Welcoming Grass Valley postmaster, Nicole Schoppe

“It’s a very physical job,” Schoppe said after being observed helping someone with an oversized box.

As Grass Valley’s new postmaster, Schoppe said she wants to, “make the Grass Valley Post Office the best post office around and a great place to work.”

Schoppe currently is responsible for scheduling 72 employees and coordinating 30 routes out of the East Main Street location.

“I’m very dedicated to the people I serve. I work 80-plus hours a week, delivering Amazon packages on Saturdays and Sundays,” Schoppe said.

Schoppe has been the postmaster since May 2022 and a swearing-in ceremony is slated for February. The East Main Street location handles thousands of pieces of mail daily and the lobby is almost always busy, according to Schoppe.

“I worked my way up from the bottom over a six-year time period. I worked hard. Starting out, I worked at Cedar Ridge for two years, then in Grass Valley for four more,” Schoppe said.

Schoppe earned a degree in environmental science education and exotic animal training from the Exotic Animal Training and Management program at Moorpark College.

Schoppe, her children, Michaela and Harrison, and her partner, David Korn, manage the Hidden Gait Ranch where they train horses and provide horse riding lessons.

“I needed a career change after training horses for 30 years,” Schoppe said.

Schoppe also coaches a drill team called “Gait Squad,” who perform at the Nevada County Fair.

“I trained horses professionally, competing both nationally and internationally. Now my family has turned our talents to the local community by turning our ranch into a haven for horses of all ages and providing an assortment of services from horseback riding lessons to barefoot rehabilitation,” according to Schoppe.

Schoppe grew up in Copperopolis, but moved to Grass Valley in 2010 where her father and brother also reside.

“To be honest, the mail and parcels could not be delivered without the hard work and commitment of my dedicated staff. I give all the credit of our success to my 72+ employees that work in the summer heat, rain (which we have had a lot of lately!), sleet and snow! I consider myself blessed to have the support of my two Supervisors: Lance Pauly and Jenny Miner. They work tirelessly to make sure that the delivery and retail operations continue without a hitch every day,” Schoppe wrote in a follow-up email.

Schoppe added, “I look forward to meeting with any of those in our community who may be interested in starting a career with USPS. I believe teamwork makes the dream work. If anyone has questions about USPS Careers, they can always call me, 530-273-3429 or visit www.usps.com/careers.”