Nicole Collier is a respected attorney, small business owner, grandmother and mother of three who has spent her life working to obtain the American Dream. Nicole was raised in a family with vision and a dedication to service. Her grandfather, Walter B. Johnson, Sr., a World War II veterans, started his career as a hostler for a local railroad company, and later went on to work for the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing as a janitor. After years of hard work and determination, Walter rose to become one of the first African-American plate printers at the Bureau, landing him on the front cover of Jet Magazine.
Nicole’s father, Rolland Johnson, Jr., started working at the Bureau following a tour in the U.S. Navy. While attending Howard University in Washington, D. C., Rolland had worked nights an apprentice plate printer, and eventually retired as one of the foremost printers in the organization. Both Rolland and his father Walter were proud members of the plate printer’s union. Meanwhile, Nicole’s mother, Shirley Johnson, dedicated her life to serving children in many youth ministries and caring not only for her children and grandchildren but for many local neighborhood children.
Nicole herself was born with the same vision and determination as her predecessors. As a single mother before finishing high school, she was bolstered by both her faith and her family to continue her education all the way through law school graduation. Nicole graduated from the University of Houston and married her soulmate Gary “Big C” Collier shortly thereafter. Gary and Nicole established their home in Fort Worth, Texas, and for the last fourteen years, Nicole has been a strong legal advocate for individuals and families in the Texas court systems and has now taken her skills to the state capitol.
Nicole is the first African American woman to represent House District 95 in Tarrant County.
In the 84th Texas Legislature, Representative Collier serves as Vice-Chair of the General Investigating and Ethics Committee and a member of the Select Committee of Federal Environmental Regulation, Public Health, Business and Industry Committees, and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus appointed her as their second Vice President. She has introduced legislation relating to animal encounter training for police officers, banning the sale of e-cigarette to minors, expanding eligibility for health care under the Affordable Care Act, increasing investment in Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs), and consumer protection bills concerning notice of major defects for certain used cars.
Finally, Representative Collier joyfully welcomed the newest addition to her family— granddaughter Hazel Grace — in February 2015.