Paul Nelson is a Founding Principal at Resilient Cities Catalyst, where he leads the organization's engagements with local government and community partners working collaboratively to co-design and implement solutions to their most pressing challenges. He brings more than 20 years of experience building networks to achieve transformative impact at the city, national and global scales. His background in municipal government and nonprofit organizations is steeped in urban economic, workforce and community development policy.

Prior to joining RCC, Paul led 100 Resilient Cities' (100RC) network-building strategy fostering connection, community and knowledge-sharing among the urban practitioners in 100RC member cities around the world. In this role, he catalyzed global learning and solutions sharing cohorts focused on issues ranging from urban migration to racial equity, and he designed a resilience practitioner training program to support cities and partners in strategy and project implementation. Previously, Paul served as Assistant Commissioner at New York City's Department of Small Business Services leading efforts to foster economic development and build community in commercial districts across the five boroughs. During his tenure, he managed the Agency's portfolio of commercial revitalization investments and the City's network of Business Improvement Districts, which leverage more than $100 million annually to support neighborhoods. At YouthBuild USA, he led technical assistance provision to a national network of 210 federally-funded programs in urban, rural and tribal communities serving 7,500 low-income, out-of-school young people each year.

Paul holds an MPA from the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at New York University and an MA from the University of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France, and he earned a BA from Brown University.