Nickeyea Wilkinson-Pickett

SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI

Nickeyea Wilkinson-Pickett ‘13

Nickeyea Wilkinson-Pickett was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jamaican parents. As a child, she was introduced to the healthcare profession by watching her grandmother work day and night caring for others as a nurse. For many years, Nickeyea believed that she would follow her grandmother’s footsteps by becoming a healthcare professional, specifically, a neurosurgeon. Nickeyea’s career choice shifted in high school while enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) Political Science. AP Political Science exposed Nickeyea to countless career paths, including the practice of law. She brought the idea of becoming a lawyer to her AP teacher, Mr. Walsh. As fate would have it, Mr. Walsh nominated Nickeyea to a program that gives underrepresented students an opportunity to shadow Willkie Farr & Gallagher attorneys. This program shaped the course of Nickeyea’s life. Fast forward two decades, Nickeyea is now an attorney with expertise in business partnerships and commercial transactions. She is called upon to advise on complex issues at the intersection of data privacy, healthcare equality, research, intellectual property (IP), diversification, and compliance.

Nickeyea has expansive knowledge in healthcare, technology and innovation, privacy and data security, and sales and marketing. Currently, Nickeyea is Senior Counsel, US Legal Operations- Respiratory at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). In her role, Nickeyea supports assets in GSK’s robust respiratory portfolio by serving as a key legal advisor on commercial activities in the US market. She focuses on the promotion, sale, and marketing of primary care medicines.

Nickeyea enjoys partnering with technology innovators and stakeholders to find the appropriate way to navigate the risks. Prior to GSK, Nickeyea was counsel at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC). While there, she served as the lead counsel and subject matter expert to multiple cross-functional teams, including Blue Cross NC’s award-winning Innovation Garage. Additionally, Nickeyea supported several key initiatives focused on improving the overall health of individuals across North Carolina, including a 3.2 million investment from Blue Cross NC that provides resources to UNC Health to conduct a groundbreaking clinical study to address non-medical drivers of health, like food insecurity.

In her spare time, Nickeyea enjoys working on art pieces in various mediums; spending time with her husband, family, and friends; and participating in community-based initiatives.

SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI

Oneshia Herring ‘10 Named Deputy Director for Civil Rights

Oneshia Herring was recently named the Deputy Director in the Office for Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She works to ensure that federal funds are being used to promote equity and are not financing illegal discrimination. Before working with OJP, Oneshia worked in DOJ’s Civil Rights Division as a Senior Counsel in the Office of the Assistant Attorney General and a Senior Trial Attorney in the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. She diligently worked to advance the Division’s priorities. She handled several high-profile fair housing and fair lending matters resulting in roughly 7 million dollars in relief to aggrieved persons. Oneshia also serves as the Chair of the DOJ Association of Black Attorneys.

In the years before DOJ, Oneshia was a Policy Counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending. She worked with state and federal lawmakers, regulators, and partners to draft and enact laws that promote fair and equitable lending practices for low-income persons and communities of color. She started her career on Capitol Hill as Counsel for the U.S. Senate Housing, Banking, and Urban Affairs Committee through the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellowship Program.

A National Bar Association 40 Under 40 Award recipient, Oneshia is involved in several civic organizations, including the National Bar Association, Washington Bar Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Kid Power. This organization works to inspire youth leadership through academics, civic engagement, health and wellness, and mentoring in Washington, District of Columbia.

Oneshia Herring earned a Bachelor of Science from the Florida State University, a Master of Arts from the University of Central Florida, and a Juris Doctor from the NCCU School of Law. She is a North Carolina State Bar member and lives in Prince George County, Maryland.