Nicole Taylor

Nicole Taylor is an Associate Vice Provost and the Dean of Community Engagement and Diversity at Stanford University, a post she assumed Fall 2015. She is responsible for 10 offices and centers that provide critical programming, advising, mentoring and training to promote diversity and inclusion across the university, foster community engagement, and advance student development and learning.

Just prior to her appointment at Stanford, Nicole was President and CEO of the Thrive Foundation for Youth, which is based in Silicon Valley and focuses on positive youth development efforts nation wide. Prior to Thrive, Nicole was the President and CEO of the East Bay Community Foundation, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is one of the largest philanthropic institutions in the country connecting community needs with individuals, families and companies interested in charitable giving.

Nicole has had extensive executive leadership experience in education, philanthropy and nonprofits, service on boards of directors, coaching executives, and public speaking. She has a long-standing commitment to building and strengthening organizations to contribute to the greater good. She has created and managed effective partnerships across public, private, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors to accomplish common goals and address complex community issues. 

Nicole holds a B.A. in Human Biology and a M.A. in Education, both from Stanford. She currently sits on the boards of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Common Sense Media, and two family foundations.