Halston dress, $695, at Rodeo Drive.
Nicole Joyner: Family Resource Center Coordinator, Eisenhower & Kerrick Elementary Schools
Written by Dawn Anderson, Rocko Jerome and Taylor Riley | Photographed on location at the Frazier History Museum by Kylene White | Styled by Christine Fellingham and Melissa Gagliardi | Hair and makeup by Sarah Allen, Kassandra Cazares Aldana, Kayla Greenwell, Breanna Peters and Michaela Reeves
The field narrowed from over 400 nominations to 89 nominees and finally to the 16 award winners you will meet on the following pages. Representing each of their categories with distinction, your 2023 Most Admired Women bring humility, grace and a great capacity for change to their roles as leaders in our community. We asked each of them to reflect on how they got to this moment, what your votes and this award means to them and where their journeys might take them from here.
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As Nicole Joyner reflects on her Education category win, the first three words that come to her mind are “community, family, and collaboration.” She is the Family Resource Center Coordinator at JCPS’s Eisenhower and Kerrick Elementary Schools, serving almost one thousand students and their families. According to Nicole, “Education is not just about teaching. Everyone in the community is invested. Having the privilege to represent this category, when there are so many other deserving people is an honor!”
Ever humble, even in victory, Nicole says her proudest achievement is realizing she is forgiven. “I can make mistakes; tomorrow is a new day. I am who I am, and try to be true to myself, leaving behind unnecessary stress, pain, guilt, shame, and worry,” she says. “We live in a society that values likes, accolades, and followers, but God loves me just as I am! He is the ultimate judge, and we are forgiven.”
As a single mother, Nicole worked at a bank, then as a 911 dispatcher and supervisor for 15 years. Eventually, she followed her childhood dream with plans to transition into teaching through Indiana University Southeast’s certification program. After struggling with the rigorous testing, she applied for a Family Resource Center position. In this role, she could still serve students, families, and the community, meeting basic needs and removing barriers to learning. Examples include helping non-native English-speaking parents improve their proficiency for more effective communication with school staff and starting a book club for fifth-grade boys to rekindle their love of reading through books written in verse.
“I can make mistakes; tomorrow is a new day. I am who I am, and try to be true to myself, leaving behind unnecessary stress, pain, guilt, shame, and worry.”
Along her way, Nicole has been uplifted by other women. The newly single mom with no car was blessed to have a friend drive her to work and her son to daycare. In her early 20s, when her mother died, Nicole looked up to her friend for how to carry herself as a woman and a mom. She also fondly recalls a coworker who was relentlessly happy, chipper, and had the most beautiful smile. “Whenever anything went wrong, she believed God would work it out, and He did,” says Nicole. “I have been blessed to be surrounded by wonderful women, older and younger, and I am grateful for that.”
Working in education, Nicole sees firsthand the effects of society’s ills. “My husband covers, protects, and balances me,” she says. “He often reminds me that I can’t save the world, but I can help and bring others in to help. As a family, we have grown so much throughout this journey, and there is no way I could be where I am today without them! Although this role can be exhausting at times, I try to remember to slow down and take care of myself. I look forward to having ‘do nothing’ days! Some of my greatest inspirations are born out of moments of silence and solitude while tent camping, bike riding, or just having alone time to sit and be.”
Despite the impact of her work, Nicole is still uncomfortable thinking about herself in terms of success. “I always strive to be a better parent, wife, coworker, friend, and sister,” she says. “I don’t think I’ll ever reach it, and I’m okay with that.” She says watching others around her get what they need comes closest. “God gives us gifts and abilities to serve others,” she says. “When my gifts can be directly or indirectly used to serve or help someone else, to me that is success!”
As for the future, Nicole says she is open to whatever comes next: “I enjoy the work that I do and have not made plans to do anything different. I value relationships and enjoy creating and nurturing new ones. I plan to continue to build bridges and remove barriers for myself, my family, and my community.” — Dawn Anderson
