Our Story | Artifcts

Artifcts \ Our Story

Our Story

“My mother was the initial inspiration for Artifcts. She passed away
unexpectedly several years ago. Like most of us, she had a lot of stuff.”
– Heather Nickerson, Co-founder and CEO

Following my mother’s death, I was frustrated because I had her stuff, but what I really wanted were her stories. The who, what, when, where, and why behind the objects. Why did she have a certain item? Where did it come from? When did she get it? Sadly, the objects could not tell her story. Only my mother could have done that, and she was no longer here.

That was the genesis of Artifcts—an overwhelming desire to ensure that anyone anywhere would have a safe and secure way to pass down stories, not just things.

As with any idea, Artifcts has evolved to become more than just a place to document the who, what, when, where, and why behind the objects in our lives. We’ve created and enabled a variety of features that allow our community members to capture small (and big) moments in time, connect with loved ones, and preserve the meaning behind the objects that speak to who we are and where we’ve been.

I invite you to join us as we bring heritage back and memories forward one object at a time. Share an Artifct with a friend or a loved one. Tell a story that hasn’t been told before. Go seek out more of those “I never knew that about you!” moments. Create, connect, inspire. It’s all doable here.

Happy Artifcting,

Co-founder and CEO

Well-behaved women seldom make history.

Founders Heather and Ellen grew up together at the CIA, sharing a common mission and gaining an appreciation for the value of information and security at work and at home. The pair went on to conquer the private sector, rising to executive positions while staying true to themselves and their families.

In a year unlike any other, they teamed up to build something entirely new; to create a secure space to preserve and share not only personal history, but world history, one Artifct at a time.

Our Founders

Heather Nickerson, CEO

@Heather

Prior to co-founding Artifcts, Heather served as Chief Growth & Strategy Officer of Red Five Holdings, Inc., and President of Red Five Privacy Labs, LLC. While at Red Five, she drove corporate growth, led corporate brand and service line marketing, and pursued new entrepreneurial lines of business.

Before joining Red Five, Heather served as an Intelligence Analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency, including serving as a briefer in a war zone tour in Afghanistan.

Heather holds a B.A. in International Relations from Brown University and a Masters of Economics from the London School of Economics. She is a member of the Economic Club of Washington, DC, and serves on the Board of the Association for Corporate Growth, National Capital. She is also an active Partner with NextGen Venture Partners.

HEATHER’S ARTIFCTS

Heather’s Artifcts collection includes a pair of well-loved hiking boots, three antique cookie cutters, and a handmade Istalif bowl acquired in Afghanistan.

Ellen Goodwin, CSO

@egoody

Prior to co-founding Artifcts, Ellen served as Chief Solutions Officer of Knoema. She managed Knoema’s largest strategic client engagements. As CSO, she also directed content solutions and client services in concert with her role helping to drive the corporate product roadmap.

Before joining Knoema, Ellen served as an Intelligence Analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency, including serving more than one year as a briefer to a cabinet level official.

Ellen holds a B.A. in Business and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Masters of Public Policy from Duke University. She is a member of the Chief executive network for women.

ELLEN’S ARTIFCTS

Ellen’s Artifcts collection includes a gold Christmas tree star passed down through her family, a trio of silver pennies that inspired an early appreciation of history, and a collection of Shel Silverstein poetry.