Nicole Pozzi '09 says she always knew she wanted to go to law school, but she didn't have a clear vision of what she wanted to practice. A combination of professional experiences and managing a chronic health condition helped to guide her decisions, landing her at ED Ellen DeGeneres, the celeb's brand and lifestyle company, where Nicole serves as Director of Business Development and Licensing.

Nicole graduated from George Washington University, and then went to law school in New York City. "After graduating and passing the Bar Exam, I practiced matrimonial law as a litigator," she says. Nicole spent a year and a half immersed in law firm life, gaining a breadth of experience in the office and in the courtroom, but ultimately knew that she wanted something different. "I thought working at a company, in an in-house role, with people other than lawyers, would be a much better fit for me," she shares. "My day-to-day varies (which I love), and ranges from contract review, negotiation and drafting, to attending business development meetings, design meetings, and managing our licensees. I love working with creative, highly intelligent people who are passionate about what they do. Also, who doesn't love Ellen? I grew up watching her, and love how she has consistently evolved and re-invented herself."

Part of Nicole's desire for a professional change stemmed from ongoing battle with Crohn's Disease, the chronic inflammatory disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. Diagnosed while in college, Nicole says it took a long time and a lot of trial and error to find the right cocktail of medications to keep her symptoms at bay, and that the stresses of law school, the Bar exam, and the intense workload of a first year law associate greatly exacerbated the disease and ultimately led to a bowel resection surgery this past fall. Since then, Nicole has made her health a priority by eating right, exercising, and minimizing stress in her life where she can. "My recovery period was an opportunity for me to reset and recalibrate—to evaluate what was important in my life and not," she says. Her medications, though intense, are effective. "I am now on an immunosuppressant/low-level chemotherapy, which requires hospital visits of 4+ hours every 2 months for intravenous therapy," she shares.

Nicole has found tremendous support and inspiration from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, and has used her boundless energy, drive, and passion to give back to the organization, making it her mission to be as involved as possible. "They seek to set an example for all patients and sufferers—they provide a support system and network, connecting patients so they realize they are not alone. They are on the forefront of the most cutting-edge research," she says. Nicole has run several fundraising events for the organization, and is a member of their Young Professionals and Spin4 committees. And supporting the Foundation has become a family affair. "My Mom, Marilyn Chinitz-Pozzi, was honored by the Foundation in April 2017, and raised approximately $1.7 million and was introduced by Michael Douglas!" Nicole proudly shares. "What has been the most special to me, however, was that the Foundation asked me to document the days immediately before and after my surgery, in the hopes of inspiring and empowering other young Crohn's patients. I wrote a series of blog posts that received tens of thousands of views. I received hundreds of messages from people from all over the country (patients, friends, caregivers, GA and Brunswick alums), who were eager to talk about the disease and the work that I am doing. In December, the Foundation asked that I participate in a post-surgery follow-up video, which received almost 16,000 views on Facebook."

Of her time at GA Nicole says, "I was lucky to have some of the best teachers who had a tremendous impact on my education, life and career. My sixth-grade advisor was Mrs. Darcy, who is the kindest, most generous, open-hearted person. She welcomed me into the class and held my hand as I navigated through the GA waters. In upper school, I had Mrs. Feiner for several subjects. Mrs. Feiner is a rare soul who touched my life forever—always supportive, encouraging, and made you think that anything was possible. In fact, in the hours after I was sworn in and admitted to the New York State Bar, I emailed Mrs. Feiner to let her know!"