Nina Shelat

Nina Shelat is the Director of the Center for Dual-Use Innovation at Capital Factory, where she leverages her state and federal background to facilitate connections with the organization's government partners. She specializes in government relations, public-private partnerships, and national security policy. . Prior to her current role, Nina built a career at the intersection of policy, defense, and emerging technology. She served as a policy advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she advised on critical issues including armed services, homeland security, foreign affairs, select intelligence, and federal appropriations. Following her time on Capitol Hill, Nina served as a Senior Legislative Liaison for the Texas Military Department, where she spearheaded state and federal advocacy efforts for the 24,000 service members of the Texas National Guard. In this role, she secured $75 million in state funding, successfully advanced sexual assault prevention legislation (S.B. 623, 87th Legislature), and advised on key defense initiatives, earning both the Texas Outstanding Service Medal and the Texas Superior Service Medal. She went on to hold leadership roles at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, Velodyne Lidar, and Essentium, Inc., where she led advocacy initiatives, built strategic partnerships, and shaped policies for autonomous systems, sensor technologies, and advanced manufacturing.