Nicole Steward
President, NAEHCY Board of Directors
School-Linked Service Coordinator/Social Worker/McKinney-Vento & Foster Youth Liaison
Nicole Steward is a dedicated advocate for students facing adversity, serving as a School-Linked Service Coordinator, Social Worker, and McKinney-Vento & Foster Youth Liaison. Her primary focus is to eliminate educational barriers for students experiencing foster care or homelessness. Beyond these categories, Nicole also supports families struggling with attendance, academics, or behavior. She provides crucial referrals to connect families with resources for housing, immigration, food access, health and mental health support, and more, ensuring students can focus on their education.
Nicole passionately believes that housing is a fundamental human right. She asserts that eradicating child homelessness should be a collective responsibility, especially in a country with abundant wealth. As a social worker, she feels a deep responsibility to be knowledgeable about public support systems and to share this information with youth and families in need. Nicole understands that when individuals are in survival mode, they require advocates to stand by them and speak on their behalf, a role she is honored to fill.
It’s important to recognize that our McKinney-Vento kiddos are intelligent, they are bright, and they have bright futures, so we really have to invest in them in every aspect.
Degrees, Certificates, Awards & Accomplishments
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Pupil Personnel Service Credential (PPSC)
- Registered Yoga Teacher 500 Hours (RYT-500)
- Trauma-Informed Sound Healer
- Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Best Media for a School District award
- Former CASA and foster parent
- Author, Radical Self-Care for Helpers, Healers and Changemakers