Mr. Balido drives results in diverse government, politics, private industry, and non-profit arenas. As one of the leading authorities on the U.S. border for trade, travel, energy, and security issues, he leads Balido and Associates, a strategic management consultancy, and is the founder of the Border Commerce and Security Council. Before assuming his current role, he was the President of the Border Trade Alliance. He was a presidential pick to lead the private sector division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and also served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council, where he was awarded the department’s highest civilian award – the Outstanding Public Service Medal. In 2021, he was appointed as a consultant to the DHS Undersecretary of Intelligence and assigned to the Mexico Desk focusing on Trans-Organized Criminal activities, and in 2023, he was appointed as a special advisor in the office of the Commissioner for Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security.

He has extensive experience in public and private sectors at the local, state, and federal levels. For years, Nelson has worked closely with the governments of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico at every level by advocating on behalf of policy initiatives designed to improve cross-border affairs, trade and security relations, energy reform and cultural understanding. In 2010, Nelson was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Industry Trade Advisory Council by the United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce serving until 2024.