Nicole Betancourt is an Emmy Award-winning producer and director, who has dealt with the struggles of dyslexia all her life. Throughout her 20 years in the industry, her short films and documentaries have been aired on TV programs including HBO as well as online news outlets. Betancourt has received many awards for her work, and uses her media outlet as a way to initiate social change. Some films she has made have been focused on HIV/AIDS, food sustainability, and Cuban family culture. One of her most well-known works is a film titled “Before You Go: A Daughter’s Diary,” which was written about her late father who had developed AIDS. The film was widely praised, and the New York Times even wrote a television review about it. Nicole is the daughter of author and dyslexic Jeanne Betancourt, who also has seen immense success in her lifetime. In an interview they did together for a book, Nicole says, “I think being dyslexic also can be an asset in many ways… It teaches you to really learn because you can’t memorize things. You have to understand them to get by.” Now, Nicole lives in New York City with her husband and two young girls, where she enjoys making new projects and spending time with family.

You can view Nicole Betancourt’s profile on the Sustainability Leaders Network here, where her food sustainability work is highlighted.