Nicole Nash of Bloomfield, Kentucky, joined the Archery Trade Association in November 2014 to help introduce retailers to the ATA’s Retail Growth Initiative, which helps retailers develop recreational archery opportunities in their communities.
She currently serves as the ATA’s manager of range and retail programs and plays a crucial role in several ATA initiatives, including the Archery Park Guide and Retail Growth Initiative. Nash is also a presenter at the Trade Show Academy Seminars.
Nash is the main contact for the Archery Park Guide, which helps cities, counties, and states develop safe, accessible archery facilities in their communities. In addition, she keeps track of the progress retailers trained in the Retail Growth Initiative have made, and helps them develop websites and digital assets.
Along with the ATA’s Kurt Smith, Nash serves as a liaison to the ATA’s Retail Council. She takes notes, organizes meeting logistics, and updates Council members.
Nash works closely with ATA-member retailers to help them develop recreational and next-step archery programs and opportunities in their communities. She helps archery shops offer archery classes, corporate events, educational programs like Explore Bowhunting and Explore Bowfishing, and other experienced-based events for archers. She provides tools to help retailers adapt their business model to become more prosperous. She is also developing specialized archery range materials based off the ATA’s Archery Park Guide for retailers, state wildlife agencies, parks and recreation departments and others.
Nash is certified as a USA Archery NTS-Level 3 coach. She is also certified as an instructor for hunter education, Project Wild, and Explore Bowhunting. In 2010, Nash received the Kentucky Colonel Award: the highest honor bestowed by the commonwealth of Kentucky.
Nash is a lifelong outdoorswoman, and credits her father with instilling her passion for hunting and fishing at an early age. She began shooting archery at 22 and spends as much time in the woods and on the water as possible, pursuing deer, waterfowl, turkeys, frogs, crappies, and bluegills. She often mentors youth hunts for deer and turkeys; and enjoys sketching, painting, gardening and cooking.
Nash and her husband, Josh, welcomed their first child, Nicholas, in July 2018. Nicole has said that she bowfished and turkey hunted while she was pregnant, and his nursery is even decorated with an outdoor theme. The couple also owns two dogs: a black Labrador and a Chihuahua mix.
Nash graduated in 2010 from St. Catharine College in Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, with a minor in psychology; and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and liberal arts-natural sciences. Before being hired by the ATA, Nicole worked for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources as a conservation educator in Frankfort. In that role, she helped organize and conduct fishing activities and field trips for Scouts, 4-H and church groups, at-risk youths, and several civic organizations. In 2012 she was hired by the ATA as a contractor to help research and develop Explore Bowfishing.