Verizon’s Chief Product Development Officer, Nicola Palmer, to Join NAF’s Board of Directors
(June 8, 2020 – New York, NY) NAF is pleased to appoint Verizon’s Chief Product Development Officer, Nicola “Nicki” Palmer to its Board of Directors. Palmer will join a group of distinguished leaders from top companies that steer the direction of NAF as the organization provides more opportunities for high school students to be college, career, and future ready.
Palmer’s passion for promoting education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) makes her an important partner and advocate for NAF. In 2013, NAF established its STEM Advisory Committee to address the growing role that STEM plays in the nation’s economy which she has co-chaired the committee since its inception.
Her work has been instrumental in providing impactful experiences for students, including developing a virtual internship program focused on quality assurance that ran for five years in partnership with Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).
Under Palmer’s leadership, Verizon was one of the founding partners in NAFTrack Certified Hiring, NAF’s signature program that connects NAFTrack Certified graduates with career opportunities. Verizon is a longtime partner in launching NAF’s Future Ready Lab internship program. In the last year alone, Verizon provided over 80 traditional, virtual, and Future Ready Lab internships.
JD Hoye, NAF’s Chief Executive Officer, said “We are excited to have Nicki join NAF’s Board of Directors. Her drive and commitment to advancing young women and expanding new STEM experiences for students will be significant to the progress of the NAF network.”
As Chief Product Development Officer, Nicki oversees the growth and expansion of the 5G ecosystem, convening partners and developing products, platforms and services for Verizon’s various business units.
Nicki Palmer said, “I’ve been fortunate to work on many pivotal projects with NAF and joining the Board of Directors is an exciting opportunity to continue championing new experiences. Getting young people passionate about STEM field is vital not only to creating the next generation of engineers and scientists but also for empowering those interested in business and arts since technology will infuse our future.”
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About NAF:
NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.
NAF works with high need communities to transform the high school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship. NAF academies fit within and enhance school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at a low cost. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2019-20 school year, over 112,000 students attended 620 NAF academies across 37 states, including DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. In 2019, NAF academies reported 99% of seniors graduated with 86% of graduates planning to go to college. For more information, please visit: https://naf.org/