Ambassador

Nicole Avant

Ambassador Nicole Avant was nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by The U.S. Senate to be the 13th Ambassador to The Bahamas. On September 9, 2009, she was sworn in by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton becoming the youngest as well as the first African American woman to hold the position. Avant’s successes in The Bahamas earned her a nomination for the Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service.

Since returning to private life, Avant has been recognized at the 20th Annual Trumpet Awards for her dedication to Public Diplomacy along with luminaries such as Mayor Cory Booker and Ted Turner. She was also given the Humanitarian Award by BESLA in October 2011. A former board member of Girls Inc., she was honored with a Women of Achievement award in 2014. Last year, Nicole was awarded the Spirt of Compassion Award by UNICEF.

Avant produced the documentary “The Black Godfather” after collecting stories about her father’s influence on dozens of the world’s most high profile entertainers, athletes and politicians. The film charts the exceptional and unlikely rise of Clarence Avant, a music executive whose trailblazing behind-the-scenes accomplishments impacted the legacies of icons such as Bill Withers, Quincy Jones, Muhammad Ali, Hank Aaron, and Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Driven by a sense of equality, loyalty, and justice, Clarence Avant left the Jim Crow south behind to emerge as a powerhouse negotiator at a time when deep-seated racism penetrated every corner of America.

As a public speaker, Nicole has given talks around the globe at various conferences and events including at the Brilliant Minds Foundation.

Ambassador Avant lives in Los Angeles with her husband Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer, and is the proud stepmother of Tony and Sarah Sarandos.