Nealin Parker

Biography

Nealin Parker is the inaugural Executive Director of Common Ground USA, where she leads efforts to address polarization and political violence in America. With decades of experience in senior roles addressing conflict, poverty, and social change, Parker previously founded and co-directed the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University, creating a national database of political violence in the U.S. She also served as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, overseeing $45 billion in federal programs, and as Acting Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Transitional Initiatives. Parker has held leadership roles at the Center on International Cooperation, Interpeace, The Carter Center, and the International Foundation for Election Systems. Her writing has appeared in CNN, PBS, and USA Today. She holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MPA from Princeton University.