Dr. Nichols has worked in numerous capacities for the United Nations, Civil Society Organizations, and multilateral organizations in many countries, including those in post-conflict situations.  She earned her Doctorate in Program Evaluation and Planning at Cornell University.   Her areas of expertise include assessing the effectiveness, relevance, and impact of a variation of substantive areas, such as: (1) early childhood development and education services (throughout the Caribbean region and in Bangladesh); (2) reproductive and maternal health services (in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe); and (3) the quality of organizational capacity strengthening interventions.

 Dr. Nichols has completed multiple assignments in Africa, Eastern Europe, India, Sri Lanka, and the United States. She is fluent in French and Portuguese.  Dr. Nichols also served on the Board of Directors of the American Evaluation Association, the leading professional society dedicated to program evaluation and has an article in the book Feminist Evaluation and Research Theory and Practice.