Director of Marketing and Communications
npaquette@cftexas.org
214-750-4147
As the director of marketing and communications, Nicole oversees the implementation of communication strategy aligned with CFT’s strategic plan, while also supporting special initiatives. Prior to joining CFT in 2017, Nicole spent five years as communications manager at the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area in Holland, Michigan. In this role, she managed all aspects of the foundation's print, web and electronic communications, marketing, branding and event planning. Prior to her work in the community foundation field, Nicole worked as a grant writer, editor, project manager and marketing coordinator in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region. She held various communications roles over a decade at the Bay County Library System in Bay City, Michigan. Nicole holds a bachelor's in professional and technical writing and communication from Saginaw Valley State University.
Community Leadership / Board ServiceNicole serves on the executive committee of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library board of directors and is co-chair of their annual fundraising event. She is a Mayor's Star Council graduate, class of 2019-2020, and now serves on the Mayor's Star Council Leadership team and will chair their Upstander Awards. She is a 2019 graduate of the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce's LEAD YP program. Since 2014, Nicole has served on the national steering committee CommA, a professional association of community foundation communicators, where she now serves as chair. She co-chaired the 2016 CommA Days national conference for communications professionals across the country and was a co-chair for the joint AdNet-ProNet-CommA CFUnited conference for 300-plus community foundation colleagues across the nation in 2018. She is currently co-chairing the upcoming 2020 CFUnited conference. She serves on the Philanthropy Southwest communications committee and is a founding member of the Communication Network's ComNetworkLocal Dallas-FortWorth chapter. Prior to her move to Texas, Nicole was president of the Holland/Zeeland Young Professionals board of directors where she helped launch the “What You Do Matters” annual leadership awards for young professionals in the West Michigan lakeshore region. She also served as past president, vice president and communications chair for the organization. Nicole has a personal passion for libraries and literacy, chairing two successful library millage levy renewal efforts to ensure continued funding for the local library systems in her hometown of Bay City, Michigan, as well as in Holland, Michigan.
Joined CFT2017
2017
Favorite Aspect of CFT"Being able to tell the stories of generosity in our community and inspiring others to give back." Favorite Quote"Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success."— Swami Sivananda Saraswati
"Being able to tell the stories of generosity in our community and inspiring others to give back."
Favorite Quote"Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success."
"Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success."
President & CEO
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer
Executive Director, Educate Texas
Chief Marketing Officer
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Chief Relationship Officer
Chief North Texas Giving Day Officer
Managing Director, Educate Texas
Program Assistant, RGV Focus
Director, North Texas Giving Day & Gift Processing/Constituent Records
Deputy Director, Programs, Educate Texas
Director, Policy, Educate Texas
Executive Assistant, Educate Texas
Marketing and Design Associate
Project Manager
Philanthropy Fellow
Business Engagement Officer
Executive Assistant to the President/CEO and CFO
Director of Charitable Giving, Collin County
Marketing & Communications Associate
Administrative Assistant, Facilities/IT
Marketing & Communications Associate, Educate Texas
Senior Director, Community Philanthropy
Associate, Philanthropy Advocates, Educate Texas
Facilities and Events Manager
Donor Relations Officer, Collin County
Coordinator
Deputy Development, Director
Deputy Director, Programs, Best in Class, Educate Texas
Staff Accountant
Deputy Director, Programs, Best In Class, Educate Texas
Associate, Programs, Educate Texas
Relationships Events Manager
Director, Learning & Insights
Director, CFT for Business
Director, Development, Educate Texas
Deputy Director, RGV FOCUS, Educate Texas
Chief Investment Officer
Senior Manager, Data Management and Analysis
Director, Philanthropy Advocates, Educate Texas
Project Assistant
Donor Relations Coordinator and Executive Assistant
Director, Programs, Educate Texas
Senior Director, Property and Facilities
Community Philanthropy Officer
Deputy Director for RGV FOCUS, Educate Texas
Managing Director, Finance and Administration, Educate Texas
North Texas Giving Day Coordinator
Director of Sponsorships and Nonprofit Relations
Investment Officer
Director of Programs, Texas Network of School Improvement
Employee Engagement Coordinator
Senior Officer, Donor Engagement
Senior Director of Administration and Corporate Secretary
Director of Charitable Gift Planning
Meeting and Events Coordinator
Associate, Best In Class, Educate Texas
Nonprofit Manager, North Texas Giving Day
Scholarships and Philanthropy Officer
Senior Director, Insights and Analytics, Educate Texas
Palacios Area Fund Coordinator
Associate, Policy and Advocacy, Educate Texas
Accounts Payable Administrator
Strategic Initiatives Officer
Senior Donor Engagement Specialist
Front Desk Coordinator
Senior Grants Administrator
Executive Assistant, Relationships
North Texas Giving Day Marketing and Communications Manager
Senior Philanthropy Officer
Analyst, Finance, Educate Texas
Director of Community Engagement, North Texas Giving Day
Financial Planning Analyst
Senior Coordinator, Gift Processing and Constituent Records
Chief Information Officer
Program & Administrative Assistant, Philanthropy
Senior Director of Donor Relations and Services
Investments Administrator
Director, Finance, Educate Texas
Associate, Insights & Analytics, Educate Texas
Senior Accounts Payable Administrator
Human Resources Director
Deputy Director, Insights & Analytics, Educate Texas
Community Impact Specialist
Senior Director, Programs, Educate Texas
Associate, Programs, Best In Class, Educate Texas
Senior Director, RGV FOCUS
Director of Accounting
Director of Strategic Relationships
Donor Relations Officer
Senior Officer, Community Philanthropy
Human Resources Coordinator
Jr. Community Officer, Learning & Insights
Vice President, Finance
Senior Analyst, Philanthropy
Executive Assistant, Philanthropy
Executive Assistant, Finance
Director of Donor Engagement
Program Assistant, Educate Texas
Deputy Director, College and Career Readiness, Educate Texas
Director of Programs, College and Career Readiness
Associate, Development, Educate Texas
Director, Texas College Access Network, Educate Texas
Human Resources Manager
North Texas Giving Day Data Analyst
Board Chair; Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Vice Chair; Former Texas State Senator
Immediate Past Chair; Manager, Trinity Summits, LLC
President and CEO, CARCON Industries and Construction
President, Brennan Financial Services
Senior Managing Director, Prescott Realty Group
President & CEO, Rainmaker, Inc.
Chief Executive Officer, Granite Properties
Managing Director, RSR Partners
Founding Managing Director, Millstone Assets
President & CEO, George W. Bush Presidential Center
Owner, Access Healthcare Services USA, LLC
President & CEO, Hunt Consolidated Investments, LLC / Co-CEO, Hunt Consolidated, Inc.
Civic Leader
Managing Member, Montgomery Capital Advisers, LLC
CEO, Lyda Hill Philanthropies and LH Capital
Founder, Trinity Investment Group
Senior Partner, Gibson Dunn
Edward Jones
Leu & Pierce, PLLC
Bessember Trust
Anderson & Brocious, P.C.
Annen Consulting
Tolleson Wealth Management, LP
Hilltop Securities
Winstead, P.C.
Community Volunteer
Bisignano Harrison Neuhoff, L.L.P.
Matter Family Office
Polsinelli
Strategic Wealth Planning
Westwood Wealth Management
Fox Rothschild, LLP
Bright and Bright
The Blum Firm, P.C.
Crow Holdings Capital Investment Partners
The Calandro Group - Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP
BNY Mellon Wealth Management
Carter Financial Management
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Attorney at Law
Clark Hill Strasburger
Heritage Auctions
DSC Foundation
Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.
Glast, Phillips & Murray
Meadows Collier Reed Cousins Crouch & Ungerman, L.L.P.
Davis Stephenson, PLLC
Dean International, Inc.
Bessemer Trust
Armanino, LLP
Perkins Dexter Sinopoli & Ham, P.C.
New York Life
Communities Foundation of Texas
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Kirkpatrick Mathis & Brown, LLC
Elliott, Thomason & Gibson, LLP
The Studer Group
UBS
Little Pedersen Fankhauser, LLP
Attorney At Law
Francis & Associates CPA'S
Geary, Porter & Donovan, P.C.
The Graham Law Firm, P.C.
Jackson Walker
T. Green Law, PLLC
Guthrie Law Firm, PLLC
Foley Gardere
Texas Financial Partners
Winstead PC
The Hogue-Fielder Group at Morgan Stanley
Holden & Parker, P.C.
Howland Advisory Corporation
Jordan Flourney LLP
Luther King Capital Management
Tolleson Wealth Management
Morgan Stanley
Jordan, Monk, Reber, PC
Kaufman & Associates
Frontier Investment Management Company
Weeks Law Firm
US Trust
Regions Financial Corporation
White Rhino Financial
Opus Wealth Management
Lindquist Eisenberg, LLP
Gray, Reed & McGraw, P.C.
Carter Malouf Private Jeweler
Hunt Consolidated, Inc.
The Nautilus Group, New York Life
New York Life, The Nautilus Group
Bright & Bright
Seeking North, L.L.C.
Thompson & Knight, LLP
Philanthropic Consultant
Clear Rock Advisors, LLC
Mendrygal Law, PLLC
Haynes & Boone, LLP
Northern Trust
Montgomery Coscia Greilich, LLP
Nachman Law Firm
Weaver
Jordon Monk Reber, PC
Frost Brown Todd, L.L.C.
Hilltop Holdings
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SFMG Wealth Advisors
True North Advisors
Cypress Point Wealth Management
Thompson & Knight LLP
Spencer Fane, LLP
Woodbine Development Corporation
Suguitan & Associates
Sharpe Law Group
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KPMG, LLP
Northwestern Mutual
Neuberger Berman, LLC
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Clifton Larson Allen, LLP
RGT Wealth Advisors
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Bell Nunnally & Martin, LLP
BB&T Co.
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Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) works with families, companies and nonprofits to build thriving communities locally and across the state through a variety of charitable funds and strategic initiatives. The foundation professionally manages over 1,000 charitable funds and runs several key initiatives like Educate Texas, North Texas Giving Day and the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Fund. CFT has awarded more than $1.7 billion in grants since its founding in 1953.