Dr. Nicole Caridad Ralston (she, her, hers) is a social justice educator dedicated to critically understanding and unpacking systems of oppression in education. Dr. Ralston grew up in South Florida in a multiracial (White & Latinx) family and received her Bachelor's in History & American Studies at Florida State University. She earned her Masters of Higher Education Administration at NC State University. Dr. Ralston earned her doctoral degree at The University of New Orleans, where she researched the shared experiences of women of color navigating race and gender in the chief student affairs officer role. Her research interests include women of color in leadership, intersectionality, and multiracial/mixed race identity development.

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Dr. Ralston has experience in first-year experience and retention initiatives, community service and social justice programs, advising student organizations, facilitating leadership and social justice workshops, designing equity and inclusion curriculum and courses, managing diverse teams, and teaching. Dr. Ralston currently works full-time with Beloved Community in New Orleans. She serves on the board of directors for the ACLU Louisiana. Additionally, Dr. Ralston volunteers as the Publicity Co-Chair for the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Azucar Ball. Nicole Caridad also consults on social media marketing and promotes local, New Orleans restaurants via Off the Eaten Path NOLA and her Instagram @eatenpathnola. 

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You can read more about her in the January 2020 issue of Viva NOLA magazine.