Jared Nelson is an Associate Partner at DGA Group and is based in Chicago. With more than 11 years of experience helping clients prepare for and respond to events that can jeopardize business and reputation, he expertly manages clients’ responses to high-impact issues, from executive transitions and employee misconduct to facility accidents and sexual assault or harassment allegations.

Before joining DGA Group, Mr. Nelson served as Senior Vice President at Edelman and led the Crisis & Risk practice for the firm’s Central U.S. region. In that role, he managed a team of 15 crisis communications practitioners and was responsible for growing the practice’s footprint and capabilities. He served as the senior crisis and issues lead for Fortune 500 brands including Pepsi, 7-Eleven, Eli Lilly, Perrigo, CVS, Molson Coors, Kohl’s and Molson Coors. He also led award-winning crisis management campaigns for Peloton, Cushman & Wakefield, United and more. 

Mr. Nelson has developed countless enterprise-wide crisis communications plans and facilitated more than 100 crisis simulation exercises for C-suites, communications teams and cross-functional incident response teams. 

Mr. Nelson graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.A. in journalism and political science. He serves on the Board for Off the Street Club, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting kids in West Side, Chicago, one of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods.