Yesterday, I appointed Ambassador James D. (Jim) Nealon to serve as Assistant Secretary of International Engagement within the DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
Jim has extensive experience in international affairs. From 2014 to 2017, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras. Prior to this, he served as the Civilian Deputy to the Commander of U.S. Southern Command as the Commander’s Foreign Policy Advisor. Before that, Jim was Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada and in Lima, Peru, as well as Chargé d’ Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission in Montevideo, Uruguay. He has also had Foreign Service assignments in Spain, Hungary, the Philippines, and Chile.
Jim has been awarded the State Department’s Superior Honor Award, as well as numerous senior performance awards. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Brown University and completed additional graduate work in history at Boston College.
We are fortunate to have Jim joining us to bring their expertise to these critical positions at the Department.
Sincerely,
John F. Kelly
Secretary of Homeland Security
