Nicky Deford

About Nicky Deford

Visionary nonprofit and philanthropy industry leader with 15+ years of experience driving enterprise-level social impact strategy, multi-million-dollar grant programs, and large-scale community transformation. Proven track record of building trusted C-suite relationships with foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations while managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. Skilled in translating transformation opportunities into clear, mission-aligned outcomes for executive leaders and boards. Entrepreneurial and results-oriented, with deep fluency in CSR strategy, partner ecosystems, and data-driven impact measurement.

Experience

1. Senior Director, Environmental & Social Responsibility

   Vail Resorts

   Oct 2021 — Present

   In my current role, I\'m responsible for crafting and putting into action a yearly enterprise-wide strategy for engaging with communities. This strategy is crucial for maintaining Vail Resorts\' operational permissions in the communities where we operate. Additionally, I\'m tasked with devising and carrying out a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy across the company to achieve our goals for community and employee involvement each year. I play a key role as the go-to person within the company for insights and advice on community matters, providing essential expertise and direction.Noteworthy Accomplishments:• Directed the allocation of $29.1M in grants to community organizations, employees, and inclusive access partners as head of the company\'s community impact and employee foundation team.• Oversaw a $16M investment in inclusive access programs, including an initiative to engage urban youth in winter sports.

Education

• University of Colorado at Boulder

  Bachelor of Science

Skills

• Event Planning
• Copywriting
• Marketing Communications
• Facebook
• Fundraising
• Marketing Strategy
• Public Relations
• Internal Communications
• Online Marketing
• Event Management
• Crisis Communications
• Press Releases
• Corporate Communications
• Newsletters
• Copy Editing
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Publicity
• Social Networking
• Social Media Marketing
• Strategic Communications
• Brand Development
• Email Marketing
• Sponsorship