Nichole Lopez-Riley

Nichole Lopez-Riley is a purpose-driven leader with 17 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, talent and inclusion, organizational development, and strategy. As the Chief People & Inclusion Officer at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Nichole drives strategic people initiatives that nurture and advance the organization’s mission and priorities to end hunger in the community.

Her work is deeply personal, rooted in a career focused on systemic change and designing initiatives that help communities thrive. Before joining Second Harvest, Nichole served as the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Greater Austin YMCA, where she led large-scale inclusion initiatives, innovative talent management strategies, and the 2030 strategic planning process, which engaged over 1,500 stakeholders.

She has a proven track record in building inclusive cultures, aligning people practices with organizational goals, driving performance through strategic planning and change management, and is experienced in applying design-thinking methodologies.

Nichole holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland, a bachelor’s degree from Rollins College, is SHRM-SCP certified, and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Outside of work, Nichole enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and dog, visiting national parks, and traveling throughout Latin America. She’s a fan of Halloween and scary movies and has recently embraced weightlifting as part of her wellness journey.