Embedded in one of the most biodiverse reef systems on the planet, Nicole is working hands on active coral restoration — farming coral fragments, executing restoration dives, monitoring reef health, and contributing to the science of bringing degraded reefs back to life.

Nicole earned her Divemaster certification with 3W Dive in Gili Air, Indonesia, logging 75+ dives across deep, navigation, and guided profiles in the heart of the Coral Triangle. The certification is the highest non-professional recreational diving rating and marks the point where a diver becomes responsible for the safety and experience of others underwater.

For two years at South Broward High School, Nicole taught Cambridge AICE Marine Science — one of the most rigorous pre-university curricula in the world — achieving a 96% exam pass rate and proving that when students are genuinely connected to the material, they rise to meet it. Her classroom was never just about science; it was about building the next generation of people who care about the ocean

Assisting South Broward’s selective Marine Magnet Program, Nicole built hands-on learning experiences that went far beyond four walls — shark tagging, Florida Keys reef expeditions, science museums, and community conservation events that gave students access to the ocean as a living classroom. Behind every field trip was months of planning, partnership-building, and the belief that experience is what turns curiosity into commitment.

As an undergraduate at UCF, Nicole co-authored a study quantifying the microplastics consumed through everyday plastic food containers — research that revealed most people ingest measurable plastic from a single packed lunch. That lab work planted the seed for a deeper mission: understanding the global plastic crisis at a human scale, and being part of the solutions.