Director of Marketing and Development /Â Age 39
Valley VNA Senior Care
Tracy Nikolai knows something about overcoming challenges: The Great Recession in 2008-2009 made it difficult for her to earn a steady income as a hairstylist. She earned a BBA in marketing from Marian University while working three jobs, but she struggled to find a company that would hire her without any experience in her new field.
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., however, gave her a chance, and she worked there for 12 years, starting in their sales department. “Without the experience and knowledge I had received there, I never would have risen to the position of director of marketing,” she says. “We all need to start somewhere.”
Additionally, Nikolai underwent 19 years of speech therapy. “Talking to me today, you’d never know I have struggled with speech in the past,” she says. Since then, she’s held roles where she has spoken publicly and even emceed events.
Nikolai is currently in charge of Valley VNA Senior Care’s communication plan.
“Never doubt what you can accomplish, and silence the noise around you telling you that you will never be able to do it,” she advises.
