Nicole 'Nikki' Clifton
President, Social Impact and The UPS Foundation
Nikki Clifton leads UPS’ global philanthropy, social impact, and international community affairs, leveraging the company’s partnerships and logistical acumen to respond to the world’s most pressing social, humanitarian, and environmental needs. Bringing nearly three decades of litigation, legislative affairs, and philanthropic expertise to her role, Nikki oversees The UPS Foundation’s work delivering health and humanitarian aid, eliminating systemic barriers to economic opportunity, building local capacity, and advancing sustainability around the world.
Nikki has been instrumental in several signature initiatives at UPS. She coordinated the company’s anti-human trafficking awareness and advocacy initiatives to create the largest training initiative in the private logistics industry. Under her leadership, The UPS Foundation advanced the in-kind distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and cold chain freezers to underserved countries, a global effort that called on UPS’ airline, drone, and ground network. Nikki is overseeing a strategic overhaul of The UPS Foundation to align the company’s philanthropic strategy more closely with UPS’ strengths and priorities and to centre its work on equity and justice.
Nikki is adept at catalysing change and building coalitions across the aisle, sectors and geographies. In her previous Vice President role for Global Public Affairs, she led UPS’ workforce policy, legislative advocacy and external affairs engagement with members of congress and the states’ attorneys general. Prior to government affairs, she served as Labour and Employment Counsel at UPS. During that time, she served on the UPS/IBT National Negotiating Committee, supporting contract negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and developed the UPS Labour Negotiations School. She has also worked for Delta Air Lines as a labour and employment litigator and practised labour and employment law with two Atlanta law firms.
Throughout her career and in her personal life, Nikki has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating equitable access to opportunity, especially for those in marginalised and underserved communities. She is active in multiple community and civic organisations, including as inaugural National 4-H Luminary, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts Nation's Capital, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and Points of Light. She was appointed to the Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA).
Nikki earned her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in communications from Howard University and her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law. She is a member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practise before the United States Supreme Court.
She lives in Falls Church, Virginia with her husband, four children and their Goldendoodle.
