President Joe Biden has appointed Jefferson native Nicole Peckumn as the assistant director, Office of Public Affairs for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Peckumn began her role in September.
Peckumn has extensive public affairs and branding experience in the public and private sector, most recently working for the government of the District of Columbia as the chief of external affairs at the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. Peckumn served as the interim deputy communications director for Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser from February 2019 through September 2020.
During her time with the government of the District of Columbia, Peckumn oversaw the District’s crisis communications program and messaging for the District’s response to COVID-19. She also oversaw communications related to the 58th and 59th presidential inaugurations, the District’s response to violence on January 6, 2021, as well as a multitude of other First Amendment demonstrations and high-profile gatherings.
Prior to moving to DC in 2016, Peckumn lived in central Iowa and led successful external and internal communications and branding initiatives in manufacturing, higher education, and public health. She began her career in Des Moines working at WHO-TV 13.
Peckumn has a master of communication leadership from Drake University and a bachelor of science degrees in exercise sport science and in journalism from Iowa State University.
She is a 1997 graduate of Jefferson-Scranton High School. She is the daughter of Mark Peckumn and the late Marj Peckumn.
