Nicole McAllister

Nicole graduated from Chico State University in 2015 with BA's in Political Science, Women's Studies, and Social Science with a focus on Multicultural and Gender Studies. Nicole started her long path to Washington, D.C at the campus's very own Community Action Volunteers where she volunteered as a classroom aide and lunch-time helper. The following semester, Nicole joined the Associated Students as a member and then the Vice Chair of the Multicultural Affairs Council. Here, Nicole worked with the school's council responsible for allocating the $40,000 budget for student programs and projects focusing on cultural education and understanding. 

With a leadership position under her belt, Nicole was selected to be one of the twenty three students comprising the California State Student Association. These students represented and advocated for the over 400,000 students in the CSU System. Nicole and her compatriots worked to be the student voice in meetings and negotiations with the California State Legislature, the Chancellor's Office, campus administration, and acted as the student faces for the media. Together, these elected students reviewed legislation and other proposals from the 23 CSU campuses, gave recommendations for legislation, and provided the legislature and other stakeholders with student input. 

Following her foray into the politics of the school system, Nicole became Director of University Affairs with the Associated Students here at Chico State. Nicole was asked, once more, to represent the student body-- this time on issues of academic and university affairs at community and campus events. Nicole also represented students in meetings with other campus faculty, staff, administration, and in other academic-related university committees. As a voting member in the Board of Directors for the Associated Students, Nicole worked with other board members in the 26.1 million-dollar [501 (c)(3)] corporation while keeping herself accountable to her fellow students. In doing so, Nicole balanced the ideals and practices of the school with the shifting needs and perspectives of an increasingly diverse student population.

After being nominated by the then-President of Chico State Zingg, Nicole was selected by the Chancellor of the California State University system and the Panetta Institute for Public Policy for the Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional Intern position. Nicole conducted legislative research and created memorandums for the staff and Congressman Garamendi (CA-03) in areas including Veteran Affairs, Women's Issues, issues of religious and cultural intolerance, Higher Education, and Foreign Affairs. Here in Washington, D.C, Nicole assisted and corresponded with constituents on issues of their district, legislation, and current events.

Nicole stayed on board with the Office of Congressman Garamendi, though she shifted from Intern to Legislative Assistant and Scheduler/Executive Assistant with the U.S House of Representatives. Now Nicole was directing all scheduling operations for the Congressman, including researching and reviewing requests, balancing the long-term priorities of the Congressman with the daily, and managing relations with constituents, stakeholders, other congressional offices, and federal agencies. During her long stay here, Nicole conducted legislative research on education, civil rights, the arts and humanities, Women's Issues, and family and children's issues. She regularly analyzed policies, developed legislative priorities and strategies, and prepared communications for both within the House of Representatives and external consumption. 

Nicole now finds herself working as a Program Associate in the National Prison Rape Elimination Act Resource Center at Impact Justice. Impact justice works as a research center working to reform the United States justice system. Starting June of 2016, Impact Justice is the frontrunner leading the National Prison Rape Elimination Act Resource Center (PRC) to work with the Bureau of Justice Assistance to assist both juvenile and adult correction workers and facilities on how to work to eliminate sexual abuse and sexual harassment for those in confinement.