Board Biography

Kevin L. Nichols is a social impact leader and C-level executive with over 25 years of expertise in Risk, Talent, and Business Development across the legal, technology, and government sectors. He is the Founder, President, and CEO of The Social Engineering Project, Inc., a nonprofit venture with Stanford University that increases representation in tech through educational programming and strategic partnerships.

Business Development & Strategic Partnerships: Kevin has a proven track record cultivating strategic partnerships and advising growth-stage ventures. As a Startup Advisor to Dumpling (a venture-backed SaaS platform, $14M+ raised), he guided branding, partnerships, and business model pivots. He supported capital-raising and VC introductions for digital health startup MyPurpleFolder, and as Equity Strategic Advisor to Legal Innovators, he spearheaded partnerships with international law firms and academic institutions to scale a data-driven talent pipeline. Most recently, Kevin serves as a paid Strategic Advisor to Marble Health, Inc. (2026–Present), a K–12 student mental health platform delivering zero-cost, 48-hour access to care across public school districts. Engaged under a formal retainer and equity agreement, Kevin leads commercial strategy for district-level market expansion, leveraging his network to drive warm introductions to superintendents, deputy superintendents, and state-level education stakeholders — with a focus on accelerating adoption in New Jersey and scaling the model nationally.

Governance & Risk Mitigation: Kevin brings deep expertise in legal risk management from 12 years in big law, including Morrison & Foerster, Paul Hastings, Heller Ehrman, and Holland & Knight, and advisory roles to Fortune 500 companies. He served on the advisory board of Trusted CI (cybersecurity) and on the State Bar of California’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation, conducting confidential assessments of judicial candidates — sharpening his governance perspective on leadership vetting and institutional accountability.

Board & Governance Leadership: Kevin chairs the boards of Flourish Agenda, Inc. and Family Wellness Group, Inc., leading fiduciary oversight, executive compensation, and organizational strategy. At Flourish Agenda — a national consulting firm with $4–5M in annual revenue operating across California, Massachusetts, New York, and Philadelphia — he chairs both the Audit and Compensation Committees. He accepted a clean independent audit containing three material accounting adjustments over $800K, oversaw adoption of a CECL credit loss policy resulting in a $216K reserve subsequently recovered, and approved a board-sanctioned CEO compensation restructuring (50% reduction) as part of a multi-year deficit reduction plan. Kevin also negotiated and executed a $500,000 IP cross-licensing agreement with the founding CEO across three signed instruments, with all related-party transactions independently reviewed and fully disclosed in audited financials. He led a planned founder-to-Executive Director succession, authorized a Board Resolution formalizing C-suite signing authority thresholds, and monitored key financial metrics — liquidity ratio, self-sufficiency, and revenue-versus-budget — across a multi-state operation.

A frequent public speaker and advocate for inclusive innovation, Kevin is committed to advancing organizational excellence through diverse representation and culturally competent governance. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and has completed executive programs at Stanford, Yale, and UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Board Leadership Experience and Affiliations

Strategic Advisor – Marble Health – 2026 – Present

Chairman of the Board of Directors – Family Wellness Group, 2025 – Present

Member – 100 Black Men of the Bay Area – 2023

Commissioner – State Bar of California’s Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission – 2023 – 2025

Digital Promise’s Center for Inclusive Innovation: Inaugural Community Advisory Council – 2021 – 2022

Board Member – California Black Alumni Association – 2022 – 2024

Board Member – St. Mary’s College High School’s African American Alumni Association – 2021 – Present

Member – Grand Chapter Public Policy Committee, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. – 2020 – Present

Partnerships Co-Lead – Coalition of Black Excellence – 2020 – 2021

Founding Member – UPWARD Men Bay Area Chapter – 2019 – Present

Chairman of the Board of Directors – Flourish Agenda, Inc. – 2018 – Present

Member – Diversity in Tech Taskforce – Congressional Black Caucus – 2017 – Present

Equity Advisor – Advisory Board Member – Numerous startup companies such as dumpling, My Purple Folder, and Legal Innovators – 2017 – Present

Board Member – National Sales Network – SF Bay Area Chapter

Co-Founder – Family Wellness Group – 2015 – Present

Elected Delegate – Assembly District 15, California Democratic Party – 2015 – 2017

Member – Alumni Board – Summer Search, Inc. – 2014 – 2016

At Large Member – Board of Directors – Leadership Excellence

Member – Knights of Peter Claver – 2009

Member – Advisory Board of Directors – BUILD, Inc. – 2006 – 2008

Member – Associate Board of Directors – Student Program for Academic & Athletic Transition (SPAAT) – 2005 – 2006  

Public Relations and Camping Conference Chair – National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Region VI – 1995 – 1996

Member – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Gamma Alpha Chapter – 1994 – Present

Member – INROADS, Inc. – 1993-1995

Strategic governance

As a seasoned board member and chair, Kevin leverages over 25 years of expertise to advise on governance, risk management, and organizational strategy. His commitment to inclusive leadership ensures diverse perspectives are integrated at the highest levels of decision-making, strengthening organizational resilience and fostering innovation.

Leadership in action

Throughout his career, Kevin has served on numerous boards, including his current role as Board Chair at Flourish Agenda, Inc. His leadership focus on culturally competent governance promotes equitable growth and sustainable impact, embodying a commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within organizational structures.

Organizational impact

Kevin’s influence extends beyond governance—he actively shapes policy and strategy that advance equity and innovation. His role at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory exemplifies his dedication to fostering organizational excellence through ethical and inclusive leadership practices.