Nikki Dean is the Community Outreach and Systems Specialist for Wake County Smart Start. In her role, Nikki builds relationships with stakeholders across Wake County to raise awareness around the importance of early childhood services and programs. She also leads the agency in developing coordinated outreach and recruitment plans for NC PreK, Wake ThreeSchool, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and Wake Connections, working to ensure that families can access needed services. Nikki is a proud Eagle, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminal justice and a master’s degree in public administration from North Carolina Central University.