Nicole studied Musical Theatre at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California. She has danced locally in Orange County for many years, specializing in ballet, ballroom, swing, and Latin dance styles. She holds a BA in Archaeology and an MA in Applied Anthropology from Cal Poly Humboldt where she was awarded the distinguished student in anthropology award and Arts humanities and social sciences and the IdeaFest Peoples Choice award for her poster presentation: Modeling consciousness in archaeology: a non-invasive approach. She has worked as a field archaeologist, researcher, and collections manager for Cal Poly Humboldt, the United States Forest Service, and Stanford University.

Nicole is the dance captain for Golden West College musical theater productions and has performed regularly as a Theme Park dance party host. Nicole also performs as a guest artist with local dance companies.