Choose Joy

About Nikia K. Vaughan
Advocate • Aesthetician • Author

Nikia K. Vaughan is a woman of deep purpose and unstoppable passion. A nationally recognized advocate for Sickle Cell Disease, a licensed aesthetician with an award-winning skincare brand, and now a published author, Nikia brings heart, healing, and hustle to every space she steps into.

As the Executive Director of the Maryland Sickle Cell Disease Association, Nikia leads with lived experience and strategic insight, shaping programs that change lives. Her work in healthcare advocacy has been featured on national platforms, and her leadership has helped close critical gaps in care for those living with SCD.

In the world of beauty, she’s the founder of NKVSKIN, a Baltimore-based skincare line that was voted Best Black-Owned Skincare Brand by the Baltimore Times two years running. Her products are as intentional as she is—clean, effective, and created to nourish both skin and confidence.

Now, with the release of her debut book, Grief and Joy: My Journey of Loss and Healing—A Guided Faith Journal for Reflection and Renewal, Nikia is sharing her most personal story yet. Written in the early morning hours between heartbreak and hope, this powerful journal is a testament to resilience, faith, and the beauty of healing out loud.

Whether she’s in boardrooms, treatment rooms, or writer’s rooms, Nikia shows up with authenticity, grace, and an unwavering commitment to making space for others to heal, grow, and thrive.

"I chose Joy."
~Nikia K. Vaughan