Serena resident Nicole Eubanks is a woman of inspiration and compassion. She is a wife, mother, friend and daughter who honors and celebrates the good in life and gives back to people both close to her and worlds apart. In 2016, Nicole left her corporate path to follow her heart’s desire to do more to make the world a better place.

As Chief Development Officer for the nonprofit social enterprise Friendship Bridge, Nicole is helping the women of Guatemala create opportunities to empower themselves. Headquartered in Lakewood, Friendship Bridge provides microfinance, education and preventive health services to more than 34,000 women in Guatemala who are living in poverty. The microloans offered are paired with business training and education.

Nicole has a history and heart for helping girls achieve their potential. Following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, Nicole was a third-generation troop leader for her two daughters, Taylor and Kaylee, while also working full time for Girls Scouts Colorado. Additionally, the mother-daughter team was involved in the National Charity League, volunteering for hundreds of hours and serving in several leadership positions.

Nicole earned her associate’s degree of applied science, business administration, and management from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After working for Starboard Cruise Services and then Sports Authority, she made the move to Friendship Bridge.

Today, Nicole and her daughters, and husband, City of Castle Pines council member Chris, take yearly trips around the world, including Guatemala, where the girls volunteer. On the 2019 trip, the girls worked with the community’s non-formal education program.

“It was an opportunity to provide the girls with a global perspective to see what other cultures lack and how we can make a difference,” said Nicole.

While visiting Cambodia, the Eubanks family supported a local school, bringing with them much-needed school supplies.

When she is not traveling, Nicole enjoys peace and solace on hiking trails. In 2017, she created a hiking group that annually tackles 14ers as a symbol of the climb for these Guatamalan ladies. Mt. Yale was the first 14er so they have dubbed their group name as Team Yale.

“As we climb through challenging terrain and changing weather conditions, Team Yale thinks about the women in Guatemala with fewer opportunities and challenges much greater than climbing a mountain,” added Nicole. “They keep going and that is what we do; we keep climbing.”

Last month, the annual Friendship Bridge gala was themed “Pathways of Her Heart,” aligning with the focus of International Women’s Day. The gala brought together individuals in their local communities while connecting people around the world to support Friendship Bridge’s mission.

 

 

 

By Julie Matuszewski: photos courtesy of Nicole Eubanks