Nicole L. Brucker
Certified Divorce Mediator
Certified Financial Divorce Practitioner®, Certified Divorce Mediator
In 2004, Nicole went through her own divorce. She found, even with her experience within the financial industry, that she did not have the resources necessary to make the financial decisions inherent in the divorce process. Her attorney knew the law, but Nicole was not getting expert guidance on the financial aspects. Nicole found she was not alone. Many people she spoke with had faced the same dilemma in their own divorces. At that point Nicole decided to pursue the Certified Financial Divorce Practitioner® certification in order to guide clients through the divorce process and help them plan for their new lives.
In 2009, Nicole became a Certified Divorce Mediator. Nicole has enjoyed helping couples going through divorce take ownership of the process and make decisions that work for their situation. She facilitates conversations regarding not only the financial decisions of divorce, but also joint parenting agreements. Clients are able to take the agreement generated from the mediation, called the Memorandum of Understanding, to their attorneys to review and process. Nicole provides a low-cost and empowering alternative to traditional divorce litigation.
Education
Nicole earned her MA in International Studies with an Economics Concentration from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Her graduate work analyzed Corporate Social Responsibility by focusing on one indigenous Ecuadorian tribe's struggle against multi-national oil companies destroying their ancestral lands in the Amazon.
Her passion for helping those who otherwise are ignored is represented in Nicole's work in the area of socially-responsible investing. The compassion necessary to give voice to the under-represented can easily be seen in the personalized service Nicole gives her clients and in the relationships she has built with them. As she frequently says "It's about more than the numbers".
Interests
Nicole lives in Evanston, IL. She currently enjoys studying the German language, traveling and volunteering with several local organizations. She is a proud Board Member of The Musical Offering in Evanston, IL as well as on the Empowering Women's Network (EWN) Leadership Team. Nicole is active in the Woman's Club of Evanston and her local Delta Delta Delta Alumni Chapter. She is also involved with the Lilac Tree of Evanston, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is "to provide education, support and guidance to women in the divorce process, so that they can move confidently towards independence".