Nicolas Suarez: Empowering the Next Generation

Who is Nicolas Suarez?

I’m Nicolas Suarez, Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships and Youth Advocacy at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

I was born and raised in Florida, and I got involved in tobacco control when I was 12 or 13 years old. My mother smoked. As a kid, I vividly remember my mom going out to the patio, the packs of cigarettes, the smell.  And, over time, I watched as some of the debilitating health effects from tobacco started to unfold.

There comes a point where you ask yourself: Do I stand back and do nothing, or do I try to help save the person I love most in the world? I chose the latter. I got involved with Students Working Against Tobacco, a statewide coalition in Florida, and what started as a personal mission to help my mom quit smoking snowballed into something much larger. I started to understand that this wasn't just about one individual's behavior - this was about an industry that had spent decades deliberately targeting young people and vulnerable communities. That's what sparked my passion for public health advocacy at large.

Was this the career path you expected?

Not exactly. After years of youth advocacy, I wanted to explore what else was out there, so I went to Boston University and let myself follow the thread wherever it led. That took me to Senator Markey's office, then to his reelection campaign, then to a startup nonprofit where I served as field director, combining community organizing with public health outreach. It was a winding road, but looking back, every stop was building something. When a position opened at Tobacco-Free Kids, it felt less like a pivot and more like a homecoming.

What drives you to do this work?

I am very much driven by the people who invest in me and trust me, especially early on. Like my parents, who helped me to believe that if you have the skills and the platform to help, then you should use them. Or, like my coordinator early on in my youth advocacy work, Ms. Serena DeFrank, who trusted in me and nurtured my organizing skills. That's something I try to pay forward every day. We each have the capacity to do great things, but we do the greatest things when we do them together.

How would you describe your role to someone unfamiliar with public health advocacy?

I'm the connector and the conductor. On the youth advocacy side, I run our ambassador program — 20 to 25 incredible young advocates from across the country working on tobacco control. My job is to make sure they have the platforms, the spotlights and the opportunities to do the work they're already equipped to do. I'm not the one doing the ground-level advocacy, I'm just making sure they're positioned to shine. That also means supporting our Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, which mobilizes young people and organizations across the country every April 1st, and our Youth Advocate of the Year Award, which recognizes exemplary work from advocates around the world. I also work on the Youth Engagement Alliance — a joint program with Truth Initiative that supports the adults who work with young people.

What does a typical week look like?

No two days look the same, which is what keeps it energetic. Last week I was in Puerto Rico speaking at a summit on new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products. On any given day I might be working with partner organizations, jumping on an opportunity for a youth ambassador, or figuring out how to get a young advocate into the room with a decision maker. It's fluid, it's fast, and it's always meaningful.

What's the culture of work like at Tobacco-Free Kids?

We're all working toward the same goal — a future free of tobacco and nicotine industry influence — and every department has its specialized way of getting there. The collaboration that happens here is real and intentional. When the communications team is doing great work on social media, I'm thinking about how to highlight our youth ambassadors there. When the federal team is targeting a specific senator, I'm asking whether there's a young advocate in that district who should be in the room. 

And the people here have become my close friends. The connections I've made have helped me grow professionally and personally in ways I didn't expect.

What would you want a job candidate to know about the organization?

A few things. First, the organization is big — and I mean that in the best way. Our Global Health Advocacy Incubator works across a range of public health issues beyond tobacco: food and nutrition policy, drowning prevention, overdose prevention, and more. There is a wealth of knowledge and opportunity to grow here that goes well beyond what you might expect walking in the door.

Second, the people. I've made genuine friendships here that have shaped who I am.

And third - this is a public health nonprofit that is rooted in authenticity. That shows up in how the organization treats its people and the environment it creates for them.

Where do you hope this work takes you next?

Personally, I want to keep growing. I came in as an associate and I'm now an associate director, and that trajectory has come with a lot of trust from this organization. I take the responsibility of repaying that trust seriously. I want to keep expanding my skill set and taking on more.

As for the movement, the industry keeps evolving, and frankly, they're clever. We have to be just as adaptable, and I'm excited to see where we go. Despite an incredibly challenging environment over the past couple of years, we haven't just been playing defense — we've been playing offense, too. That's something I'm proud of, and something I want to see continue.

Tobacco-Free Kids has afforded me opportunities I couldn't have imagined for myself a few years ago. I've been on both ends — a young advocate who just wanted one chance to prove himself, and now someone who gets to create those chances for others. That full-circle moment keeps me motivated every single day.