Jaynell Nicholson

Jaynell Nicholson (pronouns: she/they) is the Engagement and Events Manager at EGA. Her role includes content development, process facilitation, and cross-organization program management to contribute to the success of EGA’s signature events. Prior to joining EGA, Jaynell worked in the nonprofit sector, supporting environmental education. They also worked in local government leading community engagement efforts and aiding the management of Austin’s water resources. As a member of EGA’s 2019 Environmental Fellows Program cohort, they worked with the JPB Foundation to understand the community resilience impacts of their Environment Program.

Jaynell is a graduate of Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs where they earned a Master’s of Public Affairs and a Master’s of Environmental Science. Their studies focused on Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management with special interests in equity and environmental justice. Prior to graduate school, she completed a B.S. in Environmental Conservation Biology from Kent State University. At Kent, her scientific research and social justice interests seemed at odds until she was introduced to the environmental justice movement. Home for Jaynell will always be Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, historic home to the indigenous communities of the Osage, Shawnee, Monongahela, and other groups not explicitly acknowledges prior to colonization. Currently, she lives in Austin, TX, the historic homeland of the Coahuiltecan, Comanche, Lipan Apache, Tonkawa, and other nomadic tribes that have settled and lived in present-day central Texas.

Jaynell has always had a love for the outdoors and spends much of her free time exploring trails, reading in a hammock, and volunteering with organizations that help to diversify and decolonize the outdoors, recreation, and STEM fields.