New York City

As a member of the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows program, Nelson had been detailed to the Department of Housing and Urban to help residents of New York and New Jersey find affordable homes and avoid eviction. “There was a huge emphasis on creativity and innovation, bringing in fresh ideas, trying really hard to improve processes, and take all of the passion and inspiration that we have to make government better,” Nelson told reporter Drew Friedman of the Federal News Network. “That’s really what the program stood for.”

On February 14, she received a form email telling her, in just three sentences, that she had been terminated. “I had wanted to retire out of this job,” Nelson said. “I did not have a plan B.”

She hopes to land another government job sooner or later. “I absolutely refuse to be bullied out of public service,” Nelson explained. “I will do whatever it is that I have to do to try and help people and help the public.”

Date Posted: 3/10/25