Nicole Robinson

Facilitator & Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Metro Chicago

Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Nicole R. Robinson has spent her career building bridges between communities, individuals, government, and business leaders. Today Nicole serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the YWCA of Metro Chicagoland a human centered organization dedicated to empowering women and eliminating racism. As a fierce advocate for women, girls and justice, Nicole is inspired by the resiliency of the families who turn to the YWCA for family supports, economic opportunities and collective healing.

Prior to joining the YWCA of Metro Chicagoland, Nicole was the Chief Partnership and Program Officer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository where she designed strategies to expand food access while tackling the root causes of poverty, unemployment, and racial inequity. Her food justice advocacy resulted in a $10MM investment in the emergency food system and she inspired the reimagination of Chicago’s entire food system as on the of the co-creators of Chicago’s first ever Food Equity Council. Before joining the social sector, Nicole began her career in corporate finance supporting various business units and would go on to lead the corporate foundation for Kraft Foods and Mondelez International.

Nicole resides in Bronzeville on Chicago’s South Side and is the founding leader of Chicago’s first ever South Side Giving Circle focused on reducing inequities faced by Black women and girls.