Ronald Harold Nessen (born May 25, 1934) is an American government official who served as the 15th White House Press Secretary for President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1977.

Prior to joining the Ford administration, Nessen served as a Washington, D.C. correspondent for NBC News.

That evening he was on the NBC Nightly News; in that piece, Nessen reported on the appointment of Jerald terHorst, the man whom he would succeed one month later, serving until the end of the Ford administration in January 1977.

Nessen was a member of the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors from 1996 to 2003, and served as Chair in 2003.

His episode is also known for having Gerald Ford open the show with the "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!"