“Take chances as often as the opportunity arises and push yourself harder than you ever have before.”

When Nicole Marsel isn’t out seeking adventure in Tahoe’s natural playground, she is either working hard as the Events & Fundraising Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe or hosting the Tuesday morning show, Tahoe Today. Originally from the midwest, Nicole moved to Tahoe spontaneously to seek professional and personal opportunities and has found her home in the South Shore.

Congratulations to this week’s 40 under 40 honoree, Nicole Marsel!

Can you tell us a little about your responsibilities and accomplishments in your current position?

Working for a nonprofit means my job has many roles, which keeps my days busy! As the Events & Fundraising Director for The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe a few things I’m in charge of are managing our websites and social media, growing and maintaining donor relationships and planning our awesome fundraising events. If golf is your game, I highly recommend signing up for our 26th Annual Golf Classic this year that will be on October 14th at Edgewood! Tahoe Brewfest is our largest event for the Club which all my blood, sweat and tears go into. We have grown Tahoe Brewfest from a small event in Cold Water Brewery’s parking lot to a 4,000-attendee event at Heavenly’s Cal Lodge with over 40 breweries and received an Honorable Mention at this past year’s Blue Ribbon Awards! This year we sold out for the first time and have received great feedback from everyone in the community as well as from those who traveled across the country to visit for the weekend.

I’m also the Tuesday Morning Show Host on Lake Tahoe Television’s Tahoe Today! It is a blast sharing what’s going on in and around Lake Tahoe with viewers in Sacramento and Mammoth all the way to Reno. Hosting a live morning show definitely keeps me on my toes. It has been a wonderful way to meet local business owners, chat with local nonprofits, stay ‘in the know’ with local events and gives me a great platform to share more about what The Boys & Girls Club is all about!

What has been your favorite professional moment in the last year?

Executing our 3rd annual Tahoe Brewfest, my second, and selling out for the first time has been an adrenaline rush this year and an event I will never forget! I have to say; nothing is as fulfilling as pouring your heart and soul into something for months and seeing it come together so beautifully with a great team behind you. I am definitely looking forward to next year!

Do you have a professional/life mantra that you live by?

Take chances as often as the opportunity arises and push yourself harder than you ever have before.

This next one is a big one too: In Junior High my mom left a note on my bedroom desk when my room was in disarray, more like a hurricane swept through, and it has stuck with me for over 20 years: “Unclutter your room and it will unclutter your life and your mind.” I still live by this and it’s 100% true!

Who is your role model?

I’m not sure if my dad or my brother Ryan will ever know how much they’ve influenced where I am today.
There’s so much to list about my dad but what sums it up the best happened at his funeral three years ago. The amount of people who came, who have either known my dad since they were kids or even from his first job out of college was an impressive number. SO many of them said he was the one person to brighten their day. They said he was an amazing guy, who was so personable and never forgot anyone’s face or name. The amount of men who said my dad was one of their best friends was unbelievable. I hope someday I can leave such a huge mark on so many people’s lives. You learn so much about your parents beyond them just being ‘your parents’ as you get older.
Watching my little brother marry the love of his life, become a dad, advance in his career and continue to be our family’s rock since my dad passed has been amazing. He keeps chaos at bay when everyone’s worlds come crashing down, reminds me to breathe and that nothing is worth letting stress take over your world.

I try to be more like both of them every single day of my life.

Why choose Tahoe to make your home and career?

Ending up in Tahoe 4 ½ years ago was completely spontaneous and I wouldn’t change a thing! I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, traveled the country working the NASCAR circuit over 250 days a year and wanted a change of scenery. I ended up moving to Las Vegas on a whim to bartend at the Hard Rock’s crazy Rehab Pool party, while still traveling with the racing circuit. While Vegas was beautiful with so many gorgeous bike rides and hikes, it was HOT. I ended up with the opportunity to move to Tahoe to open the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino here. I had no idea what to expect, thought I could ‘causally’ bike around the lake and loved that I would be minutes away from snowboarding. Little did I know that moving here would give me so many opportunities to advance my career in both events and television, as well as learning that there is no such thing as a ‘casual’ bike ride around the lake. I have fallen in love with every inch of Tahoe and could not be happier that taking a chance and leaving the Midwest would make my heart so fulfilled!

Are you active in any volunteer roles or community groups?

I am a Chamber Ambassador for the Tahoe Chamber and enjoy volunteering at their community events and meeting amazing business owners in South Lake Tahoe. I also volunteered with Grad Night as a Craps Dealer and definitely had to do some studying! Working at The Boys & Girls Club has also given me so many opportunities to raise money for the kids in Tahoe and have a part in providing them with a safe, enriching environment when school is out!

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I love adrenaline and adventure so living here gives me the opportunity to enjoy my favorite outdoor activities all year long. Outside of work, I am almost as busy as during the work week! Mountain biking, wake surfing and snowboarding are at the very top of my list. I also play soccer, volleyball, softball and hockey, which has kept me surrounded with some amazing people who have a healthy work-life balance.

Where are your favorite South Shore stomping grounds

Free Bird is one of my favorite places to start the day with; their Vanilla Mate Chai is delicious! Heading to the Bijou Bike Park to practice their small jumps is always a great time, Northstar and Corral for downhill mountain biking, Sierra-at-Tahoe during the winter and Regan Beach to play volleyball with friends are also amongst my favorites. Waterfalls and hot springs need to make regular appearances in my life; they provide a calming atmosphere to Zen out to when life gets busy. Last but not least, La Promesa is my go-to lunchtime taco stop and catching our amazing Tahoe Sunsets from anywhere is a must.

Do you know a deserving young professional? Nominate them here.