Nicole Wilkins was promoted to fill the Program Manager position on August 25, 2024. For the last two years as Senior Compliance Officer on the management team of OPS, Nicole was responsible for compliance reviews of pesticide violations. She crafted VDACS’ voice in fact finding and formal hearings regarding violations of Virginia’s laws and regulations, playing a pivotal role in the agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.

Nicole Wilkins is already a familiar name in the Division of Consumer Protection, Office of Pesticide Services (OPS). Nicole took an interesting route into pesticide services, getting a degree in Anthropology after initially planning to be a pediatrician. Most of her professional background is in the legal sector, having worked as a personal injury paralegal and then spending most of a decade at the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission, where she supervised judicial compliance.

For the last two years as Senior Compliance Officer on the management team of OPS, Nicole was responsible for compliance reviews of pesticide violations. She crafted VDACS’ voice in fact finding and formal hearings regarding violations of Virginia’s laws and regulations, playing a pivotal role in the agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.

Nicole says that more than anything, she likes to learn, and her passion for learning is what keeps her engaged and drives her success in OPS. “I know a little bit about a lot of things, and what I don’t know, I just need to know where to go to find out,” she said.

Nicole steps into big shoes, with the retirement of Liza Fleeson Trossbach who led the program for nearly 24 years. Nicole views this as an opportunity as the team is already in good shape. “I just think everyone is great at what they do,” Nicole said. “I’m excited to lead them and to collaborate with them. Everybody’s willing to help each other and work together.”

Nicole said she looks forward to settling into the new position and working with her colleagues in a new way, getting their perspective and helping them grow.

When Nicole is not at work, she loves interior design and styling her home. She and her fire captain husband have two daughters, 13 and 8, and she is very close to her family and loves spending time with all of them.