Meet Our Founder
Nicole Barnes, MBA
Nicole Barnes is the Founder and Executive Director of Changes by Choice, Inc., a nonprofit organization established in 2002 and dedicated to empowering women through workforce development, financial literacy, mentoring, and economic empowerment. For more than two decades, Changes by Choice has remained committed to helping women overcome barriers, achieve self-sufficiency, and create lasting change for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Nicole’s passion for service is deeply rooted in her own life experiences. Growing up in a semi-rural community as a young African American woman, she understood the importance of education, perseverance, and opportunity. Those early experiences shaped her belief that every individual deserves access to the tools and resources needed to achieve their full potential.
Driven by this vision, Nicole founded Changes by Choice to create pathways to opportunity for women seeking a fresh start. In the organization’s early years, she partnered with workforce development and Welfare-to-Work initiatives, providing bookkeeping and financial skills training to women seeking employment and economic independence. By leveraging her professional expertise and community partnerships, she helped participants gain practical experience, develop marketable skills, and build confidence in their ability to succeed.
Today, Nicole continues to lead Changes by Choice’s efforts to support women through workforce readiness training, financial literacy education, career coaching, mentoring, and supportive services. She believes that true transformation occurs when women are equipped not only with resources, but also with the knowledge, confidence, and support systems needed to create sustainable change.
In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Nicole is the Founder and President of Barnes & Associates, LLC, where she provides accounting, financial management, and CFO services to nonprofit organizations, churches, and small businesses. With more than 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, and organizational leadership, she brings extensive expertise in financial stewardship, strategic planning, program development, and organizational sustainability.
Nicole holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Nonprofit Management. Her unique combination of financial expertise and nonprofit leadership experience strengthens her ability to build mission-driven organizations that create meaningful and measurable community impact.
She is also an active community leader and advocate for women and girls, serving in leadership roles within Zonta International, a global organization dedicated to building a better world for women and girls through service and advocacy.
Nicole’s work is guided by a simple but powerful belief:
“Every woman deserves the opportunity to start again, the support to succeed, and the chance to build a brighter future.”
At Changes by Choice, that belief continues to inspire every program, partnership, and opportunity created to empower women and strengthen communities.
“Knowledge is power—something no one can ever take away.”
