems-building. As Senior Director of Communications and Learning at the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, she leads efforts to amplify the Foundation’s impact through storytelling, strategic messaging, and knowledge-sharing. She plays a pivotal role in advancing and integrating learning into the Foundation’s work, ensuring that insights from grantees, partners, and communities inform strategy, drive innovation, and enhance and extend impact.  

Before joining the Foundation, Nicole founded and was the President of EarlyWorks, a Detroit-based consultancy focused on strategic communications and learning design for social impact organizations. She also co-founded Cadre Studio, where she specialized in service design for mission-driven organizations. With experience spanning philanthropy, leadership development, and community engagement, Nicole has worked with organizations such as Excellent Schools Detroit and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, as its Director of Communications, where she developed communications strategies that informed policy, supported grantees, and engaged diverse audiences. 

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College, a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard Kennedy School, and a Certificate in Multilateral Diplomacy from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). She also completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Wayne State University and earned certifications from Seth Godin’s Akimbo Workshops and altMBA program. Nicole also was selected to serve as an American fellow for The German Marshall Fund’s (GMF) Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF). The fellowship provides emerging leaders from the United States and Europe the opportunity to explore each other’s politics, business, innovation, and culture through an experiential learning program. 

With a love for global perspectives and the natural world, Nicole is drawn to the diverse landscapes and communities that define the Foundation’s footprint. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring creative storytelling, engaging in community-driven initiatives, and continuously learning from the world around her.