Nikki Wood
Social Media, Marketing & Website

Born and raised in Mount Pleasant with Charleston roots that run deep, Nikki brings authentic local love to her role managing Friends of Santa's social media, marketing, and website. Her path to the organization is deeply personal: after surviving uterine cancer and being unable to have children of her own, kids have always been "VERY near and dear to my heart." When one of her best friends told her about this nonprofit and all the ways it gives back to the community, she was immediately in.

Nikki's Christmas enthusiasm is legendary. If she were a Christmas movie character, she'd absolutely be Buddy the Elf, and she means it. As she puts it, "that's how much I love Christmas and the sweetness of this time of year." Like Buddy's expertly curated meal plan of candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup, that's a person who has their priorities straight, and Nikki respects that. Even as a grown adult, she still gets that magical Christmas feeling and wants every child to experience that same excitement and love, no matter their family's financial circumstances.

As an SEO and website designer by profession, Nikki perfectly combines her technical skills with her passion for helping others. She and her husband Jay share their home with two cats, Gregg and Mae. Beyond Friends of Santa, Nikki also does marketing work for Step 1 Recovery Resources, a nonprofit that pays for drug and alcohol addiction treatment for Charleston area residents who can't afford it. Her favorite holiday tradition is gathering with family and friends during the season, reflecting on what's truly important in life.