Principal Deputy, DoD Cyber Academic Engagement Office
Scott Nelson is a senior defense leader with over 25 years of experience in cyber operations, information warfare, and academic engagement. He currently serves as the Principal Deputy of the Department of Defense Cyber Academic Engagement Office, where he leads national partnerships to build and sustain the cyber workforce.
He previously served as Senior Advisor to the Strategist at Cyber National Mission Force and Deputy G3 at Army Cyber Command, where he led strategic transformation efforts for Army IO forces and launched the 3-Star Total Army Information Council. At U.S. Cyber Command, he developed the Academic Engagement Strategy and managed a $58M initiative establishing Cyber Institutes at Senior Military Colleges.
A former executive at Norwich University Applied Research Institutes and cyber education startup SecureSet, he has also commanded multiple Reserve and Guard elements at U.S. Special Operations Command, NORAD, and NORTHCOM. He holds a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College and a master certification in Infrastructure Protection Management from the University of Washington.
Nelson is a retired US Army Colonel and a trusted voice in national security, known for integrating strategy, education, and innovation across the cyber and information domains.