Photo credit: Daniel Wakefield, Top-Tier Headshots
Nicole Rudner (DBA ’25, MBA ’12), director of engagement at TerraLex, an association of law firms, is neither an artist nor a therapist, yet she joined the Art Therapy Credentials Board, which sets standards for and certifies art therapy practitioners. “I’ve been able to advise on and apply business and not-for-profit best practices in a completely different sector,” she said, noting she helped refine the group’s governance while learning how art supports healing.
The experience reflects Rudner’s approach to life and work: remain curious, openminded and willing to pursue opportunity. She brings that mindset to TerraLex, a Miami-based nonprofit that connects member law firms with companies needing legal representation across jurisdictions and specialties. “We are very collaborative,” Rudner said, explaining that firms across U.S. cities and countries from England and Japan to Mexico and Saudi Arabia may work together on a single matter.
“My role is really engaging members so that the individuals in the firm and the firm as a whole are utilizing the network and getting value from their membership,” she said. Recently, launching AI initiatives for TerraLex’s 140-plus members in more than 120 countries has been a central focus.
“When an opportunity would come up, I would raise my hand. I prefer to be open to possibilities, things I couldn’t have imagined for myself, rather than any specific outcome. That approach has served me well.”
— Nicole Rudner
Rudner earned a BBA from the University of Miami and began her career as a marketing assistant at Hogan Lovells US LLP before gaining nonprofit experience at The Pankey Institute. She later joined GrayRobinson as business development manager prior to moving to TerraLex. “It is a great space where I get to use my experiences and skill sets from both the legal and not-for-profit sectors.”
She completed an MBA at FIU in 2012 and a Doctorate in Business Administration in 2025. Rudner said she chose the DBA over a law degree because of the program’s evidence-based, cross-sector approach, adding that the program equips students with sophisticated problem-solving skills applicable across industries.
In addition to the Art Therapy Credentials Board, Rudner serves on the board of the Expansive Woman Project, which supports women’s leadership.
Reaching outward, she said, has defined her path. “When an opportunity would come up, I would raise my hand. I prefer to be open to possibilities, things I couldn’t have imagined for myself, rather than any specific outcome. That approach has served me well.”
Family time with her husband and young children remains a priority, along with strength training. “It forces me to be present in the moment,” she said.