Mike Nelson is Vice President at the Council on Competitiveness, where he supports the organization’s marketing and communications, policy agenda, and programmatic workstreams, including the "National Commission on Innovation & Competitiveness Frontiers," the “Competitiveness Conversations Across America” series, the advanced biotechnology initiative, the Technology Leadership and Strategy Initiative, and the Council Fellows program.
Before joining the Council, Mike spent 15 years as a leader at national strategic communications firms, where he led branding, strategic communications, and advertising campaigns for dozens of science and technology-focused clients. His work has had significant national impact, such as leading the Semiconductor Industry Association’s ad campaign in support of the CHIPS & Science Act, the 2020 Decennial Census recruitment campaign, and Virginia’s bid for Amazon HQ2. Mike also led Avoq’s Interactive Practice, overseeing the development of websites, digital tools, and mobile applications. He has received numerous advertising and communications industry awards, including PR Week’s 2022 Best In Public Affairs and the 2021 Effie Government & Public Service Gold Award.
Mike holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a Bachelor of Business from Western Illinois University, where he played soccer.
