Nicole Isaac
Director of North America Policy
Washington, DC USA
“We know that work is gonna change, but I don’t want you to discount or diminish what you bring to the table. A large part of it is just not giving up.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationNicole Isaac
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Born and raised in the housing projects in the Bronx, New York; my parents were both immigrants—my mother is Jamaican and my father is Costa Rican.
I attended a private school on a scholarship—made me realize the impact location can have on access to opportunities and sparked my desire to change the reality of neighborhoods like mine.
Attended Brown University, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in English and African-American studies.
Then I earned my master’s degree in international relations from Columbia University and my law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
I’ve worked in law in New York City, Geneva, Paris, and South Africa with the goal of understanding the ways in which human rights abroad mirror the civil rights issues in the U.S.
Worked in government for over 10 years—five years were spent on Capitol Hill and the other five years were spent working in the White House for President Obama.
I am also a nonprofit founder and have served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Currently, I work as the director of North American policy for LinkedIn where I utilize data to solve workforce development challenges, develop policy, and expand government engagement.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Graduate
International Human Rights
University of Oxford
International Human Rights
University of Oxford
Career
Director of North America Policy
I work to globally transform the future of work through policy and expanding government engagement.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Law
Government
Upholding a Cause and Belief
Day to Day
I manage a team, develop policy, and expand government engagement across the United States and Canada on behalf of LinkedIn, including setting priorities and strategies for working with federal partners. This includes working with policymakers on critical issues such as privacy, surveillance, cybersecurity, content liability, and diversity in technology. I lead Economic Graph projects by applying data and analytics across North America and other regions with a cross-functional and global team.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Be an advocate for others. Mentoring and helping people find others to look up to is critical to advancing our workforce and ourselves. Don't underestimate the willingness of people who want to help you. We are now in a new age of learning, so don't put yourself in a box and think there is only way to get a job. Network and be openminded. Be willing to tackle challenges in a variety of ways.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Socio-Economic Origin
First-Generation Immigrant
Interviewed By
Rerouting
Changing careers and reinventing your path
