Culture & Lifestyle
Entrepreneur

An accomplished entrepreneur, Nikoa is a co-founder and managing partner of Counter Culture Hospitality Group formed in 2014 with hospitality veteran and Chef Brian Washington-Palmer. The company has owned and operated three restaurant brands: former La Bodega 47 Speakeasy, Sexy Taco NYC; and Ruby’s Vintage restaurant and bar. She also co-founded and served as managing director of NYC retail venture N Harlem NY. Evans received her B.A. in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. She is a recent keynote speaker for TED Talk and National Urban League’s Digital Career Success Series; and graduate of the premier civic leadership training program, Coro New York, produced in partnership with NYC Small Business Services. She is also a recipient of City & State’s “Responsible 100” award and was presented with a New York State Senate Proclamation by Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin (formerly NYS Senator) in honor of her exemplary service to the Harlem community and NY state. Nikoa is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and lives in New York City with her husband, Garrett Lee Hendricks, a writer, producer, and actor in theater, television, and film. They have an 9-year-old daughter named Zuri Alija.