Nicole Breazeale

Dr. Nicole Breazeale is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Leadership Development at the University of Kentucky's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Her work focuses on engaged learning experiences that build community capacity, democratize knowledge, and reduce social inequality. She previously served as a professor of Sociology at Western Kentucky University.

• PhD in Community & Environmental Sociology from UW-Madison
• MA in Rural Sociology from University of Kentucky
• BA in Political Science and Education from Swarthmore College

Her research and extension programming emphasize the transformative potential of storytelling in community development, utilizing techniques like story circles, community theater, and ripple effect mapping. She specializes in empowering marginalized groups, strategic planning, program evaluation, and civic engagement.

Dr. Breazeale received a Fulbright to Argentina and was a national finalist for the Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement. She founded Project Breaking Ground: A Sustainable Jail Garden & Food Justice Project.