Nicole Avant

In 2009, Nicole Avant was sworn in as the 13th United States Ambassador to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas after a unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate. She is both the youngest person and first African-American woman to hold the office where she served from 2009-2011.

During her tenure she focused on six key initiatives: economic and small business development, education, women's empowerment, bringing an end to human trafficking, alternative energy, as well as raising awareness for the challenges facing people with disabilities. Ambassador Avant brought experts and luminaries from the U.S. to The Bahamas to create unique programs and partnerships. Her push beyond traditional diplomacy led to her nomination for the State Department's prestigious Sue M. Cobb Award given for exemplary diplomatic service. This admiration led group of Bahamian business leaders to form The Ambassador Nicole Avant Scholarship Foundation to provide academic scholarships to students throughout the islands.

Ambassador Avant is an active board member for A Sense of Home and is a current Trustee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Prior to her assignment abroad, she held a position with the Neighborhood Academic Initiative, a student mentorship program through the University of Southern California. Ambassador Avant was a leading business executive serving as Vice President of Interior Music Publishing from 1998-2008. The daughter of music industry executive, Clarence Avant, affectionately referred to as "The Godfather of Black Music," and philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, Nicole grew up in Los Angeles, California in a household focused in the arts, politics and civic engagement. She is married to Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix and is the proud stepmother of Sarah and Tony.