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 and CEO
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Senior Vice President, Chief Giving and Community Impact Officer
Executive Director, Educate Texas
Chief Human Resources Officer
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Managing Director, Educate Texas
Mid-Senior Database Administrator
Program Assistant, RGV Focus
Director, North Texas Giving Day
Director, Policy, Educate Texas
Executive Assistant, Educate Texas
Marketing and Design Specialist
Project Manager
Deputy Director, Programs, College and Career Readiness, Educate Texas
Business Engagement Officer
Executive Assistant / Special Projects
Officer, Marketing and Communications, Relationships/Philanthropy
Associate, Programs, College and Career Readiness, Educate Texas
Director, People and Culture, Educate Texas
Accounting Manager
Managing Director, Finance & Administration
Administrative Assistant, Facilities/IT
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Deputy Director, Policy and Advocacy, Educate Texas
Facilities and Events Manager
Senior Officer of Donor Engagement, Collin County
Associate, Programs, Educate Texas
Deputy Development, Director
Deputy Director, Programs, Best in Class, Educate Texas
Associate, Marketing and Communications, Educate Texas
Director, Additional Days School Year
Director, Learning and Insights
Director, Higher Education Programs
Senior Manager, Data Management and Analysis
Business Engagement Associate, CFT for Business
Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy
Meeting and Events Coordinator
Senior Community Philanthropy Officer
Director, Strategic Partnerships
Investment Officer
Director of Programs, Texas Network of School Improvement
Community Philanthropy Associate
Employee Engagement Coordinator
Director of Donor Initiatives
Development, Associate, Educate Texas
Assistant
Senior Director of Administration and Corporate Secretary
Coordinator, North Texas Giving Day
Project Manager and Nonprofit Liaison
Philanthropy Operations Associate
Scholarships and Philanthropy Officer
Palacios Area Fund Coordinator
Accounts Payable Administrator
Senior Donor Engagement Specialist
Human Resources Administrator
Deputy Director, RGV Focus
Donor Relations Officer, Collin County
Managing Director of Higher Education, Educate Texas
Grants Manager
Strategic Partnership Officer
Executive Assistant to the President and CEO and the SVP, Chief Giving and Community Impact Officer
Financial Planning Analyst
Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator
Executive Assistant, CFAO and CMO
Analyst, Finance, Educate Texas
Director of Community Engagement, North Texas Giving Day
Associate, Insights and Analytics
Senior Coordinator, Gift Processing and Constituent Records
Associate, RGV Focus
Chief Information Officer
Director of Marketing and Communications, Educate Texas
Program Analyst, Educate Texas
Director, Property and Facilities
Senior Director of Donor Relations and Services
Director, Rural CCMR Accelerator Program
Investments Administrator
Director, Finance, Educate Texas
Events & Administrative Assistant, Relationships
Associate, Development, Educate Texas
Deputy Director, Educate Texas Insights and Analytics
Staff Accountant
Executive Assistant, Philanthropy
CFT for Business, Director
Associate, Philanthropy Advocates
Human Resources Director
Deputy Director, Insights and Analytics, Educate Texas
Community Impact Specialist
Deputy Director, Texas Impact Network, Educate Texas
Associate, Best In Class, Educate Texas
Associate, Programs, Best In Class, Educate Texas
Technical Business Analyst
Grants Administrator
Chief Investment Officer
Chief Accounting Officer
Deputy Director, Best in Class
Donor Relations Officer
Deputy Director, Strategy, Higher Education / Workforce
Executive Director of the Frisco Park Foundation
Community Philanthropy Officer
Jr. Community Officer, Learning and Insights
Vice President, Finance
Deputy Director, Programs, Educate Texas
Senior Analyst, Philanthropy
Deputy Director, Finance
Deputy Director, Programs
Executive Assistant, Finance
Director of Donor Engagement
Associate, Programs, Texas Network for School Improvement, Educate Texas
Director of Programs, College and Career Readiness
Director, Texas College Access Network, Educate Texas
Human Resources Manager
Deputy Director, Higher Education Policy
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Managing Member, Montgomery Capital Advisers, LLC
CEO, Lyda Hill Philanthropies and LH Capital
Founder, Trinity Investment Group
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Global Client Service Partner, EY
President, BFS Advisory Group
Senior Partner, Gibson Dunn
Edward Jones
Bessember Trust
Anderson & Brocious, P.C.
Annen Consulting
Tolleson Wealth Management, LP
Hilltop Securities
Winstead, P.C.
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Bisignano Harrison Neuhoff, L.L.P.
Matter Family Office
Polsinelli
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Lee Financial
Westwood Wealth Management
Fox Rothschild, LLP
Bright and Bright
The Blum Firm, P.C.
Crow Holdings Capital Investment Partners
The Calandro Group at Morgan Stanley
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
Wick Phillips
Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.
Sutton Frost Cary LLP
Glast, Phillips & Murray
Meadows Collier Reed Cousins Crouch & Ungerman, L.L.P.
Davis Stephenson, PLLC
Bessemer Trust
Armanino, LLP
Perkins Dexter Sinopoli & Ham, P.C.
Island Wealth Strategies
Communities Foundation of Texas
Vicki S. Ratliff, PC
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.
T. Green Law, PLLC
Guthrie Law Firm, PLLC
Texas Financial Partners
Bradley
The Hogue-Fielder Group at Morgan Stanley
Holden & Parker, P.C.
Howland Advisory Corporation
Loveland, Grace, Hurley, PLLC
Luther King Capital Management
Tolleson Wealth Management
Morgan Stanley
Kaufman & Associates
Frontier Investment Management Company
Krupa Downs Law, PLLC
US Trust
Regions Financial Corporation
White Rhino Financial
Leu & Peirce, PLLC
Opus Wealth Management
Lindquist Eisenberg, LLP
Gray, Reed & McGraw, P.C.
Carter Malouf Private Jeweler
The Nautilus Group, New York Life
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Bright & Bright
Seeking North, L.L.C.
Philanthropic Consultant
Clear Rock Advisors, LLC
Mendrygal Law, PLLC
Haynes & Boone, LLP
Legacy Knight: Multi-Family Office
Northern Trust
Montgomery Coscia Greilich, LLP
Thompson & Knight
Nachman Law Firm
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Jordon Monk Reber, PC
Frost Brown Todd, L.L.C.
Foley Gardere
Hilltop Holdings
Swingle Collins & Associates
Accounting & Tax Consulting
SFMG Wealth Advisors
True North Advisors
Cypress Point Wealth Management
Thompson & Knight LLP
Spencer Fane, LLP
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Sharpe Law Group
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KPMG, LLP
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Neuberger Berman, LLC
BFS Advisory Group
Clifton Larson Allen, LLP
RGT Wealth Advisors
Bell Nunnally & Martin, LLP
Winstead PC
BB&T Co.
Strata Wealth Advisors
Weeks Law Firm
Cetera Advisor Networks
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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.