Nichole Baxter
Director of Business Development, California American Water
This story is part of our July 2025 Young Professionals issue, photographed at Bradshaw Animal Shelter. To learn more about adopting at Bradshaw, click here.
Nichole Baxter, 36, didn’t just find her calling — she practically declared it in middle school. “I was the kid who talked to everyone,” she says. “Moving my seat never made me any quieter.” That innate gift for connection grew into a passion for public relations, setting her on a path that now sees her leading business development for California American Water, the state arm of the largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the country.
A graduate of San Diego State University with a degree in journalism and a minor in marketing, Baxter’s career has taken her through the worlds of political fundraising, health care, local government and now, utilities. Her team at CalAm focuses on identifying and partnering with communities in need of infrastructure investment and improved water system operations. “I truly find meaning in our mission to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to communities,” she says. “At its core, my job is about introducing CalAm to new communities and connecting with leaders to explain how our services can benefit their region.”
“At its core, my job is about introducing (California American Water) to new communities and connecting with leaders to explain how our services can benefit their region.”
Raised in the Sacramento region, Baxter returned after college to be close to family — and to build her own. She’s now the working parent in a single-income household, providing for her husband and two young children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. Her husband, who graduated from Sacramento State with a teaching degree during the pandemic, had always wanted to try being a stay-at-home parent, she says, and after “crunching the numbers” on the cost of specialized child care they realized it made more financial sense for him to stay home with their children than to go to work as a teacher.
“It was a pivotal moment for us,” Baxter says of the decision. “It completely unlocked a new level of motivation for me. Knowing that I’m working to support my family brings me an unparalleled sense of purpose.”
That drive was evident when Baxter served as communications officer for the City of Citrus Heights during the COVID-19 pandemic. The role “definitely taught me skills, in a baptism by fire way, that have continued to serve me well,” she says. She led an exhaustive communication strategy that included real-time health updates, vaccine outreach, support for local businesses and internal messaging — all while navigating the chaos of a public health crisis.
Outside of her CalAm role, Baxter is a passionate advocate for families of children with developmental disabilities and a self-deprecating golf enthusiast. “I started hitting the links last year,” she says. “You can catch me enjoying the bunkers and three-putting my way through the courses in Roseville.”
As she moves up in her field, Baxter takes care to mentor those who are coming up after her. “I believe that the greater Sacramento area has so much potential to be the birthplace of career and life aspirations, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out,” she says. “There’s room here for all of us to carve out our own space and take on big dreams.”
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