Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Nichole Best

Washington,DC

Summary

Dedicated Washingtonian and proud product of DC Public Schools, committed to leveraging extensive knowledge and experience for community betterment. Results-oriented legal professional with over 20 years of expertise in compliance and enforcement within both private and government sectors. Proven track record in leading teams to achieve agency objectives, with a strong ability to take initiative and proactively address challenges. Expert knowledge of legal frameworks, particularly in ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Director of Student Support Services

SEED PCS
01.2023 - Current
  • Develop and implement school Multi-Tiered Student Support Services Program to provide supports for our entire student body across the school’s twenty four hours a day/ five days a week boarding school programmatic model. Developing and implementing long term goals, identifying and managing staffing requirements and creating appropriate deliverable schedules to support elevating the entire academic experience for students as they prepare for college and beyond.
  • Manage of Special Education services and accommodations for students with special needs. Supervise the Special Education Coordinator, the Assistant Director of Student Supports, four dedicated aides and a department assistant to ensure compliance with all federal and local laws, regulations and policies.
  • Supervise the school Wellness Team to ensure that the school is incompliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies and that students receive proper medicinal dissemination and overall medical care while at school.
  • Supervise the school Mental Health Team by initiating a partnership with Team ABA LLC utilizing the expertise of clinical psychologists, behavioral specialists and social workers to ensure that students receive the most individualized and effective behavioral supports. Team ABA is introducing its NBA, Division I Colleges and Universities tested Sports Performance and Behavior program to SEED as its flagship high school to create another avenue for social emotional skill development
  • Created the role of Senior Leadership facilitator to lead the Senior Directors as we discuss, strategize and plan the necessary structures required to run the day to day of the school business under the theme “Being On The Front Line”. This allows us to have a clear and concise agenda and proposed plans of action to present to the Head of School.

Special Education Coordinator

SEED PCS
01.2021 - 12.2022
  • Administrative Case Manager for 60-70 student caseload, responsible for maintaining all documentation, conducting all required meetings and coordinating all stakeholders as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Level 1 through Level 4 student body.
  • Coordinator for students with 504 Plans

Special Education Coordinator

Bridges Public Charter School
01.2018 - 12.2020
  • Administrative Case Manager for 70 student caseload, responsible for maintaining all documentation, conducting all required meetings and coordinating all stakeholders as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Level 1 through Level 4 student body.
  • Coach for Resource Teachers providing administrative guidance.
  • Transitional Coordinator providing assistance to 4th and 5th grade students with IEPs and their families as students prepare to move from elementary to middle school
  • Member of the Internal Leadership Team, Attendance/Truancy Team and volunteer with the TAG program.

Adjunct Professor

Trinity University
01.2015 - 01.2020
  • Business and Professional Ethics
  • Administrative Law
  • Corrections

Assistant Director of Compliance

Martha’s Table
01.2015 - 01.2016
  • Work directly with the Chief Operating Officer and the Directors of the Healthy Start, Healthy Eating and Healthy Connections programs to effect compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies organization-wide.
  • Compile and Create organizational compliance plans and strategies, including the organization-wide compliance handbook.
  • Process and track parental subsidy payments pursuant to funding source/local government agency requirements.

Deputy Compliance Officer

Purple Line Light Rail Project Team ERA Engineering, Inc.
01.2012 - 01.2015
  • Work directly with the Chief Compliance Officer to design, develop, create implement and manage the New Starts Compliance Program for all of the federally assisted mass transit contracts owned by the Maryland Transit Administration totaling more than $5 billion dollars; compliance includes the provision of overall support to the MTA TDD Office in the development and implementation of the New Starts Compliance Office
  • Provide compliance advisory services of the PMC Program Management Team in support of the Purple Line
  • Provide compliance policies and procedures services to the MTA TDD Office in the form of the Contractor Compliance Manual and New Starts Compliance Guide as well as needed updates or changes, including the development of policies, procedures and guidelines related to the federally mandated EEOC compliant and resolution process.
  • Provide compliance education services to the MTA TDD Office in the form of compliance training, education and orientation meetings
  • Provide compliance monitoring and oversight services to the MTA TDD Office in the form of ongoing monitoring of compliance and business activities as well as monitoring reports or information required by regulations or contract including monitoring compliance with settlement agreements and serving as an EEO liaison with field program managers in drafting all pertinent EEOC documentation and implementation of any agreements with legal sufficiency.
  • Provide compliance review services to the MTA TDD Office in the form of desk audits to review reports and other information provided to confirm compliance or on-site field office reviews including all responses to allegations regarding the EEO processes and any resultant compensatory damage decisions. Address all allegations of breach of contract with regard to the terms of any settlement agreement.
  • Manage compliance team members assigned to the New Starts contracts

Project Coordinator (Lead)

District of Columbia Public Schools, Office of Special Education
01.2008 - 01.2012
  • Manage a team of up to 6 compliance case managers leading the effective implementation of their individual caseloads
  • Provide supervisory assistance with an emphasis on meeting all legal requirements
  • Serve as a liaison between the case managers and the Program Manager
  • Serve as the initial reviewer for all implemented settlement agreements and hearing officer determinations to assure legal sufficiency
  • Solely responsible for determining if compensatory education awards were warranted as relief and the subsequent implementation of any award

Compliance Case Manager

District of Columbia Public Schools, Office of Special Education
01.2008 - 01.2012
  • Responsible for the timely response to all complaints filed against DC Public Schools on behalf of the special needs population for failure to provide a free and appropriate education as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
  • Responsible for conducting a thorough investigation of all allegations, scheduling all necessary meetings to review pertinent documentation as well as collecting all information from school head-staff, independent service providers, parents, students, legal representatives and any other stakeholder in preparation for a legally mandated Resolution Session.
  • Appropriately applied the pertinent, laws, regulations and policies to the information gleaned from the investigation and subsequent Resolution Session.
  • Responsible for the effective, efficient and timely implementation of settlement agreements drafted as a result of a successful Resolution Session or hearing officer determinations pursuant to the requirements of the Blackmon-Jones Consent Decree, including collecting all documentation necessary to support implementation.

Appellate Paralegal

Financial Regulatory Agency (FINRA)
01.2006 - 01.2008
  • Provide paralegal support for FINRA disciplinary, membership, and expedited proceedings.
  • Manage individual case assignments including drafting correspondence, enlisting qualified persons to serve on Hearing Panels, acting as a liaison between parties and scheduling hearings
  • Respond to general inquiries regarding FINRA rules and procedures from other departments and the general public
  • Provide guidance to industry participants or routed inquiries to appropriate resources as necessary
  • Digest transcripts in large cases, preparing an accurate, concise summary of the Hearing Panel hearings

Paralegal Specialist

DC Department of Health, Health Regulation Administration
01.2000 - 01.2005
  • Prepare and disperse all pertinent forms and documentation relevant to the operation of the Department’s legal division
  • FOIA officer charged with creating and maintaining tracking systems for pertinent legislation and Freedom of Information Act requests and timely responses.
  • Was a member of the HRA Administrator’s task force charged with researching, analyzing and amending the entire body of legislation regarding hospital compliance in the District of Columbia

Education

J.D. -

Howard University School of Law
05.1995

B.A. - English Literature

University of Virginia
05.1992

Skills

  • Collaborative leadership
  • Culture transformation
  • Team management
  • Policy development
  • Key performance indicators
  • Policy implementation
  • Stakeholder relations
  • Verbal and written communication
  • Decision-making
  • Legal and regulatory compliance

Timeline

Senior Director of Student Support Services

SEED PCS
01.2023 - Current

Special Education Coordinator

SEED PCS
01.2021 - 12.2022

Special Education Coordinator

Bridges Public Charter School
01.2018 - 12.2020

Adjunct Professor

Trinity University
01.2015 - 01.2020

Assistant Director of Compliance

Martha’s Table
01.2015 - 01.2016

Deputy Compliance Officer

Purple Line Light Rail Project Team ERA Engineering, Inc.
01.2012 - 01.2015

Project Coordinator (Lead)

District of Columbia Public Schools, Office of Special Education
01.2008 - 01.2012

Compliance Case Manager

District of Columbia Public Schools, Office of Special Education
01.2008 - 01.2012

Appellate Paralegal

Financial Regulatory Agency (FINRA)
01.2006 - 01.2008

Paralegal Specialist

DC Department of Health, Health Regulation Administration
01.2000 - 01.2005

B.A. - English Literature

University of Virginia

J.D. -

Howard University School of Law

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