The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) announces the appointment of Jake Jordan, PhD as vice president of Global Biological Policy & Programs (NTI | bio). In this role, Jordan will lead NTI’s portfolio of biosecurity projects and advance innovative approaches to strengthen biotechnology governance, reduce the risk of bioweapon development and use, and build global health security capacities.
This is a return to NTI for Jordan. From 2018-2020, he served as a senior director on the NTI | bio team, where he launched and led NTI’s Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Initiative (BIRRI).
“We are thrilled to welcome Jake back to NTI at such a pivotal moment for global biosecurity. His deep expertise at the intersection of cutting-edge research and technology development and national security—and his proven ability to turn bold ideas into action—will further elevate our work,” said NTI President and CEO Christine Wormuth. “Amid accelerating advances at the intersection of AI and the life sciences, and as we tackle increasingly complex biological risks, Jake’s leadership, experience, and vision will be invaluable.”
Prior to re-joining NTI, he most recently led the execution of a $400M portfolio of scientific, engineering, and professional consulting services contracts. Jordan served in senior advisory roles for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Program Managers (PMs), the DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Director, and the ARPA-H Director. He also supported Operation Warp Speed, assisting an interagency Program Coordination Team tracking status and driving performance towards Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a government-funded vaccine candidate.
“I’m excited to return to NTI. This team has always inspired me with its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and impact,” said Jordan. “I look forward to working with partners across sectors to deliver real-world solutions and advance NTI’s mission to reduce global biological risks.”
Jordan holds a PhD and MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia and a BE in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. He is a sought-after expert and has published multiple peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals generating more than 300 citations.
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