Jordan Nelms was selected as the first Senior Executive Service Team Leader of National Incident Management Assistance Team – Homeland Security (NIMAT-HS). In this role, Jordan is building a program focused on supporting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other lead Federal agencies during incidents that fall outside of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) traditional Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) mission. Since joining FEMA in 2014, Jordan has deployed to some of the Nation’s most consequential incidents, having served on five different IMATs and a counterterrorism team. He has led teams to develop innovative and novel solutions in response to a variety of high-profile national challenges, including the Flint, MI water crisis, temporary emergency power in Puerto Rico following hurricane María, the caring for unaccompanied children crossing the southwest border, the medical supply chain during the response to COVID-19, and preparing for the consequences of asymmetric attacks from nation-state adversaries.
Jordan began his career in emergency management as a consultant for James Lee Witt Associates, providing contract support to state and local governments, the private sector, and the Federal Government. He came to FEMA by way of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency where he led the state’s planning across all mission areas and within the state emergency operations center. He began his Federal Service as the Planning Section Chief for Region II’s IMAT in New York before transitioning to National IMAT – Blue. Prior to his appointment as Team Leader for the NIMAT-HS, he also served as the Senior Counselor to the Administrator of FEMA where he provided policy and operations advice on a broad portfolio of FEMA programs. Additionally, he advised the Secretary of DHS as a Counselor for emergency management and continuity. Before joining the Office of the Administrator at FEMA, Jordan was the Senior Advisor to the FEMA’s Assistant Administrator for Field Operations during the pivot to a hybrid field office work environment.
Mr. Nelms is an East Carolina University Pirate and has studied disaster management, homeland security, national security, and terrorism at the graduate level through the University of South Florida, St. Andrews University, and John’s Hopkins University. He is also a civilian graduate of the U.S. Army Command and a General Staff Officers Course.