Recognized by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World,” Secretary Nicolas has been active in the migration and development field.

Prior to her appointment as SPARK President, sher was former chairperson of the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) from 2010 to 2016 a former Secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in 2005, former Chairperson of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) from 1992 to 1998, and Presidential Assistant helping cabinet secretaries in monitoring implementation of major government-funded infrastructures (from 1986 to 1992)

She was also chair of the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines (WBCP) and a member of the NGOs represented at the Millennium Challenge Account – Philippines (MCA-P) Board.  She is a member of the Board of Tanghalan Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and The Lewis College, a family-owned educational institution in Sorsogon City.

Before rejoining government in 2004, she was Vice-President for Development of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., a New York-based multinational company, and Managing Director of TLC Beatrice China. She was also the first Filipina representative in the APEC Business Advisory Council (or ABAC) for the Philippines, 2002-2004.

She graduated magna cum laude at St. Theresa’s College, Manila and took M.A. units in Arts History at Columbia University, New York.

She has been a lifetime advocate for women’s rights and good governance.  She was the head of the Philippine delegation during the 10th anniversary of the Beijing UN Conference on Women held in 1995.