Nicole Kurokawa is the former manager of Cato Institute's external relations. Previously she worked as a media manager in Cato's communication department. Prior to joining Cato, Nicole worked as a research assistant and coalition relations manager for FreedomWorks' Center for Global Economic Growth, and was a Koch summer fellow for both the Center for Financial Privacy and Human Rights and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Her work has been published in the American Spectator Online, Chicago Tribune, and Chicago Sun-Times. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois, and a master's of public policy from Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy (with a specialization in economic policy and foreign policy).