Jefonte (Jay) Nelson

Jay Nelson (he/him/his) serves as Chief of Staff to the President of the Board of Aldermen for the City of St. Louis, a role he has held since December 2022. In this capacity, he advises the President on policy agenda-setting, legislative priorities, and fiscal governance. He provides expert counsel on complex and sensitive issues—preparing briefings, and actionable recommendations—and represents the President in high-level policy and budget forums, including the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which approves the City's annual operating budget and major expenditures. Jay also serves as Vice President of the St. Louis Municipal Finance Corporation.

Jay brings more than a decade of public service across city, county, and state government. Before joining the City, he served as Boards and Commissions Liaison and Custodian of Records for St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, where he oversaw the appointment and approval of 300 members—achieving 48% women and 44% minority participation—and launched the County's first public appointment tracker, its inaugural boards and commissions policies and procedures handbook, and a new boards and commissions website. He began his career in the Missouri State Senate as Director of Community Affairs for State Senator Jamilah Nasheed, where he helped championed legislation to expunge non-violent criminal records, led sex-trafficking awareness efforts, and managed a project to address a mice infestation in the Clinton-Peabody housing community.

Born in Akron, Ohio, and raised in St. Louis, Jay is a graduate of the FOCUS St. Louis Emerging Leaders program and has completed coursework in business management. His work has earned wide recognition, including the DELUX Power 100 Award (2024), the Missouri Times Top 100 List (2019) and 30 Under 30 (2018), and a proclamation from the County Executive naming December 2 "Jay Nelson Day" in St. Louis County. In his free time, Jay enjoys listening to Jay-Z and spending time with his dog KingBoo and friends.