Nicole Heckman (she/her) is the Vice President of Financial Wellbeing for AARP Foundation, which strengthens financial resilience for and with older adults by empowering individuals and improving systems. Her team invests in solutions that help low-income older adults secure quality employment and access critical benefit programs that increase the affordability of essential goods and services. Prior to joining AARP Foundation in 2019, Nicole was a Blue Ridge Labs Fellow with the Robin Hood Foundation working to increase New Yorkers’ access to quality affordable housing. She also founded and grew multiple businesses, including an impact-driven innovation firm that developed strategies to grow the artisan economy, support immigrant food entrepreneurs and stimulate library system usage. Nicole has a passion for human-centered design and strategy development honed during 13 years leading marketing and innovation efforts for FedEx. Nicole is a lifelong learner, completing the Harvard Kennedy School’s Public Leadership credential, as well as coursework in behavioral economics, human centered design, and systems thinking. She holds a BA in psychology and an MBA from the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College.
