Nikki Thacker is a member of Reed Smith LLP’s Virginia Government Relations team and regularly engages with state and local governments on behalf of clients, and crafts innovative solutions to help clients solve issues within state and local government. 

Before joining Reed Smith, Nikki held various leadership roles within the Virginia state government. In her most recent role, she served as the Chief Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth, where she led the recruitment, selection, and ethics compliance of appointed leadership within the governor’s office and all of the state’s executive agencies. In preparation for inauguration and the new administration, Nikki was tapped to serve as deputy director of the transition team, where she provided strategic leadership for policy, personnel, and operations. Before joining the governor’s office, she spent eight years working for members of the Virginia General Assembly. 

In 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nikki co-founded a local chapter of Frontline Foods – a division of the World Central Kitchen – and helped raise funds to support local restaurants and restaurant workers while providing meals to frontline emergency health care services providers, including hospital workers, local police, and EMTs.

Nikki received her master’s degree in political science from American University and her B.A. in political science from James Madison University.

A Virginia native, Nikki now lives in the city of Richmond. In her free time, Nikki enjoys walks around the city with her dog, Edwin; she is an avid reader and a frequent yogi at her local hot yoga studio.

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