“I’m fortunate to be surrounded by incredible women every day, from my wife to the president of our company to the powerful women I have the privilege of working with in boardrooms throughout our business community. I believe in championing women, creating opportunities, and supporting their success at every level.”
-Nicholas E. Adams, Executive Chairman, NINICO
Meet our Ally:
Nicholas E. Adams
Presented to anyone, regardless of gender identity, who actively champions women's success by opening doors and advocating for equity, the Ally Award is intentionally gender-inclusive. This award recognizes that building a more equitable Silicon Valley takes all of us -- and that some of the most powerful advocates are the ones who did not have to show up, but chose to anyway.
Nicholas E. Adams is a business and civic leader with deep roots in San Jose and a longstanding commitment to strengthening the community around him.
As Executive Chairman of NINICO, a strategic communications advisory firm, Nicholas has helped build the company into a trusted partner to business and community leaders across California. His leadership is grounded in a belief that strong organizations are built by recognizing talent, creating opportunities, and giving people the space to lead.
In 2026, Nicholas named Sarah Farrant as NINICO’s first female president, entrusting her to lead the company into its next chapter. It is one example of an approach he has carried throughout his career: allyship is more than expressing support. It means using your own position and influence to help create opportunities for others.
That commitment extends beyond his company. In 2024, Nicholas served as Chairman of the Board of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, and for nearly a decade he served as a San Jose Arts Commissioner, advising city leaders on arts strategy, advocacy, and public policy. He has also served organizations including Symphony San Jose and the Rotary Club of San Jose.
A fourth-generation San Josean, Nicholas has built his career and civic life around a community his family has called home for generations. He has been recognized by Silicon Valley Magazine as a “Power Player” and by the Los Angeles Times Executive Leadership Awards, among other honors.
Throughout his work, Nicholas has championed women as colleagues, executives, community leaders, and decision-makers. His example reflects an important idea at the heart of Women Who Inspire: creating greater opportunity for women requires all of us to participate.
Dress for Success San Jose is proud to recognize Nicholas E. Adams with the 2026 Ally Award at Women Who Inspire on October 22, 2026.
Dress for Success San Francisco/San Jose has helped nearly 19,000 Bay Area women pursue employment and economic mobility since 2006, through career clothing, coaching, core skills, and community. Every ticket, bid, and sponsorship at Women Who Inspire directly supports this work