Nicole Avery has been the Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine since September 2018.A native Mainer, Nicole grew up in Bridgton, ME and graduated from University of Southern Maine. She has 25 plus years in non-profit management and development…..20 years in the United Way system, working with United Ways in Portland, ME, Lexington, KY and Baltimore, MD, where she led their $40-million annual campaign.
After serving on the board of the Cancer Community Center in South Portland for 6 years, Nicole took over as their Executive Director in 2015. She led that organization through a merger with the Dempsey Center out of Lewiston in 2018. When the executive director position opened at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine, Nicole was a natural fit. She had been a Big Sister during her time in Lexington, KY and believes strongly in the power of mentors. She recently became a new Big Sister to a 7-year old girl from Gorham.
In her spare time, Nicole is active in several sports including running, golf, and snowshoeing. She has traveled extensively, including climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.