Meet Nichole Turgeon, the President and CEO at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands (bbbsmidlands.org)

Tell us a little about your business. – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands partners with volunteers, families, and businesses in the Lincoln and Omaha/Council Bluffs metro areas to provide professionally supported mentoring to youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated in Lincoln for more than 50 years and will provide mentorship to more than 110 youth in 2025 with donor and volunteer support from the Lincoln community. The mission of BBBS is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

How did you get started in the business? – I started in the nonprofit sector thinking it would be a short-term stop. After earning my business degree, I decided to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA for one year to give back before embarking on a corporate marketing career. Instead, I fell in love with the impact my work could have on the community. That passion led me to fundraising and marketing for a statewide nonprofit, but I soon realized I wanted to focus on a mission closest to my heart—supporting children. That brought me to Big Brothers Big Sisters, where I’ve been fortunate to grow and advance into my current role.

Tell us a little about your family. – My husband, Kevin, runs his own consulting business, True Owl, specializing in helping organizations successfully execute complex change initiatives. It’s great to be able to ask for his advice from time to time, although I don’t always take it! Kevin and I share our home with our Boxer dog, Chloe. We love to travel and go on outdoor adventures together.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – I love spending time outside, especially if I can be near or in the water. I love to swim, kayak, paddleboard, or relax on our pontoon boat any chance I get.

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? – I’m not sure what my greatest talent outside of work is but I did recently try ax throwing at a local establishment and I was surprisingly good at it!

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – Like so many of my colleagues who raise money for a living, I think it would be fun to be on the other side of the table and have the opportunity to make grants and invest in programs to strengthen the community. And, if I could think of a way to parlay my skills into a career that would allow me to travel the world, that would be a dream!

What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? – Of course, Big Brothers Big Sisters is my favorite cause. As a Big Sister and a staff member, I have seen the incredible impact of our mentoring program on youth and have, in turn, learned so much from my own Little Sisters and all the young people involved with BBBS. I also volunteer with the Orel Alliance, an organization that supports Ukrainian refugees financially and practically as they begin new lives in Nebraska.

What is your favorite movie? – The Big Lebowski is my favorite movie which is a little bit funny since Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the signature fundraiser of Big Brothers Big Sisters all across the country.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – The best way to connect with Big Brothers Big Sisters is to visit our website at: www.bbbsmidlands.org. I can be reached at nturgeon@bbbsomaha.org.