The Creative Direction, Design, and Strategy Work of NPL

About

Creative Executive, Advisor, Mentor, Board Member. Currently on personal sabbatical.

Nicole Parente-Lopez is an executive creative director, global brand builder, and team builder.

For more than 25 years, Nicole has been a strategic and creative leader translating insights into immersive narratives. Her functional experience spans multi-disciplinary Creative Direction, Design Strategy, Storytelling, and Corporate Brand Marketing. She has been very successful building brand perception and awareness and upholding company reputation.

As a team builder, she nurtures a strong sense of community and purpose—rallying troops, inspiring their passion and rigor to deliver impact. Recognized for her sound judgment and steady hand, she is considered a go-to partner, internally and externally.

Nicole most recently served as Executive Creative Director (ECD) of Intuit. She lead multidisciplinary creative teams to deliver cohesive end-to-end global brand and marketing experiences, galvanizing Inuit's employees, customers, and shareholders around Intuit's mission and vision. She focused on creating brand experiences that are memorable, innovative, and that form true connections with internal and external audiences.

In addition, Nicole co-lead Intuit's Design Community, aligning common priorities, shared tools, calibrating talent, and shaping and driving a shared vision for Design's charter and priorities across all of Intuit’s business units.

KEY TRAITS
Endlessly curious: As an insatiable lifelong learner, Nicole leads with inquiry and curiosity. Her independent thinking and ability to see around corners drives teams to stay engaged and inspired to explore fresh, diverse approaches to challenges.

Accomplished communicator and Careful listener: Nicole recognizes listening as the most undervalued yet most important skillset. She creates safe environments for discussion, asks questions that promote discovery and insight, and challenges assumptions in a constructive way.

Creative DNA with Deep Business Acumen: Nicole spends the time with senior executives to understand culture and complex business strategies, giving her the unique ability to translate them into creative storytelling solutions.

Earlier in her career, Nicole worked with a diverse range of clients; from corporate to educational, to fine arts and publishing (Lytro, Dwell, NASA, and MoMA, to name a few). Nicole has also taught design at the Maryland Institute College of Art. A native of Connecticut and a graduate of Emerson College, Nicole currently lives in Honolulu. She tours every midcentury architectural gem she comes across and, like her ancestors, finds a way to put anchovies in everything.