Meet Nicole
Nicole Love Hendrickson was elected chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020, making her the first African American to hold this position.
Nicole has spent more than 2 decades in the public service arena. Upon arriving to Gwinnett County in 2006, she devoted her time and career serving the community in a variety of capacities.
When Nicole is not busy changing the world, her best days are spent with her husband Keverne and their 6-year-old son, Kaden who attends Kindergarten at Camp Creek Elementary School. They reside in unincorporated Lilburn.
Experience
Nicole has almost 2 decades of career experience in the Public Service sector spanning areas of education, non-profit, philanthropy and government. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and later went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis on Community Planning from the University of Georgia.
Nicole planted her roots in Gwinnett County in 2006 and quickly became a part of the network of change makers.
She co-led the strategic grassroots and community planning efforts during her 8 year tenure with the Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services. She inspired civic involvement though her training program called the Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership Institute which boasts more than 600 alumni.
In 2015 she was appointed by Chairman Charlotte Nash of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners as the founding Director of the Community Outreach Program that she established from the ground up. In this role, Nicole commissioned Gwinnett County Governments’ first ever comprehensive platform that allowed diverse citizens to interact with local government launching programs such as the Gwinnett 101 Citizens Academy, Dinner & Dialogue and the Gwinnett Youth Commission – all of which were nationally recognized as best in class for citizen engagement.
Community Service
Nicole’s heart for service goes beyond her workday. She serves on the boards of the United Way Gwinnett Community Board, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Aurora Theatre and the Gwinnett Young Professionals and amplified the voice of YP’s in Gwinnett. She was the first Young Professional to serve in a dedicated slot for YP’s on the Gwinnett Chamber Board of Directors. Nicole is also active in her Rotary. She currently serves as the Treasurer for the Rotary Club of Gwinnett.
Awards
Nicole was the recipient of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Public Service Award in 2017, was named Georgia Trend’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2018 and in the following year, received the Trailblazer Award from the 100 Black Men of Metro Atlanta all recognizing her for her years of service and dedication to making a difference in the lives of others.