Christopher D. Nelson

Christopher D. Nelson is a Senior Political Scientist and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. With over 30 years of experience, his work focuses on policy analysis and evaluation at the intersection of emergency preparedness, public health systems, and governance. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• M.A. in Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Research Interests:

Nelson's expertise spans emergency preparedness, public health policy, program evaluation, and governance. His work includes developing systems for measuring state/local capacity to respond to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and health emergencies. He has created user-friendly tools like the Incident Management Measurement Tool (IMMT) and game-based exercises for improving emergency response capabilities in hospitals and health departments.

Key Contributions:

• Authored What's Public About Charter Schools: Lessons Learned About Choice and Accountability (2002)
• Evaluated programs such as the Cities Readiness Initiative and the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
• Advanced frameworks for public health preparedness, including performance-based accountability systems

Grants & Collaborations:

His work has been supported by organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He has collaborated with agencies in the U.S. and EU to enhance pandemic response strategies and health equity initiatives.

Labs/Teams:

Leads teams developing tools such as the RSS-POD Supply Chain Management Game and the ALIGN for Health Toolkit. His teams focus on interdisciplinary approaches to improve governance, community resilience, and health outcomes.