Nick Rhodes, Jr. is a dedicated community leader and retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with a lifelong commitment to education, equity, and youth development. A native of Riegelwood, North Carolina, Nick holds a BS in Economics from North Carolina A&T State University, an MA in Education from Pepperdine University, and an MBA from Western New England University. During his 21-year military career, he held senior management roles in systems engineering and acquisition program management.
Following his military service, Nick served as a management consultant in business process improvement in Washington, D.C., before settling in Wilmington, NC, where he has spent the past 16 years deeply engaged in community work. His leadership includes serving on the New Hanover County Board of Education, where he championed equitable school policies, and board roles with Smart Start of New Hanover County, Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, and Kids Making It, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth.
Nick is an active member of 100 Black Men of Coastal North Carolina, mentoring middle and high school students and fostering academic success through programs like the Success Academy. He also contributes to local literacy efforts through the Wilmington Downtown Rotary Club and plays a key governance role as secretary of the New Hanover County Airport Authority.
Through all his roles, Nick Rhodes remains a steadfast advocate for educational equity, youth empowerment, and community advancement, embodying the principle that “they will be what they see.”