Nicole Yohalem

Nicole is a Director of Special Projects.

She oversees work related to out-of-school time; youth engagement; and bridging research, policy and practice. Nicole joined the Forum in 2000. She has authored a range of reports, articles and commentaries and provides leadership on several regular Forum publications including the Out-of-School Time Policy Commentary Series. She represents the Forum as a spokesperson at national conferences and events and serves as an advisor to several foundations, organizations and initiatives. Nicole directs the Ready by 21® Quality Counts initiative, aimed at strengthening the quality of youth services in 12 states and cities across the country.

Prior to her work at the Forum, Nicole served as a youth development specialist at Michigan State University where she developed, implemented and evaluated community-based youth programs and provided training and technical assistance to programs statewide within the Cooperative Extension Service. She also served as Extension Educator with Michigan State University, developing 4-H Youth Programs serving urban youth. From 1990 to 1995, Nicole worked in the adolescent division of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation where she staffed and later directed the Foundation’s residential programs for teens while developing curricular and training materials for use in a wide range of youth programs. Nicole has also served as a consultant to the World Bank on education reform in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Nicole earned a Master of Education degree in the multidisciplinary Risk and Prevention program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.