With all of the growth and expansion Hollis Cobb is experiencing, the Training and Compliance Department has created an additional Training Specialist position. Nicole (Nikki) Ellis was selected to fill that position in January, and has brought to the table a wide range of work experience, making her a talented addition to the Hollis Cobb Training Team.
“I was laid off during Covid after a 21-year career in the luxury automotive industry,” Nikki explained. After taking a break for a few months, she opted to make a career change and joined the Hollis Cobb family. During her two decade career, Nikki has worked in a call center environment as Center Relations Manager, Customer Service Manager, Operations Manager, Vendor Manager and Training Specialist. She moved to Atlanta in 2018 to advance her career. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she has also lived and worked in Texas and New Jersey.
Nikki holds a BA in Psychology and an MBA in Human Resource Management. She is also a Certified Life Coach. Nikki says she used to be intimidated by public speaking, and joined the Toastmasters organization to help her overcome her fear. Toastmasters is a world-wide organization that helps individuals improve their public speaking skills. “This changed my career path and I have never looked back,” Nikki said explaining that, “I was attracted to being a training specialist because I was always the go-to person in any position that I worked, and I love helping others and researching for answers.”
Outside of her training work with Hollis Cobb, Nikki volunteers as a program director for a non-profit organization called the Motherless Daughters Foundation, Inc. “We work with girls 9-18 who do not have a mother in their lives due to death, incarceration, drugs or abandonment,” Nikki explained. “We fill in the gap to provide them with the resources to become successful and contributing adults,” she said. Nikki is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority where she chairs the Economic Development Committee, and works to teach people how to become debt free as well as leads Youth Economic Workshops and Entrepreneurial Workshops.
Enjoying her work with Hollis Cobb, Nikki says she finds it rewarding to work with people and help them succeed in their careers. The biggest challenge, she says, is working with employees who do not see their own potential. She strives to help them discover their potential and achieve their very best. Nikki said working at Hollis Cobb is a new experience, and she looks forward to learning more and growing in her current position.
Nikki is married to a Police Sergeant and together they have four children. Their two youngest children are in college, their oldest daughter just graduated with her Masters and works for MSNBC, and their oldest son is an Optician. Hollis Cobb’s Training and Compliance Department is excited to have Nikki with her unique skill set working on their team, and look forward to the leadership and education she continues to provide for Hollis Cobb’s newest employees.
