Nuceka Chatman is an executive leader with more than 25 years of experience building innovative educational, workforce development, and human services programs that create measurable impact for individuals, organizations, and communities.
Throughout her career, she has led transformational initiatives across nonprofit organizations, higher education, and the federal workforce system, specializing in organizational leadership, strategic planning, program development, operations, community partnerships, talent development, and organizational growth. Her passion is designing systems that expand opportunities while empowering individuals to achieve greater independence, workforce success, and long-term quality of life.
As the Special Programs and Education Division Director for A New Leaf, Nuceka provides executive leadership for a diverse portfolio of educational and community-based programs serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and autism. She oversees strategic planning, operations, admissions and enrollment, compliance, budgeting, staff development, quality improvement, and program innovation while ensuring services advance independence, workforce readiness, and meaningful community inclusion.
Among her most significant accomplishments is the development of Oklahoma's first licensed two-year residential life and workforce skills academy for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities—a pioneering model that prepares students for independent living, competitive integrated employment, and lifelong success. She also played an instrumental role in helping develop Oklahoma's first Alternative High School Diploma pathway for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, expanding educational access and improving postsecondary and employment opportunities for neurodiverse individuals throughout the state.
Prior to joining A New Leaf, Nuceka dedicated more than 18 years to the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Corps Program, where she held progressive leadership roles overseeing workforce development, career services, outreach and admissions, residential operations, human resources, leadership development, employer engagement, and organizational change. During her tenure, she led high-performing multidisciplinary teams while cultivating strategic partnerships with employers, educational institutions, government agencies, and community organizations to strengthen workforce pipelines and improve participant outcomes.
In addition to her executive leadership, Nuceka serves as an Adjunct Professor at Tulsa Community College, where she teaches courses that prepare students for college, independent living, and successful transitions into adulthood. She is widely recognized as a respected advocate and thought leader in Oklahoma's transition services landscape, collaborating with state agencies, schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations to bridge the gap between education, independent living, and workforce development for individuals with disabilities.
Nuceka earned a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications—Sales and Management from Ball State University and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a specialization in Public Administration from Northcentral University. She also holds multiple professional certifications in instructional education, workforce development, and behavioral health.
A committed servant leader, Nuceka actively invests in her profession and community through leadership in civic, educational, and service organizations. She serves on multiple advisory councils supporting transition initiatives for individuals with disabilities and is a Life Member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, where she has held regional and chapter leadership positions. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and the belief that sustainable organizations are built by investing in people, cultivating future leaders, and creating strategic partnerships that strengthen communities and transform lives.
