Nikki Tinker is a respected leader in the Memphis community, currently serving as General Counsel and Vice President of Labor Relations for Northwest Airlink/Pinnacle Airlines. She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, and licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C., Tennessee and Alabama. 

In 2006, Nikki Tinker started at 2% in a field of 15 candidates in the race to replace Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. By election day, she had moved into second place, besting the next best candidate by 13 points and finishing just behind Steve Cohen. 

During her 2006 campaign, Tinker received multiple endorsements, including the Afro American Police Association, Airline Pilots Association, EMILYs List, Future PAC, Women Under 40 PAC, and the United Steelworkers of America. 

Prior to running for the Ninth Congressional District seat, Nikki Tinker served as campaign manager to Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.’s successful campaigns. 

As a community activist, and deeply devoted to issues surrounding women and children, Nikki has served on the Board of Directors of the Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis. Through her work with the Salvation Army and the Junior League of Memphis she has volunteered her time to improve the lives of chemically addicted women with children. She also works with Memphis Ten Point Coalition in improving literacy skills and mentoring to children in areas of the city that have high crime percentages. Through her church, Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, and various other non-profit agencies, she has mentored and tutored young adults and teenagers and assisted them in preparing for and applying for college, as well as given her time to deliver food to the elderly. Nikki’s civic affiliations are too numerous to name. However, notably she serves on the Executive Committee of the Memphis and Shelby County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Boards of the Orpheum Theatre, The Rise Foundation, Girl’s Inc, Methodist Hospital’s Neuroscience Institute, and has been legal advisor to the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission, just to name a few. 

Raised by a single parent, Nikki worked her way through the University of Alabama with jobs as a waitress and as a hotel front desk clerk, going on to complete an M.S. at Auburn. She earned her J.D. at the University of Alabama law school, where she was the first African-American elected president of the law school student body. 

Tinker is an active member of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.