Welcome Nikki Shults, executive Director

By Rick Minard, retiring executive director

Please join me in welcoming Nikki Shults to BCNH, when she succeeds me as executive director on January 26.  This column is one of my last official duties at BCNH and it is a joyous one.

Nikki is the right person at the right time.  The search committee knew that when we opened her application for the job.  She wrote: “With over a decade of leadership experience in local nonprofits, a deep commitment to cross-cultural engagement, and a passion for fostering belonging, I am well prepared to lead BCNH into its next phase of growth and impact.” 

After more than a dozen years as an executive director of two Boston-based nonprofits, Nikki has the experience she needs to run a mid-size nonprofit like BCNH where she will be the Finance Director, Human Resources Director, Development Director, Communications Director, Strategic Planning Director, and Community Liaison. She has done it all before. 

Nikki has something that will turn this management experience into something great: enthusiasm, optimism, and compassion.  In her cover letter she put it this way:

Earlier in my life, my Peace Corps service deeply shaped my worldview. It instilled in me both humility and a lasting commitment to working alongside people from different cultures with respect and curiosity. This foundation has informed my work ever since where I’ve focused on bridging divides and creating spaces where people from all backgrounds feel seen, valued, and at home.

To learn more about Nikki, check out her profile on our Staff page.  Better yet, invite yourself over to meet her in person.