Kayaking, Cooking and Creating Copy – Introducing Nicole van Esselstyn

By Terry Haycock, Secretary/Treasurer

New member Nicole van Esselstyn grew up in a small farming community near Danville, Virginia. She graduated from Virginia’s James Madison University in Harrisonburg with a degree in mass communications, concentrating in print journalism. Nicole was the editor of the JMU newspaper, where she met husband Drew. College sweethearts, they have been married 27 years.

Nicole served as copy editor for The Progress-Index newspaper in Petersburg. Later, she transitioned out of newspapers to serve as regional director of communications for the nonprofit Presbytery of the James based in Glen Allen.

She left when Drew got a job at The Washington Post. They relocated to Northern Virginia. Nicole stayed home from 2000 to 2005 to raise their children. She and Drew have two: daughter Abby, 24, lives in the Richmond area and works as an adoption and foster care social worker. Son Dalton, 21, a student at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, graduates this year.

Beginning in 2005, Nicole did freelance jobs, a good fit for her as the family moved from Virginia to Florida to New Jersey and back to Virginia (Chesterfield) three years ago. Nicole authored freelance articles for the various newspapers Drew served and for local businesses and nonprofits. In 2020, Drew left a 20-year sports news career to serve as Virginia capital region director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Richmond.

Nicole’s freelancing also included work for Richmond’s Rhudy & Co. Strategic Communications, where she has served for about 18 years. As the company grew, so did Nicole’s job. She is now a senior communications consultant. It was through Rhudy & Co. that she met our VPC President Sande Snead, who invited her to join the group.

Nicole says, “It’s a great opportunity for someone who hasn’t lived here in a long time to network with communicators in various fields.”

In her spare time, Nicole likes to read – particularly mysteries, thrillers and suspense. She loves the outdoors, including hiking, kayaking and working in the yard.

“This love of the outdoors comes from growing up on a farm,” she says.

Nicole enjoys cooking but abhors grocery shopping and all but the actual cooking. She particularly likes trying new recipes.

Having a large family, all of whom live near Danville, leads to many family get-togethers such as fish fries, cookouts and yard games.

Although she hasn’t traveled extensively, in fall 2019, she says she “had the fortune of being asked to go to Europe to visit missionaries to interview them on video and tell stories.” She traveled to Italy, Belarus, Germany and Switzerland.

“It’s been the highlight of my career so far,” she notes.

Nicole is busy planning a family trip to the Netherlands (where Drew’s family hails) in May. She will celebrate son Dalton’s graduation from college, daughter Abby’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees (received during the COVID pandemic), Nicole’s and Drew’s 50th birthdays and their 27th wedding anniversary, all of which occurred during the past three years.

Her faith is important to Nicole, who has always been active in her church community. Currently a member of Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond, Nicole notes, “We moved 13 times in 27 years across three states. Our faith community was important in providing continuity in our lives.”

Please join me in welcoming Nicole to VPC. Perhaps we will all get the chance to meet her in person at a future VPC event. It’s something delightful to anticipate.