Nicole Butler
Nicole Butler is a seasoned executive and standards development expert currently serving as Executive Vice President of the American Wood Protection Association in the Greater Orlando area. With more than two decades of experience, she has built a reputation for leading complex strategic initiatives, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and driving organizational success. In her current role, she oversees the association’s operations, including managing technical committees, coordinating annual meetings, and guiding the development of comprehensive industry standards that support the durability and sustainability of wood products. Prior to joining AWPA, Nicole spent over 20 years with the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, where she progressed through multiple leadership roles. Her work there focused on advancing telecommunications standards and strategic initiatives, including high-impact projects related to cybersecurity, smart cities, and next-generation technologies. She played a key role in managing cross-functional teams, engaging with executive stakeholders, and delivering industry-wide solutions that shaped communication infrastructure across North America. This extensive background provided her with a strong foundation in project management, team leadership, and standards development across diverse sectors. Nicole’s professional philosophy centers on collaboration, mentorship, and the belief that consensus-driven standards play a critical role in improving how society functions. Known for her proactive leadership style and strong communication skills, she excels at bringing people together to achieve shared goals in non-competitive environments. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Florida, which complements her people-focused approach to leadership and organizational development. Through her work, Nicole continues to champion innovation, cooperation, and excellence within the standards community.
• Certified Coach
• University of Florida
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute) member organization
• National Council of Forestry Association Executives (NCFAE)
• SPCA of Lakeland
• Orlando Cat Cafe
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being surrounded by people who believe in me, being willing to listen to a lot of different voices in whatever industry I'm in, and being willing to take chances and to trust my gut at times. We are not often coached to take that risk, to take that scary step, and to believe in ourselves, and if I hadn't been willing to jump into the unknown, I wouldn't have the job I have now.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Make the best of any situation, look for solutions, not blame, and always seek collaboration.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say it is a fantastic opportunity for advancement in standards development. There are amazing opportunities here to network with women who are so wise, who are so compassionate, and are so willing to help you out. And it's such a fulfilling job, not just because of the technical aspect and because you're completing a task, but because you're actually bettering society in some way. It's not in an obvious way - it's really hard to describe the role of standards to other people, but I firmly believe we are helping people.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Collaboration is at the heart of what I value most. I firmly believe in collaborative efforts and cooperation. What I find so fascinating is that standards bring competitors together into a single room, have them leave their competing interests in the hallway, and come together for what's best for the entire industry and the end user. To me, that's a phenomenal feeling and experience. I also believe interpersonal relationships are super important - you're not going to get people to come to agreement unless they all feel heard. I firmly believe that we only briefly get to make a mark on any industry we're in, and what's super important is that we're able to carry that forward and encourage and excite younger people about what we're doing so that they come and join us in the efforts.