United Way of Northwest Vermont — an organization dedicated to improving lives and advancing the common good in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties – has hired Nicole Haley as Director of Marketing and Communications.

In this role, Haley will develop and lead communications and marketing strategies including public relations, business development, community engagement and digital marketing.

Haley comes to United Way with extensive experience in journalism and nonprofit communications and fundraising. Most recently, Haley was senior manager of public relations at Let’s Grow Kids where she helped advance landmark child care legislation and attracted local and national media attention positioning Let’s Grow Kids and Vermont’s child care movement as a national model.

When she was assistant director of development and community relations at UVM Health Network Home Health and Hospice, Haley managed United Way grants and participated in United Way workplace campaigns. In that role, she gained an understanding of and deep appreciation for the United Way’s community-driven approach to addressing local needs.

“I believe in the power of storytelling to create positive change and I have always had a passion for social issues and mission-driven work. As we all continue to cope with the ripple effects of COVID-19 and grapple with inequities exacerbated by the pandemic, United Way’s work of mobilizing the community to address interconnected challenges including mental health, substance misuse, and helping our neighbors meet basic needs like food, housing and transportation, is more important than ever,” Haley said. “I’m honored to join the United Way team.”

“Nicole’s expertise in storytelling and public relations, experience with other Vermont nonprofits, and her passion for the United Way’s mission and work made her an obvious choice to lead our communication and marketing efforts. Adding Nicole to the United Way team will help us more effectively tell our story so that we can engage more Vermonters as we continue to rebuild stronger and address our community’s most complex problems together,” said United Way of Northwest Vermont CEO Jesse Bridges.

Haley grew up in southern Connecticut and lived in Boston for 10 years before moving to Vermont in 2012. She has a bachelor’s in journalism from Northeastern University. She lives in Colchester with her husband, preschool-aged daughter and their mercurial tuxedo cat.