Nicole McDonald is an arts and culture strategist with multifaceted experience in the nonprofit and government ecosystems who has built meaningful events, spaces, and projects for diverse audiences across the country. As the Expert (External Affairs) for the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, McDonald brings with her a comprehensive understanding of the arts’ social and economic impact on communities, cities, and beyond. 

McDonald has dedicated much of her career to advocating for arts accessibility through public art, developing emerging artist pipelines, and arts integrated programs and projects. This dedication has allowed her the opportunity to work with a number of organizations and collaborators including Mural Arts Philadelphia, the Rail Park, the Barnes Foundation, and the Franklin Institute. Additionally, she has served as a grant panelist, committee member, and board member for arts, culture, and preservation related organizations and projects in the Philadelphia region. In 2021, she was recognized for her deep commitment to community engagement and social practice by Giving Tuesday as a Starling Collective Fellow. 

She holds a B.A. in Art and Art History from DePaul University and an M.P.S. in Business of Art and Design from Maryland Institute College of Art.