Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nichelle Cook. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nichelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

If my mission in life had to be summed up in one phrase it would simply be “to ensure access to excellence.” I believe that when we tell children that they can be anything they want, it should actually be true. I’ve made it my life’s goal to do everything in my power to break down the barriers that impede that reality.

As an only child, I spent much of my lower elementary school years entertaining myself by teaching my stuffed animals and playing “courtroom” with family members. Though I had no idea that I’d grow up to actually become an educator and attorney, in retrospect, I realize that the two fields were a huge part of me all along. Nonetheless, as I grew older, I developed a love for science and decided to pursue engineering.

Despite earning a 4.0 GPA at my rural Louisiana high school, I went to college and faced significant challenges in my first Calculus course. Given that my poor performance was due primarily to lack of exposure beforehand, I knew that excelling in my coursework thereafter would require some adjustments.

As a first step, I asked my mother how one should go about determining purpose. She then explained that I should figure out what societal issue made me most angry and spend my life developing a solution fueled by that passion. Since my less-than-stellar grade in Calculus was hot off the press, nothing infuriated me more in that moment than educational inequity. In response, I changed my major to Political Science, decided to go to law school, and adopted the moniker “Thurgood-Bethune” to capture my quest to either sue my way to equitable access to quality education or teach my way to it.

Shortly after law school and during my time as a classroom teacher, I founded Practegy Consulting (Practical + Strategies) as a means to provide innovative, culturally responsive, and neurodivergent-friendly support to schools, municipalities, and community organizations. Eleven years later, my company continues to expand its impact across the United States.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m honestly just a country girl from Louisiana who loves to help others realize their God-given potential. I’ve always perceived myself to have quite an out-of-the-box personality and never could quite figure out why. Though I tried my best to embrace my uniqueness, there were certain aspects of who I was that I absolutely abhorred. It wasn’t until the age of 34, following my diagnosis with Inattentive ADHD, that it all began to make sense. I had always been aware of my anxiety, but my ADHD diagnosis opened up an entirely new lens through which to see myself. As I frequently note, “Everything I hated most about myself was connected to a disorder I didn’t know I had. Interestingly enough, everything I have since come to love about my calling has been intrinsically linked to the same.”

As an openly neurodivergent educational consultant, I believe that I bring to the field a level of empathy (rooted in my own challenges and triumphs) that empowers me to give my absolute best to those my company serves. The intersectionality of my professional background with my realities as a Black woman from the rural south, aid me in relating to populations across the country (and one day, around the world) who disproportionately face socio-politically rooted inequities surrounding educational access, health outcomes, and the like.

As a boutique educational management consulting firm, my company (Practegy) provides assistance with project/program management, learning and development, and event planning. Through our ‘Prepped by Practegy’ arm, we also offer customized tutoring and academic coaching services for learners of all ages who desire individualized and/or small group support. What sets us apart from others is largely captured in our name, a combination of the words “practical” and “strategy.” In everything we do, our goal is to embody both. Whether developing a niche summer camp or a professional development workshop for educators, we are careful to ensure that our clients are empowered to provide each participant with what they need to have a satisfactory experience in a realistic and cost-effective manner.

I’d have to say that I’m most proud of our work within the field of social emotional learning (SEL), particularly our direct services to justice-involved youth. There are very few things more fulfilling than providing highly-effective, research-based strategies that empower these young people to dream beyond their current realities and actually achieve those dreams despite those who may doubt their potential.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

During the summer following my 2L year of law school, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. As one might imagine, juggling this reality alongside the rigors of law school proved quite taxing. Nonetheless, I was determined to see the process to its completion. Fearing the very real possibility of her earthly departure, I decided that I’d do everything in my power to graduate on time while serving as her primary caretaker. Thankfully, I was able to achieve that goal and ultimately go on to complete two masters level degrees in education with honors while working full-time following the successful completion of her treatment.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve always thought that perfection was a prerequisite for love and acceptance. My parents and extended family are and have always been extremely supportive of my dreams. However, up until my struggles with the Calculus course in undergrad, I never knew whether their support was in response to my routine success or rooted in unconditional love. Following that failure, however, it was confirmed to be the latter. Although my family and friends have proven countless times since then that I’m loved and accepted unconditionally, I still work daily to hone my self-acceptance in other relationships, both personally and professionally.

My hope is that as I continue to heal in this area, I’m able to embody and share that grace with my colleagues, clients, and all others that I encounter in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: nichellecook.com/practegy.com
• Instagram: @nichellencook/@practegy
• Linkedin: @nichellencook/@practegy