Nikole Souder-Schale
Executive
Summary
Value-driven executive with 15+ years of experience leading transformational movements. I believe democracy thrives when everyone is engaged, especially youth and historically excluded voices. I have built coalitions, stewarded systems, and helped emerging leaders grow into lifelong changemakers.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President /Program Manager
Tidal Basin Group
09.2021 - 02.2025
- Guided multi-state business development roadmap across 9 states which evolved to a nationwide plan resulting in a 50% increase in partnerships and generating over $200 million in new contracts.
- Served as the company executive in the Southeastern U.S.
- Enhanced political influence and provided critical guidance to elected officials in response to disasters and recommendations to enhance resiliency.
- Nurtured interagency and bipartisan partnerships, forging trust with over 300 government leaders.
- Supported over 170,000 households with $1.5B in rental relief, led 1,000+ diverse team members, managed operations and program budget, placed an emphasis on feedback loops for front line staff and developed evaluation systems.
- Collaborated horizontally and vertically across the organization to enhance our effectiveness, ensure all perspectives were included and enhance our ability to effectively serve clients.
Vice President of Campaigns, Planning and Development, (Local, State, Federal, and Global)
American Heart Association(AHA)
07.2018 - 07.2020
- Guided funding prioritization and integration of priorities with an emphasis on health equity, inclusive institutional design, and youth engagement.
- Identified campaigns prioritized by AHA's youth leaders to develop, engage and mobilize additional youth to join the movements.
- Produced the first ever co-branded scientific paper in collaboration with the Rural Health Association and organized a White House community event with a priority on intergenerational participants.
- Developed an industry-leading return on investment tool to assess partnerships outcomes, priority partnerships and our team's level of engagement with the partners.
- Shifted national strategy and philanthropic strategy to elevate community developed priorities, rural equity, economic opportunity, and emphasize intergenerational engagement to promote long term community health and resiliency.
- Initiated an organizing playbook, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, equity safeguards, and mitigation tactics to limit unintended consequences on under-resourced communities.
Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations, Southeast
American Heart Association(AHA)
02.2007 - 07.2018
- Championed a relational leadership model rooted in belonging, mentored 50+ contractors and staff to grow as organizers, storytellers, and movement leaders.
- Established youth engagement and leadership model, included campaign leadership positions, tailored events and training, as well as ensuring youth were active voting members of every committee my team managed.
- Oversaw a team who secured over 165 policy victories, led two successful constitutional amendment campaigns, and directly impacted the health and lives of over 40 million people.
- Mentored emerging leaders and first-time advocates to build power across communities historically excluded from civic participation.
- Served as the catalyst for the Are You Covered campaign during the 2008 presidential primaries.
- Secured the organization's first foundation grant supporting community organizing training and leadership development in underserved communities which transformed our philanthropic approach and led to over $40 million in grants and individual investments.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Political Science, Communications and Philosophy
Florida State University
Skills
- Executive leadership
Team leadership
- Fostering mutual understanding
- Trust building
- Communication
- Inclusion
- Training
- Systems design
- Impact design
- Project management
- Operations
- Intergenerational teams
- Diverse teams
- Mentoring
- Developing teams
- Coaching
- Virtual team culture
- Improvement systems
- Feedback loops
- Evaluation
- Shared understanding
- Collaboration
- Relationship cultivation
- Policy success
- Grassroots engagement
- Advocacy
- Governance
- Executive leadership
Awards Community Engagement
- Florida Public Relations Association Award of Distinction, Golden Image, and Judges Award
- Public Affairs Council Grassroots Innovation
- Advisory Board Member Digital Marketing, USF, MUMA College of Business | Provided program feedback, professional expertise, and examples for non-traditional application of Blue Ocean Strategy.
- Chair, Tallahassee Human Relations Council | Reviewed hiring practices, made recommendations for policy changes, held community wide forums, and increased support for community organizations highlighting unique backgrounds and ethnicities.
Locations
- Tallahassee, FL, 32317
- Waynesville, NC, 28786
Professional Training
Leadership Development Institute, Center for Creative Leadership
- Supervisor's Workshop, Midwest Academy
- Situational Leadership, Center for Leadership Studies
- Campaign Method for State Government Affairs, The Lobby School
- Leadership Team Development, LHH
Timeline
Vice President /Program Manager
Tidal Basin Group
09.2021 - 02.2025
Vice President of Campaigns, Planning and Development, (Local, State, Federal, and Global)
American Heart Association(AHA)
07.2018 - 07.2020
Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations, Southeast
American Heart Association(AHA)
02.2007 - 07.2018
Bachelor of Science - Political Science, Communications and Philosophy
Florida State University
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