Nikki DuBose

Nikki DuBose, born Tara Nicole DuBose on March 21, 1985, is an American model, actress, host, and mental health advocate. She is also the founder of Live ED Free, an eating disorder recovery coaching service, and serves as an ambassador for mental health initiatives.

DuBose was born in Charleston, South Carolina. She earned a B.A. in psychology from California Southern University and pursued further education toward a doctorate degree in psychology at Meridian University.

DuBose began her professional career in modeling. Throughout her time in the industry, she was photographed for several major publications, including Maxim, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Glamour.

In 2016, DuBose published her first book, a memoir titled Washed Away: From Darkness to Light. The publication detailed her personal experiences working within the modeling industry and examined the impact her career had on her mental health. That same year, she publicly disclosed in an interview with People that she faced sexual harassment and assault while working as a model, factors that intensified her eating disorders.

DuBose expanded her career into public advocacy, focusing on mental health, industry regulation, and victim rights. In 2016, she supported a California bill proposing a ban on the use of anorexic models. In January 2017, media outlets such as the New York Daily News and the Times Union covered her work alongside Senator Brad Hoylman at the New York State Capitol advocating for the Omnibus Child Victims Act (S809) to assist survivors seeking legal recourse. Additionally, ahead of New York Fashion Week in 2017, she joined 35 other models in signing an open letter to the fashion industry criticizing the promotion of extreme thinness and calling for a focus on health.

DuBose has shared her recovery story and discussed issues related to the unregulated modeling industry across various media platforms, including appearances on CBS LA, The T.D. Jakes Show, and The Doctors. In her organizational roles, she served as a Celebrity Ambassador for the United Kingdom-based nonprofit The Shaw Mind Foundation. She later became an Ambassador for Darkness to Light, a Charleston-based nonprofit dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse. In 2021, she established the recovery coaching service Live ED Free.