Nicole Riehl joined Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) as President & CEO in September of 2019 and works with employers and business executives to advocate for early childhood investments, policies, and workforce solutions. Nicole previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Denver’s Early Childhood Council and her experience spans across the private and non-profit sectors, with her career beginning as an early childhood teacher at the employer-based child care program for StorageTek in Louisville, CO. She entered the private sector and after working in the finance sector with a large national homebuilder for several years, Nicole returned to early childhood and supported the launch and onboarding of over 200 child care programs participating in the Denver Preschool Program when it was authorized by Denver voters in 2006.

Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from the University of Colorado at Denver and a graduate certificate in non-profit management and leadership from Duke University. She was recognized by the Denver Business Journal with the Outstanding Women in Business Award in 2022, by Colorado Biz Magazine as a Gen XYZ Top 5 Young Professional in 2023, and by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce for the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business. She is a nationally recognized thought leader on public policy and child care solutions for the workforce, and she stays active within the community as a National Board member of Book Trust, and board member of the YMCA of Metro Denver.