Nicole Ross is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Economic Services Administration (ESA) in Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Organization and a Minor in Economics from Central Washington University. Nicole has been serving the citizens of the State of Washington for 32 years. She has worked with several agencies and came to DSHS/ESA in 2019 because she wanted to do work that really made a difference. ESA’s unified goal of reducing the number of people living in poverty by 50 percent in a way that eliminates disparities is what brought her to DSHS/ESA. Nicole works with a fabulous team of leaders and provides guidance in strategic planning, performance measurement, organization development, change management, communications, project management, and facilities. She is a firm believer that continuous improvement, staff and customer driven improvements, accountability, and having some fun are the elements to success. Nicole also participates in many workgroups, including the Health and Human Services Coalition, to review technology and processes to improve our customer’s experiences.
Nicole is a life-long resident of Olympia, WA. She enjoys spending time with her two adult children, traveling abroad, gardening, and cheering on the Seattle Seahawks – Go Hawks! She is a firm believer you celebrate life every day. She loves to cook, and eat, and be with family and friends.
