Specializing in social work, long-term care, education, business development, national replication, and healthcare administration. Experienced in social work in a clinical capacity and in a macro role working with systems by being a change agent. Nicole Clagett is the co-founder of Guiding Lights, a charity that supports caregivers who are providing care to adults, typically older adults with chronic conditions. She co-founded Edge of Aging with Cooper Linton.
Nicole and Edge of Aging's inspiration
Nicole at the tree that inspired Edge of Aging's logo, in William B. Umsted State Park
Nicole’s Bio
Serving as an advocate for individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease and those suffering from chronic conditions is a passion of mine. As a member of the long term care community for over 20 years, Nicole has personally witnessed the devastating impact (socially, emotionally, and economically) that caregiving has on families.
Working with older adults and their caregivers continues to be her focus and Nicole believes in the ‘law of plenty’ as evidenced by breaking down the silos of health care organizations and creating and participating in consortiums of healthcare providers that actively discuss issues facing the older adults that they are serving and how this underserved population can have a better quality of life through education, resource sharing, and problem solving refuels her internal energy to continue her work.
Working with various media outlets through broadcast journalism by using her voice and expertise to educate by raising the base knowledge of the community as a whole is a gift that Nicole is so grateful to have been given. The use of media empowers the community to know what options exist to support them in their caregiving roles.
Nicole’s perspective on what it is like to be both a professional and personal caregiver (having cared for her grandfather and a friend) serves as a constant reminder of why she gets up every day to continue to do the work that she does to serve our community.
Nicole’s Career Highlights
- Caregiver Advocate via Media – Caregiver Correspondent for Curtis Media Group WPTF channel 680 airing every Saturday as well as Contributor to WTVD ABC11 on caregiving related issues. Created a radio show “Caring Connections” which airs on WCHL. 150+ shows have been recorded and the show is one of the top-rated lifestyle shows that air on this FM station in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill market.
- Nonprofit Creation- Successfully co-founded Guiding Lights, a nonprofit 501(c)3 caregiver support center serving family and professional caregivers in Wake, Orange, and Durham counties in North Carolina, including securing over $1.5 million dollars in funding for the organization.
- Account Development – Reactivated inactive accounts and built a new presence in an acquired territory where there are over 150 competitors
- Dementia Educator- Recognized statewide as a dementia educator and created both an in-
person 7.0 CEU training program and online-videotaped training program utilized nationally
Core Skills
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- Ad campaign management
- Multi-media marketing
- Competitive/strategic planning
- Prospecting/client cultivation
- Collateral design and development
- Actualization based educuation
- Caregiver and receiver counseling
- Staff mediation
- Support group facilitation
- Client relationship management
- Fiscal management
- Program development
- Business plan development
Consulting Skills
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- Large conference management and expansion
- Support group trainer and facilitation
- Focus groups
- Nonprofit creation
- Dementia educator
- Cultivation of media relationships
- Private duty home care marketing
- Adult daycare management
- Development of special care units
- Caregiver specialist
- Development of activity programs for persons with dementia based on ability level
Contact Nicole Clagett
Send Nicole Clagett a message using the form below, or connect with her on LinkedIn