Full Name
Nicole C. Wood
Job Title
Deputy Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Company (Please input the full name of your organization)
DHS
Speaking At
Speaker Bio
Nicole is a compassionate voice and visionary leader with over 23 years of experience serving alongside multi-faith and culturally diverse communities in the United States and around the world. She brings expertise in responding to communities impacted by violence, neglect and exploitation, human-caused and natural disasters, disparities in health and in response to the safety and security of places of worship and community spaces.
Nicole serves as the Deputy Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (DHS Center), a center of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In this role, she is a liaison and convener on DHS-related issues impacting faith-based and community-based organizations. She facilitates communication on protecting the safety and security of places of worship and is a communication outreach strategist for meeting the needs of survivors of natural and human-caused disasters and human trafficking, both domestically and internationally. In addition, Nicole provides training and technical assistance to the broader community on the traumatic impacts, underlying causes, and the prevention of exploitation among youth and adults.
Nicole is the lead for the dissemination of public awareness initiatives that advise, train, and identify protocols for safety and security plans for the faith-based community in concert with the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. She provides resources, training and information on how to improve facility security, preparedness, and emergency planning for nonprofits and places of worship.
Prior to federal service, Nicole served at World Relief and World Hope International, leading anti-human trafficking efforts for the faith community. She was also as a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, she served on Capitol Hill with former civil rights leader, the late Congressman John Lewis.
Nicole completed post-graduate work in inter-religious educational training with Religions for Peace USA and World Council of Churches’ Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Switzerland. She has a Master of Urban Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary, a Master of Public Health in International Community Health and Health Promotion from Emory University, and a Bachelor of Anthropology and Environmental Studies from Adelphi University.
Nicole resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and twin children.
Nicole serves as the Deputy Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (DHS Center), a center of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In this role, she is a liaison and convener on DHS-related issues impacting faith-based and community-based organizations. She facilitates communication on protecting the safety and security of places of worship and is a communication outreach strategist for meeting the needs of survivors of natural and human-caused disasters and human trafficking, both domestically and internationally. In addition, Nicole provides training and technical assistance to the broader community on the traumatic impacts, underlying causes, and the prevention of exploitation among youth and adults.
Nicole is the lead for the dissemination of public awareness initiatives that advise, train, and identify protocols for safety and security plans for the faith-based community in concert with the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. She provides resources, training and information on how to improve facility security, preparedness, and emergency planning for nonprofits and places of worship.
Prior to federal service, Nicole served at World Relief and World Hope International, leading anti-human trafficking efforts for the faith community. She was also as a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, she served on Capitol Hill with former civil rights leader, the late Congressman John Lewis.
Nicole completed post-graduate work in inter-religious educational training with Religions for Peace USA and World Council of Churches’ Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Switzerland. She has a Master of Urban Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary, a Master of Public Health in International Community Health and Health Promotion from Emory University, and a Bachelor of Anthropology and Environmental Studies from Adelphi University.
Nicole resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and twin children.
