Let me tell you about Nicole. She came on at Dialpad as VP of design and in the course of a year, she fought tooth and nail to make design a voice that can now lead the conversation of the product. And she did it with thoughtfulness and understanding—bringing balance to the organization.

As if that wasn’t a massive feat of determination and grit, she also took the time to make sure every designer felt heard, important, and needed.

Nicole has the rare ability to give meaningful, productive advice while showing respect and empathy for a person. Two things that are hard to find in one package. On more than one occasion and in more than one setting, Nicole has met me where I was, listened to me, and then helped me get my head straight so I could move forward.