BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
“Nickey” Knighton is a native of Benevolence and Cuthbert, Georgia. She is a 1975 graduate of Randolph County Comprehensive High School. She grew up in rural southwest Georgia and attended both pre and post integration public schools in Stewart and Randolph Counties. Nickey is a 1975 graduate of Randolph County Comprehensive High School and a 1979 graduate of Tuskegee Institute (now University) in Tuskegee Institute, Alabama.
Prior to pursuing her executive coaching and leadership consulting career, Nickey served on the Executive Leadership Team of the Prince George's County (Maryland) Public Schools System from July 2008 to December 2009 as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Prince George’s County Public Schools is the 2nd largest school system in the state of Maryland and the 17th largest in the nation. With an enrollment of just under 130,000 students, the system consists of 208 schools and a budget of $1.6 billion. In her leadership role as Chief Human Resources Officer, Ms. Knighton was responsible for the Division of Human Resources with 129 employees responsible for recruitment, placement, retention, promotion, tenure, certification, professional development, compensation and employee and labor relations supporting over 22,000 educators and support staff.
Nickey had her first formal leadership training at age 17 and has over 30 years of leadership experience and expertise. She rose through the military officer ranks and retired from the United States Army in August 2008 at the rank of Colonel. As a rotary wing aviator and UH60 Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot, for many years she was the senior woman combat arms officer in the Department of Defense. When she retired, she was the senior African American Aviator on active duty in the United States Army. Her military career culminated with her assignment as the Chief Leader Development Officer for Army Officer Human Capital – Human Resources Command (Alexandria, VA), responsible for succession planning and for the professional development and education plans of the Army’s 74,000 military officers.
Nickey holds an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education - Home Economics, and a Master’s Degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, District of Columbia. She has completed graduate course work at Central Michigan University and Columbia (SC) College. Nickey transitioned into her second career, public education after being selected as a fellow for attendance to at the prestigious Broad Superintendents Academy (Eli Broad Foundation) in 2007. She is current pursuing a Leadership Coaching Certification at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Her honors, military awards and decorations are numerous. Nickey received national and international recognition as one of Glamour Magazine’s Top 10 Working Women. She is a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. and is the 2008 recipient of the General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Tuskegee Airmen Leadership Award. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, a public service organization and is the founder of S.H.A.P.E. – Self-esteem, Harmony, Awareness, Pride and Education. - a non-profit community uplift project that serves rural communities in southwest Georgia.
Her husband, Colonel Bennie Williams, Jr. (South Carolina State University), is an Infantry Officer on active duty currently deployed to Iraq. They are the proud parents of a 14 year old son, Tre’. Tre’ is an eighth grader and is the president of his middle school student body. He is also an honorary member of the national chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
