Nicole LoBese
Senior Manager, Community Engagement & Statewide System of Support
Areas of Focus:
Community Engagement Initiative (CEI)
Equity Leads
Statewide System of Support
Equity Leads
Statewide System of Support
Contact:
Nicole LoBese is the Senior Manager at the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), where she supports the Community Engagement Initiative and the California Statewide System of Support. In her role, she leads statewide strategy, coordination, and implementation efforts to strengthen authentic partnerships between school systems and communities.
With over 18 years of experience in public education, Nicole brings deep expertise in systems alignment and coordination, cross-agency collaboration, and equity-centered community engagement. She has helped expand the Community Engagement Initiative’s reach and impact across California, developing tools, professional learning structures, and statewide convenings that build local capacity and foster sustained partnership.
Nicole’s leadership is grounded in lived experience and a deep commitment to authentic partnerships, equity, and belonging. Having experienced foster care as a child, she understands firsthand the importance of being seen, supported, and advocated for within educational systems. She is passionate about ensuring that students and families are meaningfully included in the decisions that shape their educational experiences. Her leadership is also shaped by her diverse cultural background, which continues to inform her values of resilience, community, and service.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Administration and Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, and is a nationally certified Emergency Medical Technician and trained firefighter. Her experience and deep determination to serve communities continue to shape her leadership and purpose.
With over 18 years of experience in public education, Nicole brings deep expertise in systems alignment and coordination, cross-agency collaboration, and equity-centered community engagement. She has helped expand the Community Engagement Initiative’s reach and impact across California, developing tools, professional learning structures, and statewide convenings that build local capacity and foster sustained partnership.
Nicole’s leadership is grounded in lived experience and a deep commitment to authentic partnerships, equity, and belonging. Having experienced foster care as a child, she understands firsthand the importance of being seen, supported, and advocated for within educational systems. She is passionate about ensuring that students and families are meaningfully included in the decisions that shape their educational experiences. Her leadership is also shaped by her diverse cultural background, which continues to inform her values of resilience, community, and service.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Administration and Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, and is a nationally certified Emergency Medical Technician and trained firefighter. Her experience and deep determination to serve communities continue to shape her leadership and purpose.