Nikl Burke
Director of Advancement and Communication
Nikl was born and raised in Austin. After graduating high school, she moved to New York City to fulfill her dream of living in the Big Apple. Soon after, she received an opportunity to work for the Mayor of New York as an aide in the fundraising office; this is where she found her calling in philanthropy, event marketing, and communications. A local start-up approached Nikl while she was a student at NYU's marketing program to assist in creating its marketing and branding strategies. She spent several years there, helping turn the company into a global brand. She then joined Samsung, supporting the company's flagship showroom through co-branding, sponsorship, and partnerships with Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope, allowing her to work with legends such as the Jonas Brothers, Tony Bennett, and Magic Johnson. After the birth of her daughter, Nikl and her husband—a French New Yorker and wine importer—moved to Lyon, France, for work and to be closer to family. Eventually, they returned to New York, where Nikl was hired as Director of Development at the Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP), raising funds to send Haitian students to university. A few years later, she and her family moved to her hometown of Austin to experience suburban life and participate in the city’s growing food and wine scene. Nikl has sat on the boards of several non-profits and volunteered countless hours of her time to assist with their communications and fundraising efforts. Some of you may already know her from her time in leadership roles at AIS, where she has sat on several committees and most recently presided as president of the PTO. She is excited to join AIS and help guide it through the years ahead.