President and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council

Nelson Peacock currently serves as the President and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council.

Prior to joining the Northwest Arkansas Council in July, Mr. Peacock served as Senior Vice President Government Relations at the University of California Office of the President.  In this role he oversaw all aspects of state and federal governmental relations for the University of California system, which includes ten UC campuses, five academic medical centers and three national lab.

Before moving to California, Peacock worked in served the nation as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, where he oversaw all Congressional relations activities for the 240,000 person, $60 billion Department and as Senior Counsel for then-Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the United States Senate.  In this role, Nelson advised Senator Biden on homeland security, crime, and intellectual property issues. Nelson played a key role in developing and passing into law the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, signed by President Bush on October 13, 2008.

Nelson was born and raised in Arkansas. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a Juris Doctor from University of Arkansas and a Masters of Law from George Washington University School of Law.