Hi, I'm Nicole, and I'm honored to be part of this year's Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Pittsburghs 50 Finest campaign.

A little about me: I'm a Vice President and Digital Product Manager at BNY, where I lead an online application serving our Benefit Disbursements clients. While I'm new to BNY (just shy of a year!), I've spent the last decade building my career in product management.

Outside of work, family is everything to me. I'm the oldest of four sisters, married to my husband Rich for five years (together for fourteen!), and aunt to six nieces and nephews who are, without question, my favorite people on the planet - my tiny besties. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and beyond my day job, I'm also a content creator who loves sharing the real stuff: my weight loss journey, mental health, auntie life, outfits, and what it's like being a woman in corporate America.

For as long as I can remember, I've felt a pull to do something that truly matters, to give back to my community and make a real difference in someone's life. That calling found its purpose in 2025, when I attended the 50 Finest gala with a friend who was part of the campaign in 2024 There, I listened to a woman share her story of living with cystic fibrosis. When she was born, doctors told her family she had only a few years to live. Today, she's in her 40s and living life to the fullest thanks entirely to the research, treatments, and medications made possible by the CF Foundation. Her story stayed with me. It was the moment I knew I wanted to be involved. After the gala, my friend nominated me for this year's campaign, and I said yes without hesitation.

That's why I've committed to raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; to help the Foundation realize its mission of curing CF and giving every person with this disease the opportunity to lead a long, fulfilling life.

Here's something important to know: the CF Foundation receives no funding from big pharmaceutical companies or the government. Every advancement in CF treatment, every additional year of life, every breakthrough medication, every story like the one I heard at that gala is made possible by fundraising. That means every single dollar you give goes directly toward the greater good. You can give knowing exactly where your support is going and the real impact it's making.

Nearly 40,000 people in the United States are living with cystic fibrosis, a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Sixty years ago, children with CF often didn't live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, because of Foundation-supported research and care, the median survival age is over 50. More than a dozen CF treatments have been developed, adding decades of life to those affected. But the work isn't done. Many people with CF still don't benefit from existing therapies, and the vision is a cure for every single person - a life free from the burden of this disease, with no one left behind.

Please consider joining me. Whether it's $5 or $500, every dollar counts and brings us closer to a cure. Together, we can be part of ending this disease in our lifetime - and help make medical history.

To learn more about CF and the CF Foundation, visit www.cff.org.

Thank you for supporting this mission, and for being part of my journey to give back.

With gratitude,

Nicole