Nicole Baker Fulgham is Schusterman Family Philanthropies’ Chief Impact Officer, leading our work to understand and deepen the impact of our grantmaking and to ensure that our processes effectively support our grantmaking and programs, as well as reflect our commitment to racial, gender and economic equity. 

In this role, Nicole leads our Impact and Operations team, which facilitates organization-wide learning, knowledge management, grantee capacity support, and effective grantmaking practices. Nicole’s team also leads organization-wide measurement, research and evaluation projects related to effective grantmaking.  

Prior to joining Schusterman, Nicole was the founder and president of The Expectations Project, the nation’s largest network faith-motivated public education equity advocates, numbering more than 46,000 individuals. Immediately prior, she coached CEOs of national organizations around strategy, management and DEI at The Management Center. This built on her work, over the course of a decade, as a key member of Teach For America’s leadership team, where she held several Vice President positions including Faith and Community Relations, Teacher Training and Support, and Research and Evaluation. She began her education career as a fifth-grade teacher in Compton, California, with Teach For America.

Nicole has authored two books and several articles about the intersection of racial equity, advocacy and justice, and is a frequent speaker on these topics. She received her B.A. from The University of Michigan and her Doctorate in Education Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She sits on the boards of several non-profit organizations and is deeply committed to the role of faith communities in justice and liberation movements. Nicole is an active member of several African American women’s organizations that promote community service, advocacy, and empowerment.