David W. Nelson Email & Phone Number

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for America's $1T restaurant industry, comprising over 1M foodservice and hospitality outlets and a workforce of more than 15.5M employees--America's second-largest, private sector employer. As one of the country's largest trade associations, it represents the industry in Washington, DC, and advocates on its behalf. The Association supports the industry's largest trade show, leads in food safety training and certification, and develops career-building educational curricula.- Hold supervisory responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the CEO’s office; lead the execution of the CEO’s priorities and initiatives- As a senior adviser and direct report to the CEO, conduct confidential briefings on the highest-level activities from across the enterprise, highlighting hotspots and situations requiring special attention; forward-plan the CEO’s time commitments to align with strategic objectives- Oversee the planning and implementation of a $3.5M annual Executive Office operating budget in support of the $115M enterprise- Serve as the principal liaison between the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and board officers, enhancing communication and information flow - Draft executive-level correspondence, talking points, and other communications in coordination with the Vice President of Communications- Ensure critical staff issues are addressed properly, efficiently, and judiciously; with superior discretion, track progress and brief the CEO- Supervise the CEO’s Executive Assistant and provide strategic leadership and professional development support to ensure their success

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Founded in 1956, Spencer Stuart is one of the peeminent global leadership advisory and executive search firms. With over 70 offices in more than 30 countries, Spencer Stuart is the firm of choice for some of the world's largest and most recognizable brands. Among its industry-leading services include CEO succession planning, executive assessment, leadership advising, board recruitment, and DEI, sustainability, and digital transformation initiatives. Spencer Stuart's Hospitality & Leisure Practice conducts more C-level and board searches for hospitality and leisure companies than any other firm and maintains intimate knowledge of industry trends based on hands-on experience working with hotel and resort companies, restaurant and foodservice outlets, and travel and tourism businesses.- Identified, assessed, and placed CEOs and other C-level executives in the hotel, restaurant, and travel sectors of the hospitality industry- Provided clients an informed perspective on the market and how candidates match against rigorous selection criteria- Contributed to critical phases of each executive search, including client meetings, position specifications, and executive assessments- Combined industry knowledge, assessment abilities, and interpersonal skills to deliver extraordinary service and value to clients

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

The Office of the Vice President is comprised of White House staff who directly support and advise the Vice President of the United States. The Deputy Social Secretary, together with the Social Secretary and Residence Manager, oversees the day-to-day operation of the Vice President's Residence and leverages the house to carry out the Second Family's hospitality duties. - Developed and executed highest-level visits hosted by the Vice President of the United States and Second Gentleman at the Vice President’s Residence, including those of H.E. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, H.M. King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, and other chiefs of state, heads of government, diplomats, military officers, and business leaders; advised the Second Family on protocol matters related thereto- Together with the Social Secretary and Residence Manager, directed the day-to-day tactical operation of the Residence, including management of the Residence calendar and operating budget; instituted records management and inventory procedures pursuant to Presidential Records Act- Indirectly supervised a team of 10 Naval Enlisted Aides to the Vice President and their duties, including meal preparation and travel support- Oversaw all visitor access to the Residence compound; served as principal liaison with U.S. Secret Service Vice Presidential Protective DivisionSteered the prioritization of maintenance work led by U.S. Naval Observatory Facilities to preserve the nineteenth-century house and grounds- Drafted talking points and correspondence for the Second Family; facilitated private family visits with superior discretion

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Held supervisory responsibility for the day-to-day tactical operation of the CEO’s office; led the execution of the CEO’s priorities and initiatives- Project-managed the highly confidential succession planning and search for a new CEO; EVP, Public Affairs; and Director, Board Operations- Represented the CEO on the enterprise-wide COVID-19 Crisis Communications and Return to Work Task Forces; briefed the CEO regularly- Supervised the CEO’s Executive Assistant and provided strategic leadership and professional development support to ensure their success

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Led the Association’s day-to-day board and governance functions; served as principal staff liaison to 150+ board members and staff executives - Ensured continuity of essential governance functions during a critical period of CEO succession planning; directly managed a team of four staff- Planned and produced the Association’s first-ever virtual board meeting; developed comprehensive contingency communications plan- Executed the Association’s first-ever virtual vote to approve a new CEO; orchestrated new CEO’s role in their inaugural board meeting

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Overhauled the Executive Office expenses by systematizing records and developing long-range forecasts; came in under budget by 3%- Developed and implemented an expanded role for the CEO’s Executive Assistant; leveraged trainings and resources to grow team efficiency- Ideated and instituted a cloud-based, shared schedule tracker to consolidate, standardize, and deconflict meeting requests for the CEO- Introduced executive communication protocols and trained leadership and department heads on system flow and review processes

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

The Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States represents the Swiss government in the United States. They oversee the work of the Embassy in Washington and of consulates and representations throughout the United States. The staff of the Ambassador’s office ensure the Ambassador can execute their daily schedule by managing access, communication, protocol, and events on their behalf.- Directed the day-to-day tactical operation of the Ambassador’s Office and the day-to-day functional operation of the Ambassador’s Residence- As a senior adviser and direct report to the Ambassador, ideated, developed, and implemented the Embassy’s first internal communications strategy to consolidate and disseminate critical programmatic information to departments, including security, facilities, and Residence- Maintained the Embassy’s relationships with key external partners, including the U.S. Administration, U.S. Congress, businesses, think tanks, universities, trade associations, and other embassies, as well as regulatory and government relations teams in the private sector- Steered multiple Residence modernization projects, including an IT and A/V overhaul, to meet the needs of a 21st century diplomatic mission- Promoted by the Ambassador to a position of greater responsibility and oversight after repeated achievements in process efficiency, resource management, and operational strategy; managed directly the Ambassador’s Office Associate and indirectly 12 Residence and grounds staff

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Conceptualized, planned, and executed over 250 official engagements and highest-level visits for more than 3,000 guests annually, including senior U.S. and Swiss officials, diplomats, and other government, military, and business leaders; trained and advised staff on diplomatic protocol- Specifically led the Ambassador’s Office, Residence, and Communications teams, as well as the Operations Task Force, to modernize the Embassy’s operational directives, brand usage, visitor communications, and security procedures; documented and archived all system changes- Cultivated the Embassy’s unique relationship with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne—ranked among the world’s premiere hospitality management schools and located in Lausanne, Switzerland—and selected, trained, and supervised a series of six-month academic associates in hospitality

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

The National Archives Foundation is an independent nonprofit that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of the country's heritage, and encourages citizen engagement in democracy. As the National Archives' nonprofit partner, the Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America's records to people around the U.S. and the world.- Managed onsite programs, arrival/departure logistics, and briefings for over 300 highest-level visits to the National Archives Building and museum, including royalty, diplomats, and other government, military, and business leaders; trained and advised staff on protocol- Responsible for a $100K annual budget; supervised the Special Events Assistant; developed donor cultivation and stewardship programs

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

- Collaborated with critical Museum support entities to execute event modalities, including the Archivist of the United States, Public Affairs, National Archives Police, facilities, and exhibition staff, as well as the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and D.C. Metropolitan Police - Supervised event and visit logistics, including list development, briefing materials, vendor management, and visitor communications, for over 60 exhibition openings, press previews, and board meetings annually, as well as high profile Independence Day celebrations and fundraising galas

Columbia, South Carolina, United States

The Protocol School of Washington provides expertise in protocol, business etiquette, and communication skills around the world using the highest educational standards. It envisions a world where people create professional relationships through cultural understanding, communication, and respect.- Held principal responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Office of the President; directed all protocol activities for school’s administrators; wrote speeches and drafted official communications for the President and other school administrators; developed customized training materials - As a senior adviser and direct report to the President, spearheaded logistics and corporate communications for the school’s highest-grossing, twenty-week customized protocol training course for the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Presidential Affairs—a $2.3M contract

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversees security efforts to counter terrorism, secure and manage borders, and facilitate trade and travel. It does this while enforcing and administering immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, building resilience to disasters, and providing essential support for national and economic security--in coordination with federal, state, local, international, and private sector partners.- Orchestrated over 100 meetings and visits with the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Chief of Staff for chiefs of state, heads of government, diplomats, and other highest-level government, military, and business leaders; led the coordinated support of multiple Department units- Directed protocol for the Department’s Tenth Anniversary of September 11th Ceremony—presided over by the Secretary and heads of the Department’s eight constituent agencies, and attended by former secretaries, senior government officials, press, and the public

B.A., Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Government And Politics

CIVICUS Living and Learning Program Academic Citation (October 2009)

Medford, Nj