Story-Led Strategist | Advisor to Public Institutions | Podcast Producer | Helping Leaders Find Clarity in Complex Systems
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Nicole Brooks is a communications strategist, equity advocate, and public sector leader with more than 15 years of experience driving system change across healthcare, government, and community sectors. She brings a systems lens and a human voice to every project - translating complexity into clarity and culture into action. Through Empty Scribbler, her communications consulting and freelance writing practice, Nicole partners with public institutions, leaders, and creative teams to craft strategies and stories that build trust, strengthen culture, and move change forward.
About Nicole
I’m a strategic communicator, speaker, and writer working at the intersection of health systems, equity, and identity. For more than 15 years, I’ve helped public institutions, including government partners and healthcare organizations, tell better stories, shape better policy, and make better decisions.
With a background in media training, partner engagement, and organizational transformation, I bring sharp thinking and a soft heart to the toughest conversations, from addressing anti-Black racism in healthcare to reimagining what inclusive leadership can look like in the public sector.
Through Empty Scribbler, I help leaders and organizations find the language that drives understanding, trust, and change.
I believe:
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Clarity builds trust.
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Representation is not the same as equity.
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Policy is personal — and people deserve to understand it.
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We can’t change systems without changing how we speak about them.
I’m a single mom of two amazing kids, a lifelong writer, and someone who believes leadership doesn’t have to be cold to be credible.
Work with Me
I take on a small number of projects each quarter. If we align, I’d love to connect.
Strategic Communications Consulting
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Advisory support for public institutions and purpose-driven teams navigating change.
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Focus areas include strategic planning, internal engagement, DEI and culture storytelling, and crisis clarity.
Speaking & Moderation
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Keynotes, panels, and facilitated conversations on leadership, communication, and equity in complex systems.
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Available for conferences, workshops, and executive sessions.
Media & Message Coaching
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One-on-one or small-group coaching for executives and spokespeople on authentic, confident public communication.
Speaking & Events
Let me bring clarity, warmth, and lived perspective to the conversation. I speak at the intersections of healthcare, identity, and leadership, always with the goal of making complex topics easier to hold and harder to ignore.
I love to lead conversations on:
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Health equity beyond performative EDIRA: communicating with purpose, not performance
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Strategic communications for public sector leadership: bridging trust, transparency, and transformation
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Authentic leadership in complex systems: leading with your full identity and values
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Parenting, policy, and what systems forget: personal stories that reveal structural truths