Kirstjen Nielsen Top Facts about Secretary of Homeland Security Nominee

Kirstjen Nielsen

Kirstjen Nielsen; President Trump’s Principal Deputy White House Chief of Staff, former Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security and more recently nominee by Donald Trump to be Secretary of Homeland Security. What else do you know about Kirstjen Nielsen? Is she married? Who is Kirstjen Nielsen’s husband? What about her children? Or other members of her family? College studies? Previous jobs? Find out!

Kirstjen Michelle Nielsen was born May 14, 1972. If confirmed, Nielsen would fill a position that’s been open since July. She previously served as chief of staff at DHS.

Check out her top facts below.

#1 She studied in Japan.

Nielsen received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia. In addition, she studied at the Nanzan University Center for Japanese Studies in Nagoya, Japan.

#2 She is a former lawyer

Kirstjen worked as a Corporate Attorney of Haynes and Boone, LLP, handling a broad range of transactional law issues, where she represented emerging, privately held and public companies with respect to general corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions and financing matters.

#3 She worked during the George W. Bush administration

The blonde served as former president George W. Bush’s homeland security appointee. She served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Prevention, Preparedness and Response on the Homeland Security Council (HSC).

#4 Nielsen worked at the TSA

Prior to joining White House, Hon. Nielsen created and managed the Offices of Legislative Policy and Government Affairs at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). She developed transportation security related policy and drafting legislation.

#5 She has been criticized bout her role in the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina.

Kirstjen Nielsen was among those in the US government warned in February 2005 that a major hurricane in the area could cause similar devastation as the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, according to the Senate report (pdf pg. 674) on the Bush administration’s failings during Katrina.

#5 Nielsen has a reputation as deeply-read and detail-oriented

She is a longtime aide to current chief of staff John F. Kelly, is credited with helping establish order in the White House in recent months by keeping advisors with extreme positions away from Trump.

#6 She founded her own consulting firm.

Nielsen is the Founder and President of Sunesis Consulting, LLC, an emerging risk and security management consulting firm.

#7 She is a cybersecurity expert

The White House said she has ‘extensive professional experience in the areas of homeland security policy and strategy, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure and emergency management.

#8 She will be responsible for keeping the US safe

As secretary, Nielsen would command the massive federal agency tasked with keeping Americans safe from terrorism, and coping with natural disasters. She would oversee about 230,000 employees and a $40 billion annual budget.

#9 As a secretary she lacks the management experience

Many of the former homeland security secretaries, were governors, attorneys general, or, in Kelly’s case, generals.

#10 She made the list as one of the most influential people

In 2016, Security Magazine included Kirstjen Nielsen as one of the most influential people in security