Nicola Bailey

Nicola Bailey has more than 12 years of experience as a proven exceptional director of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) child welfare operations and Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) residential programs. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Embrace Families CBC (Orange County). Her responsibilities include implementing budgets, policies, procedures and strategies for the delivery of the effective child abuse prevention and intervention programs and services. She also participates in contract negotiations as well as creates proposals and presentations to funding sources such as United Way, government agencies, foundations, and other financial resources.

Prior to joining Embrace Families, Bailey served as Director of Program Operations for Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) for five years, a child welfare agency providing a full array of services to children and families. Her responsibilities included effectively managing child welfare, delinquency, and prevention program budgets totaling approximately seven million dollars. Bailey began her career in child welfare as a case manager for the Florida Department of Children and Families, working directly with children who were abused, abandoned or neglected by their parents. She steadily promoted within the agency, which afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of community providers as well as participate on committees/workgroups that influenced decision making across the State of Florida.

Bailey is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Mental Health Counseling from Troy State University.