Title: Vice President of Public Affairs
Company: National Math and Science Initiative
Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States
Nichole Austion, MBA, vice president of public affairs at the National Math and Science Initiative, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in education and marketing.
Building on more than 20 years of proven success in the marketing field, Ms. Austion has served as the vice president of public affairs for the National Math and Science Initiative since 2022. She joined the organization in 2020 as director of marketing communications before being promoted to senior director and then her current role. Ms. Austion oversees a government affairs team that fosters the National Math and Science Initiative’s relationship with various federal and state groups, as well as individual stakeholders in the public sector. Her team assures implementation and adherence to government regulations and strategies.
Prior to her time with the National Math and Science Initiative, Ms. Austion showcased her marketing skills as the director of marketing and communications at Lighthouse Academies and as a senior marketing manager at Secureworks and Acuity Brands. She established herself across 12 years at Teradata Corporation, where she began as a senior industry marketing manager in 2002 before taking on the position of director of industry marketing in 2007. Before shifting into marketing, Ms. Austion pursued engineering as her professional path. This period included a two-year tenure at IBM, where she discovered a natural ability for understanding and explaining technical issues.
A strong academic foundation has bolstered Ms. Austion’s success. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in computer science and engineering from Howard University. Ms. Austion then earned a Master of Business Administration from the Texas McCombs School of Business in 1995. She has furthered her credentials with certifications in nonprofit organization management and inbound marketing. Ms. Austion notes her education as the primary factor in her accomplishments. She has utilized her skills in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) throughout her career.
Ms. Austion maintains membership in the National Black MBA Association, allowing her to share her experiences and learn from others with a similar background. In 2024, she was named Innovator of the Year by the Women’s Empowerment Ministry, which she considers her greatest achievement. This accolade came as a result of a program Ms. Austion put together to exhibit a space capsule and hold a panel with six Black astronauts at Martha’s Vineyard. Through this event, she exposed middle-class African American families to the existence of Black astronauts, which they may not have recognized as a possibility.
In addition to her executive career, Ms. Austion has also emphasized the importance of STEM education through her writing. She published her first children’s book, “Miles and the Math Monsters,” in 2024. Ms. Austion’s book acknowledges how scary math can be while teaching kids to move past their fears. Long dedicated to civic advocacy, she has also contributed to the community as a board member of Georgia Agape Inc., College Ready Now and the Greater Atlanta Christian School Parent Association. Ms. Austion served as an elections issuing clerk in Gwinnett County for two year while further aiding the Greater Atlanta Christian School through fundraising efforts.
Beyond her career, Ms. Austion is a dedicated wife and mother to one child. She enjoys reading, writing and traveling with her family in her free time. Looking ahead, Ms. Austen aims to leverage her extensive experience and advance into a more administrative role in her field. Additionally, she hopes to continue writing and publishing books while also pursuing more speaking engagements.
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