Appointment to SVP, Growth: An Expert Interview with Nicole Barnes 

RTI’s President and CEO Tim J. Gabel recently announced three new executive appointments to key strategic leadership roles effective Oct. 1, 2025. As part of this announcement, Nicole Barnes was appointed as the leader and Senior Vice President for the new Growth unit.  

In her new role, Barnes will lead business expansion in both the public and commercial sectors. Her team will develop new client and partner relationships in close collaboration with the Solutions unit.     

Barnes has been with RTI for 22 years, most recently leading the Sustainable Growth and Resilience unit. She began her RTI career in Jakarta, Indonesia and has since led major strategic initiatives on a global scale. Nicole is known for her cross-sector leadership and innovation in business development. She holds a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a bachelor’s in global studies from the University of Iowa.  

You have extensive experience in public finance, international development and business development. How has this experience informed your leadership style? 

All of these experiences have reinforced that creating and implementing creative, sustainable solutions to complex problems requires a mix of expertise, humility and a willingness to always learn. These same qualities are key to my leadership style. In any given situation I have expertise to share, nuance to learn and apply, and a focus on creating thriving teams who are far more impactful together than through any one individual’s influence (myself included).  

What drew you to RTI?   

While working for the U.S. government in South Africa, I interacted with multiple RTI advisors providing in depth, real-time policy analysis and advice. This was both at the end of apartheid where the social development challenges were complex and urgent—and at an early point in my career. I saw up close how one integrates technical excellence with the political realities of policy making. As someone drawn to public service, this had an enormous influence on my professional development.  

What impresses you most about RTI staff? 

It's the commitment to the work and our mission to improve that human condition; that is what really drives our people. This commitment is what so impressed me back in South Africa and it continues to this day. 

You have lived and worked overseas for extended periods of time, including working in India, Indonesia, Jordan, Montenegro, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa and Uganda. Do you have a story that sticks with you from your time overseas? 

Pinpointing one story is difficult—but I do have an overriding feeling from these experiences. That’s our common desire to improve the opportunities for our communities, no matter where in the world we are. The details of a situation may look different—say, if you are a parent focused on your child’s education in rural Indonesia or urban North Carolina, the latter of which is now my home—but that desire is always there. My appreciation for what is common between people is so much richer for having extended exposure to environments different from my own background. 

How do you stay motivated? 

As much as I love my work and find it rewarding, there is much more to life than work. Ringfencing time for my family, friends, and my solo downtime is an important part of my recharging. I am a firm believer in taking vacations and completely unplugging from work on them. Meditation is another useful tool that helps provide clarity and balance for me, both personally and professionally.