Human Capital Assistant Administrator

Jason Nelson was named the Assistant Administrator for Human Capital in February 2023. He is responsible for programs that empower TSA to hire, retain and optimally deploy a qualified workforce to support the agency’s counterterrorism mission and provide risk-based security for the nation’s transportation systems.

Nelson has nearly 30 years of extensive experience and expertise in human capital, strategic planning, and change management in the public, private and academic sectors. He previously served as the Federal Highway Administration’s Chief of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Automated Staffing Office, Executive Agent, Office of Human Resources. Nelson was responsible for human resources operations in classification and staffing for 10 DOT agencies and offices in all 50 states. He successfully oversaw the transition to a fully automated and electronic functioning human resources office.

Prior to joining DOT, Nelson served as the Chief of Human Resources Advisory Services for the Department of Energy. There, he provided direction and oversight of human capital consulting and shared service center operations to 23 customer organizations with a geographically dispersed population of over 4,000 employees.

Nelson also served in multiple executive leadership roles in human capital for the Department of Education and Department of State. He led teams of human resources specialists and contractors dedicated to providing a wide array of services to support human resources operations in organizational and employee development.

Nelson holds a Master’s degree in Adult Education from North Carolina State university and a Bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Albany. He also completed doctoral studies in Organizational and Leadership Development at Teacher's College of Columbia University.