Speakers
Todd Abrajano
President & CEO
U.S. Nuclear Industry Council
Todd Abrajano is the President & CEO of the United States Nuclear Industry Council where he serves as USNIC's chief advocate in its mission to advance the development and implementation of new nuclear technology and services to secure the U.S. economic supply chain in America and abroad.
Additionally, he leads the promotion of USNIC’s vision to advance nuclear energy to be established, recognized, and accepted world-wide as an essential baseload, emissions-free, reliable, and clean energy source, as well as promoting the expansion of the use of nuclear for space, medical, propulsion and other advanced applications.
Previously, Mr. Abrajano was the Founder and President of Turning Point Public Affairs. For nearly 13 years, the firm assisted corporate, non-profit, and political clients with international markets and business development, government affairs, strategic communications, political strategy, and legislative and regulatory grassroots advocacy.
From 2017- 2021, Mr. Abrajano served as a senior-level presidential appointee in the U.S. Federal Government. He began his federal service at the U.S. Department of Commerce as the Department's White House Liaison and a top advisor to former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
In 2018, he transitioned to the U.S. Trade and Development Agency where he ultimately served as the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency, leading the Agency’s global export promotion efforts supporting U.S. jobs and businesses in priority development projects within emerging markets in the energy, transportation, ICT, healthcare and agribusiness sectors.
Hon. Rita Baranwal
Chief Nuclear Officer
Radiant
Dr. Rita Baranwal is Chief Nuclear Officer at Radiant, where she is helping lead the development and deployment of Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor as the company advances toward a first-of-a-kind U.S. reactor test.
Baranwal brings nearly three decades of leadership across nuclear technology, policy, and commercialization. Most recently prior to joining Radiant, she served as Senior Vice President for Westinghouse’s AP300™ Small Modular Reactor program, leading technical development and engagement across utilities and industrial end users. She previously returned to Westinghouse as Chief Technology Officer, where she led global R&D investments and technology strategy across the company’s nuclear portfolio.
In government, Dr. Baranwal served (2019–2021) as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, leading DOE’s nuclear R&D and deployment efforts for both today’s fleet and next-generation systems. She also led in the nonprofit research community as Chief Nuclear Officer at EPRI, with responsibility for nuclear R&D supporting a large portion of the world’s commercial nuclear fleet.
Earlier, she was the inaugural director of GAIN (Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear) at Idaho National Laboratory, expanding industry access to DOE capabilities to accelerate advanced nuclear development. Her technical foundation includes leadership roles at Westinghouse (including work associated with early microreactor development) and research and development supporting the U.S. Naval Reactors program at Bechtel Bettis.
Dr. Baranwal is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society and holds a B.S. from MIT and M.S./Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, all in materials science/materials engineering.
Dr. Baranwal is a widely respected voice in the global nuclear community and a passionate advocate for deploying advanced nuclear technologies to meet the world’s growing demand for reliable energy.
Dr. Stefano Buono
Chief Executive Officer
newcleo
A nuclear physicist and successful entrepreneur, Stefano started his career working for 10 years with Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia at CERN and CRS4, in the field of Accelerator Driven Systems and nuclear waste transmutation. In 2002, he founded Advanced Accelerator Applications, listed on NASDAQ until its acquisition by Novartis for $3.9 bn. He is the Chairman of various organisations, and the founder of Elysia Capital, his single family office. He is the author of numerous scientific publications, and received his Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Turin.
Diane Cameron
Head of Nuclear Technology Development & Economics Division
OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Diane Cameron is Head of the Nuclear Technology Development and Economics Division at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). In her role at the NEA, she leads an expert team of economists and scientists that supports energy policy and nuclear energy policy development among NEA Member Countries by advancing evidence-based, authoritative assessments and analyses in the areas of nuclear economics, financing, and cost reduction, as well as nuclear technology, innovation, and the fuel cycle.
From 2014 to 2021, Diane was Director of the Nuclear Energy Division with the Government of Canada. As Director, she headed up the division responsible for leading and co-ordinating Canadian public policy on nuclear energy, and served as Chair of Canada's Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Roadmap and Action Plan. She joined the Government of Canada in 2007 to work on energy, environment, and economic policy - including international relations and negotiations. Prior to her tenure with the Government of Canada, she worked in management consulting and engineering in the private sector specializing in global value chains and international logistics.
A Canadian national, Diane holds a Master's Degree in Technology Policy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she was named Alfred Keil Fellow for Wiser Uses of Science and Technology. Diane also holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Brooke Poole Clark
Partner
Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP
A former 23+-year member of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff whose tenure included numerous leadership roles, Brooke Poole Clark works with clients on a broad range of matters in the nuclear industry. In her most recent position as NRC general counsel, Brooke directed matters of law and legal policy and provided opinions, advice, and assistance to the Commission and the NRC staff with respect to all agency activities.
Prior to her appointment as general counsel, Brooke served as NRC secretary as well as in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer. From 2008–2018, Brooke led the NRC’s Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication, assisting the NRC in its quasi-judicial functions, including supporting the Commission’s resolution of appeals from decisions of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board panels. She also advised former NRC Chairs Nils Diaz and Dale Klein. During her time with the NRC, Brooke also served in multiple roles in the Office of the General Counsel, including as deputy general counsel for licensing, hearings, and enforcement.
Brooke began her legal career at the NRC in 1998 as part of the Office of the General Counsel's Honor Law Graduate program. After a stint as an associate at a global specialist law firm, she rejoined the NRC's Office of the General Counsel in 2004 and served in progressively responsible positions across the agency.
Cyril Draffin
Senior Fellow, New Nuclear
U.S. Nuclear Industry Council
Cyril Draffin serves as Senior Fellow, Advanced Nuclear for the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, which represents more than 90 companies engaged in nuclear innovation and supply chain development. He is focused on development, demonstration, regulation, financing, and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies to meet industrial and utility energy requirements.
Mr. Draffin also is working as a specialty consultant contracted to ExxonMobil supporting the Industrial Advanced Nuclear Consortium. He is Regulations and Standards workstream lead for the U.S. Trade and Development’s Small Modular Reactor Working Group, is affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative, has been Vice-Chair of the Maryland Cybersecurity Critical Infrastructure subcommittee, is Deputy Director MIT Alumni Angels of DC, and is member of MIT Corporation Development Committee. He led the USNIC 2025 “Western States New Nuclear Workshop” and 2024 “Integrating Nuclear Solutions for Petrochemical and Industrial Needs” Houston workshop.
Mr. Draffin is affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative, gave an energy talk at MIT in May 2022, is workstream lead for Standards, and Regulations for the U.S. Department of Commerce Small Modular Reactor Working Group, is representative to International Energy Agency’s International Smart Grid Action Network Academy, and serves as member of the Maryland Cybersecurity Council focused on critical infrastructure.
Previously, Mr. Draffin was Director, Strategic Development for Northrop Grumman Corporation for 15 years; Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development for BDM International; Vice President of Greater Washington Investors, a venture capital firm; Director and strategic planner with the U.S. Department of Energy; and a nuclear and environmental engineer at Bechtel Power Corporation. Mr. Draffin has made major national contributions in developing hydraulic fracturing for natural gas production, sulfur dioxide removal from coal combustion, industrial energy markets, and clean-up of nuclear weapons waste. Mr. Draffin has BS and MS degrees in chemical engineering from MIT.
Rex Geveden
President and Chief Executive Officer
BWX Technologies
Rex D. Geveden is president and chief executive officer of BWXT, a $3B nuclear technology and manufacturing company headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia. As CEO, Mr. Geveden directs all business operations and leads strategic planning, capital allocation and leadership succession.
BWXT manufactures nuclear reactors, fuel and components for the U.S. Navy; provides nuclear technical services at contractor-operated Department of Energy and other government laboratories and facilities; develops and manufactures microreactors for national security and space applications; and processes special nuclear materials and advanced nuclear fuels. BWXT also manufactures medical radioisotopes and supplies precision manufactured components, services and fuel for the commercial nuclear power industry.
With about 10,000 employees, BWXT has 20 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., comprising over four million square feet of manufacturing space. In addition, BWXT joint ventures operate at more than a dozen U.S. Department of Energy sites.
Mr. Geveden joined BWXT in 2015 as chief operating officer (COO) before advancing to CEO in 2017. Previously, he advanced to the position of executive vice president at Teledyne Technologies over an eight-year period, ultimately leading the Digital Imaging and Engineered Systems segments of the business.
He spent 17 years at NASA, including service as the agency’s COO responsible for a $16 billion portfolio of work in NASA’s mission areas of science, aeronautics, space operations and exploration, along with oversight of NASA’s 10 field centers.
Mr. Geveden chairs the board of TTM Technologies, Inc., a global electronics manufacturing company. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the Universities Research Association and is a member of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Murray State University.
M.C. Hammond
Counsel
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP
M.C. Hammond has been practicing nuclear energy law for nearly 10 years at both Pillsbury and the Department of Energy (DOE). She recently returned to Pillsbury from the DOE, where she advised on over $2.9 billion in nuclear loans and awards within the past three years.
While at DOE, M.C. served as the lead nuclear regulatory counsel for the Department’s $1.52 billion loan guarantee for the first-of-a-kind restart of the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station. M.C. was also nuclear regulatory counsel for the DOE’s Civil Nuclear Credit Program’s $1.1 billion award to Diablo Canyon Power Plant, including extensive advice on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) issues.
She also co-led the development of a groundbreaking $300 million Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program award for Kairos Power at the DOE.
During her time at Pillsbury, M.C. advised clients on complex licensing and enforcement proceedings before the NRC, including license renewals, license transfers and the first below-ground-interim-storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.
M.C. is also a leading practitioner in nuclear liability law and has—by invitation of the International Atomic Energy Association—taught workshops on nuclear liability law and regulation to nuclear newcomer countries, including in the Baltics, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Stuart Henderson
Chief Technology Officer
Subcritical Systems
Stuart Henderson is Chief Technology Officer at Subcritical Systems, where he leads technology development for accelerator-driven, subcritical nuclear energy systems and the enabling superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) and accelerator technologies required to deliver them at scale.
Henderson brings decades of leadership experience from the U.S. national laboratory system and is widely recognized for his expertise in particle accelerators and high-performance scientific facilities. He previously served as Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), guiding the laboratory’s operations and long-range vision for world-leading nuclear physics research and advanced accelerator capabilities.
Prior to Jefferson Lab, Henderson led major accelerator initiatives across the DOE complex, including serving as Director of the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade Project at Argonne National Laboratory, Associate Laboratory Director for Accelerators at Fermilab, and holding senior roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source, where he helped drive construction, commissioning, and the transition to successful high-power user operations.
He has contributed to national and international advisory bodies for large-scale accelerator facilities and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Henderson earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Yale University.
Nicole Hughes
Senior Director, Workforce Solutions
Thomas Thor
Nicole Hughes is Senior Director, Workforce Solutions at Thomas Thor, where she helps nuclear and clean-energy organizations design and deliver the people strategies required to scale—spanning workforce planning, talent pipeline development, knowledge-transfer approaches, and culture/retention initiatives.
With 20+ years of international experience across the talent and project-delivery space, Hughes has managed significant staffing and workforce initiatives for Thomas Thor in multiple regions, including early work supporting projects in the United Arab Emirates and her current leadership across North America. In her North American leadership roles, she has overseen cross-functional delivery for contract recruitment, staff augmentation, and workforce programs in the United States and Canada—working closely with utilities, OEMs, EPCs, and the broader supply chain to align hiring and capability-building with project schedules and organizational needs.
Hughes is also an active voice in industry conversations on what it will take to grow the nuclear workforce quickly—advocating for broader cross-sector recruitment, more adaptable career pathways, and intentional approaches to mentorship and institutional knowledge. She has emphasized practical, human-centered tools for change (including reverse mentoring and continuous skills-gap analysis) as organizations navigate fast-moving shifts in technology and work models.
Her career has included supporting workforce development tied to major nuclear programs, including the Barakah project in the UAE and Vogtle Units 3 & 4 in the United States (as described in public biographical coverage).
Zabrina Johal
Senior Vice President, Nuclear Strategy and Commercial
AtkinsRéalis
Zabrina Johal is Senior Vice President, Nuclear Strategy and Commercial at AtkinsRéalis, where she leads global efforts to expand the firm’s nuclear portfolio and drive strategic growth across new and existing markets. In this role, she focuses on the commercial and strategic pathways needed to bring next-generation nuclear technologies online—working at the intersection of industry, government, and major infrastructure customers.
Johal brings a cross-sector background spanning nuclear energy, defense, and advanced technologies, with experience in commercialization strategy, stakeholder engagement, and leading complex initiatives in highly regulated environments. Prior to joining AtkinsRéalis, she spent nearly two decades at General Atomics, including as Senior Director of Strategic Development, where she led initiatives aimed at accelerating innovation in advanced energy technologies and systems.
Earlier, Johal was recruited into the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program and served as a nuclear propulsion officer on the USS Carl Vinson—experience she often cites as foundational to her leadership approach and to operating in high-accountability technical environments.
She is active in industry leadership and advocacy, including involvement with organizations advancing innovation and inclusion across the nuclear and fusion communities, and she has publicly shared that she was elected to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Board of Directors.
Johal earned undergraduate degrees in Physics and Chemistry from Santa Clara University, and later completed an MBA and an M.S. in Real Estate at the University of San Diego.
Ken Langdon
Vice President, Nuclear Development
Energy Northwest
Ken Langdon is Vice President, Nuclear Development at Energy Northwest, where he serves as Project Director for the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility—the organization’s proposed small modular reactor (SMR) project in Washington state.
Langdon joined Energy Northwest in 2023, bringing 35 years of nuclear industry experience spanning operations leadership, site readiness, and major project execution across utilities, OEMs, and the broader nuclear supply chain. A U.S. Navy veteran (eight years of service), he has held senior roles at some of the industry’s most recognized organizations and operating stations.
His prior leadership experience includes serving as Site Vice President at the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Plant (Constellation Energy Nuclear Group), Director of Operations at Diablo Canyon Power Plant, and Plant Manager at TVA’s Sequoyah Nuclear Plant.  He has also led operational readiness and deployment work in the nuclear construction ecosystem, including Vice President of Operational Readiness at Westinghouse and Vice President of Operations and Plant Services at NuScale Power.
Beyond his utility and vendor experience, Langdon is active in regional clean-energy and innovation initiatives, including service as Board Chair of the VERTical Innovation Cluster, which focuses on accelerating deployment-ready clean energy technologies and the enabling supply chain.
Langdon holds a B.S. in Workforce Education and Development and earned a Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) certification from the LaSalle County Nuclear Station.
Dr. Sama Bilbao y León
Director General
World Nuclear Association
Dr. Sama Bilbao y León is Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA), the international organization representing the global nuclear industry. Appointed in October 2020, she leads WNA’s work to connect stakeholders across the nuclear value chain, develop and represent common industry positions in major global forums, and provide authoritative information that supports the growth of nuclear energy worldwide.
Bilbao y León also serves as President of the World Nuclear University, advancing leadership development and global collaboration for the next generation of nuclear professionals.
With more than 20 years of experience spanning nuclear engineering and energy policy, she brings a rare blend of technical depth and international perspective. Before joining WNA, she held senior roles in intergovernmental organizations, including as Head of the Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and as Head of the Technical Secretariat for the Generation IV International Forum (GIF)—positions focused on the intersection of advanced nuclear technology, innovation, and economics for member-country decision-making.
Earlier in her career, she served at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as Head of the Water Cooled Reactors Technology Development Unit, worked in industry as a Nuclear Safety Analysis Engineer at Dominion Energy, and held academic leadership as Director of Nuclear Engineering Programs and Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Bilbao y León is a founding member of North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN). Her expertise includes reactor thermal-hydraulics (light-water and sodium-cooled systems), reactor design and safety, energy and environmental policy, and complex decision-making.
She holds degrees from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Mechanical Engineering; Energy Technologies), the University of Wisconsin–Madison (M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics), and an MBA from Averett University.
Patrick Leonard
Lead for Washington State Nuclear Deployment
Amazon Web Services
Patrick Leonard leads Washington State nuclear deployment efforts for Amazon Web Services (AWS), helping advance AWS’s strategy to secure reliable, carbon-free electricity to support continued growth in cloud and AI infrastructure. In this role, he works at the intersection of energy market strategy, stakeholder engagement, and project development—linking utility-scale power solutions with AWS’s long-term operational needs.
Leonard has 15+ years of experience across the energy and sustainability sector and is part of AWS’s broader clean-energy team focused on scaling carbon-free power at pace. He has emphasized that AWS’s approach goes beyond matching consumption with clean generation, aiming instead to help reduce overall grid emissions—particularly by prioritizing projects in higher-emitting regions where new clean supply can have outsized impact.
As AWS expands its carbon-free portfolio—now spanning hundreds of wind, solar, and storage projects—Leonard has also been a visible advocate for adding firm, clean resources, including advanced nuclear. He regularly participates in industry dialogues on how nuclear can support energy-intensive sectors (including data centers) and has appeared on public agendas and forums focused on the role of nuclear in powering large-scale digital infrastructure.
Across his work, Leonard focuses on practical pathways that accelerate deployment—bringing together technology providers, utilities, policymakers, and market stakeholders to move “big rocks” in clean energy and enable durable, scalable decarbonization.
Hon. Jeffrey Merrifield
Former Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
Chairman, USNIC;
Partner - Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Jeffrey Merrifield is a partner in the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP’s energy practice. Mr. Merrifield was appointed by President Clinton and reappointed by President Bush to serve on the five-member, Senate-confirmed, independent United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During his tenure, which was from October 1998 to June 2002 and from August 2002 to June 2007, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission had a staff of 3,250 employees with a budget of $900 million and set all policies and rules that govern the safe and secure use of nuclear materials at the 104 U.S. nuclear power plants operating at that time.
Prior to joining Pillsbury, Mr. Merrifield served as President of The Merrifield Group, LLC where he provided energy and environmental consulting, advocacy and strategic advice for companies, organizations and individuals. Specific areas of focus included management, energy market analysis, nuclear, fossil and alternative energy policy and deployment, radioactive and hazardous waste disposal strategies, safety and regulatory assessment and analysis, as well as public and government engagement.
Before working with the Merrifield Group, Mr. Merrifield was the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development with CB&I’s Power Business Unit. While there, he led a team of twenty-five sales and proposal staff to develop and win over $1.5 billion in annual sales, including the first competitive, EPC combined cycle gas unit in over six years.
Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President for The Shaw Group, Inc.’s Power Group. As a member of the Power Group's executive team, he was responsible for overseeing the group's external relationships including nuclear business development, customer relations, strategic planning, marketing and communications, as well as government and regulatory affairs.
Mr. Merrifield also served on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Ecology Corporation, which is one of the largest U.S. operators of both hazardous and low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. He served as the Lead Director and Chairman of the Governance Committee and was a member of the Compensation and Audit Committees.
Currently, Mr. Merrifield serves on the Board of the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council and is also the Chairman of its Advanced Nuclear Working Group. Composed of more than 70 companies, the Council is the leading business consortium advocate for new nuclear energy and the promotion of the American supply chain globally.
Mr. Rich Mroz
Former President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (2014-2018);
Founder & Managing Director
Resolute Strategies
Richard S. Mroz, Esq. has a long and distinguished career in law, government, and public service. His experiences are as a regulator, lawyer, lobbyist, banker, consultant and thought leader on issues including energy markets & technologies, cybersecurity, water & wastewater policy, and infrastructure development & financing in various industries.
The Honorable Ho Nieh
Chairman
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Honorable Ho Nieh was sworn in as a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on December 4, 2025, for a term ending June 30, 2029. He is the first former NRC resident inspector to serve as a Commissioner.
Immediately prior to this appointment, Nieh served as an officer of Southern Nuclear on loan to the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). He joined Southern Nuclear in March 2021 to assume the role of Vice President of Regulatory Affairs after more than 20 years as an NRC staff member.
While at the NRC, Nieh served as Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, where he was responsible for reactor safety licensing and oversight programs for operating and new reactors. His other roles at the NRC included: Senior Resident Inspector; Director of the Division Reactor Projects in Region 1, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Director of Division Inspection and Regional Support at NRC headquarters; and Chief of Staff for Commissioner William Ostendorff.
In addition, Nieh previously worked at the Nuclear Energy Agency as Director of the Division of Nuclear Safety Technology and Regulation, where he enhanced international cooperation for nuclear safety regulatory authorities and research institutes. He also served as Communications Advisor to the International Atomic Energy Agency and worked at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory as a civilian instructor for the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program.
Nieh earned his Bachelor of Engineering in marine engineering from New York Maritime College and is a graduate of the United States Naval Nuclear Power School. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for graduate studies in nuclear engineering and earned a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Nieh completed the Executive Education in Strategic Management program from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He also completed the INPO Senior Nuclear Plant Manager program.
Cristina Paredes
Executive Director
SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy
Cristina Paredes is the Executive Director of SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy, South Carolina's Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (TechHub). She brings a wealth of experience in economic development and strategic leadership to her role, driving innovation and resilience in the state's energy sector.
Cristina Paredes is a seasoned economic development professional with over two decades of experience in leadership and consulting. Throughout her career, she has spearheaded policy development and initiated projects to drive economic growth and community development. Most recently, as a Senior Consultant at VisionFirst Advisors, she guided clients through strategic business expansion and location decisions, enhanced economic competitiveness, and navigated local government processes. With a deep understanding of economic development dynamics, Cristina excels in managing complex programs and navigating priorities effectively.
As the Director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, Cristina played a pivotal role in steering the community through its most significant economic growth phase, a feat that earned her national recognition. Her oversight of major expansion projects, such as the Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center and Danfoss Turbocor’s new manufacturing and research facilities, resulted in the creation of over 2,900 new jobs. Cristina's commitment to diversity and economic inclusion was evident in her certification of 300 minority and women-owned businesses, which in turn enhanced business opportunities for nearly 2,000 employees.
Cristina's collaboration with university partners at Tier I research institutions and business leaders has bolstered recruitment, expansion, and commercialization efforts in the applied science industry. She worked with community leaders to secure U.S. Commerce Economic Development Agency funding for a regional innovation laboratory and small business funding, demonstrating her ability to develop collaborative structures and policies that expedite technology deployment. Under her leadership, her office earned 12 state, national, and international awards.
Cristina is committed to continuous learning and professional development. She is currently pursuing a Master of Legal Studies degree from Texas A&M College of Law, specializing in Environmental and Energy Law and Policy. She also holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in public administration from Florida State University. Cristina has a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
In 2021, Cristina’s contributions to economic development were recognized when Consultant Connect named her one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers. The Tallahassee Democrat also acknowledged her as one of 25 Women to Know. In 2022, she was honored with the Pinnacle Award from 850 Magazine, a testament to her significant impact on business and community development across the North Florida region.
Carl Perez
Chief Executive Officer
Exodys Energy
Carl Perez has a comprehensive work experience that spans over several years. Carl currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Exodys Energy since October 2022. Prior to this, they founded Elysium Ventures Inc. in January 2013, where they hold the position of Founder. Carl also co-founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Elysium Industries Limited from October 2014 to October 2022. Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Carl worked as a Strategy Intern at Citi in the summer of 2012 and gained experience in Strategic Business Development at EADS North America for a brief period in June and July 2010. Overall, Carl has a diverse range of experiences in various leadership and strategic roles.
Carl Perez attended Babson College from 2011 to 2015, where they obtained a Bachelor's Degree. The field of study for their degree is not specified. In 2013 and 2014, they attended The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and studied subjects such as Quantitative Finance, Strategic Aspects of International Relations, and The Arab-Israeli Conflict. Prior to college, they attended Lycée Français de New York and obtained a French International Baccalaureate in 2011 with a focus on Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
Dr. Mark Peters
CEO, Mitre Corporation;
Vice President/President Elect, American Nuclear Society
Mark Peters is the president and chief executive officer of MITRE, the global not-for-profit technology company that operates R&D centers around the world. He leads a multidisciplinary team that stands united in providing technical expertise, stability, and continuity to government agency sponsors. Peters is responsible for governance and oversight of the company's diverse markets, including artificial intelligence, aerospace, telecommunications, homeland security, cyber, transportation, defense and intelligence, health, and government innovation.
A recognized expert in nuclear energy and national security, Peters spent more than 25 years leading scientific discovery for federally funded R&D centers (FFRDCs). Before joining MITRE in 2024, he served as the executive vice president for laboratory management and operations at Battelle Memorial Institute. Prior leadership roles include director of the Idaho National Laboratory and president of Battelle Energy Alliance LLC, a large, multipurpose laboratory focused on nuclear energy, national and homeland security, and energy and environmental science and technology.
Peters also served two years as chair of the National Laboratory Directors’ Council, an independent body that coordinates initiatives and advises the Department of Energy and other national laboratory stakeholders. Prior to joining Battelle, he was associate laboratory director for Energy and Global Security at Argonne National Laboratory.
Peters was awarded the 2023 Henry DeWolf Smyth Nuclear Statesman Award, which recognizes individuals for outstanding service in developing and guiding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society. He also serves on the Idaho Power Board, the National Academies Board on Human-Systems Integration, and several boards that support innovation and economic development.
In 2024 and 2025 Virginia Business Magazine named Peters to its Power 500 list for federal contractors in technology. The list recognizes the state’s most influential leaders in business, government, politics, and education.
Peters holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Auburn University and a doctorate in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago. He has also completed extensive executive management education and training courses, including the Strategic Laboratory Leadership Program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Hon. Daniel Poneman
Former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy;
Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Univ.
Hon. Daniel Poneman is a leading expert on the intersection of energy, national security, and nuclear policy, with senior experience across government, industry, and the policy community. He is a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, where his work focuses on nuclear security issues.
Poneman served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy (2009–2014), also acting as the Department’s Chief Operating Officer during a period that included major energy-security and international nuclear challenges. He additionally served as Acting Secretary of Energy (April–May 2013).
From 2015 through 2023, Poneman was President and CEO of Centrus Energy, a supplier of nuclear fuel and services, where he led a multi-year turnaround and helped position the company for expanded U.S. nuclear fuel capabilities. Earlier in his career, he held senior national-security roles at the National Security Council focused on nonproliferation and export controls and worked in the private sector, including leadership roles advising on international strategic and energy issues.
Poneman has published widely and is the author (or co-author) of multiple books on nuclear energy, diplomacy, and nuclear security, including Nuclear Power in the Developing World and Double Jeopardy: Combating Nuclear Terror and Climate Change. He earned A.B. and J.D. degrees (with honors) from Harvard University and an M.Litt. in Politics from Oxford University.
Dragan Popovic
Executive Vice President and Chief of Global Operations
X-energy
Dragan Popovic is Executive Vice President and Chief of Global Operations at X-energy, where he leads global execution and operational strategy to accelerate the company’s commercialization and growth.
Popovic brings more than two decades of nuclear industry leadership spanning the full project and plant lifecycle—financing, licensing, construction, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning—with deep experience in small modular reactor (SMR) development and nuclear operations.
Before joining X-energy, Popovic served at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) as Senior Vice President, SMR Project Execution, leading the Darlington New Nuclear Project. In that role, he guided integrated project teams through major milestones, including site preparation licensing, construction approval, and final investment decisions supporting development of OPG’s first SMR project.
Earlier in his tenure at OPG, Popovic held multiple leadership roles at both the Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations, building a track record of delivering complex nuclear programs and strengthening performance in high-accountability operating environments.
At X-energy, Popovic’s remit aligns with scaling delivery across the company’s growing deployment portfolio and international partnerships, bringing disciplined operational execution to the transition from development to fleet deployment.
James Schaefer
Senior Managing Director
Guggenheim Partners
James Schaefer is a Senior Managing Director within Guggenheim Securities Investment Banking and covers a number of electric and gas utility and renewable energy accounts for the firm. Mr. Schaefer brings to Guggenheim extensive expertise in energy‐related mergers, acquisitions and financing, developed over his more than 20 years in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Guggenheim, Mr. Schaefer lead the Global Energy, Power and Renewables Practice at Blackstone. Prior to Blackstone, Mr. Schaefer was a Managing Director, Global Head of Power & Renewable Energy at UBS Investment Bank. Prior to UBS, Mr. Schaefer worked in the power groups at Lehman Brothers, Salomon Brothers and Chase. Mr. Schaefer has completed approximately $60 billion of strategic advisory assignments and more $30 billion of lead managed financings. Mr. Schaefer graduated with honors in Finance and Accounting from the University of Michigan's M.B.A. program and cum laude in Finance from the University of Vermont
Greg Schulze
Strategy & Innovation Advisor, ExxonMobil Corporation;
Chair, Industrial Advanced Nuclear Consortium
Greg Schulze is a Strategy & Innovation Advisor with ExxonMobil Global Projects, where he works on applying new and emerging concepts to ExxonMobil’s projects and operations. In this role, his current work has been especially focused on evaluating how nuclear energy could provide reliable heat and power for large-scale industrial facilities—including the types of energy-intensive assets that require around-the-clock, high-temperature process energy.
Schulze is an active contributor to industry dialogue on what it will take to deploy nuclear in industrial settings—where integration requirements, permitting timelines, and project delivery expectations can differ meaningfully from traditional grid-only applications. He has participated in technical and industry forums examining modularized/offshore nuclear concepts and broader pathways to bring nuclear options into industrial project architectures.
He also serves as Chair of the Industrial Advanced Nuclear Consortium (IANC), an initiative launched under The Open Group to help accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear heat and power solutions for industrial applications. The consortium’s stated focus includes standardizing interfaces and sourcing terminology, adopting risk-appropriate design practices, and developing open frameworks and business guidelines intended to reduce cost and schedule uncertainty and improve deployability for end users.
Across these efforts, Schulze’s work sits at the intersection of industrial project execution and next-generation energy systems—helping translate emerging nuclear capabilities into practical requirements that align with the real-world needs of major industrial operators.
Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Mr. Schulze was a Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy where he served aboard the USS HAMPTON (SSN 767) and was an Assistant Professor of Naval Science at Auburn University. He continues to serve today in the Navy Reserves. Mr. Schulze has a bachelor degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M, and a master of mechanical engineering from Auburn University.
Giacomo Sozzi
President
U.S. Forged Rings
Giacomo Sozzi is President of U.S. Forged Rings (USFR), where he is leading the development of a new U.S. manufacturing platform intended to expand domestic capacity for large, mission-critical forged steel components used across major energy and industrial markets. USFR has announced plans for a $700 million investment to develop two co-located East Coast facilities: a tower fabrication plant supporting U.S. offshore wind and a steel forging (ring-rolling) plant designed to produce large flanges up to ~40 feet (12 meters) in diameter—a capability aimed at serving not only offshore wind, but also other heavy industries, including nuclear energy.
As President, Sozzi is spearheading USFR’s domestic industrial strategy, driving supplier partnerships (including with Nucor and Ellwood Quality Steels) and positioning the platform to deliver U.S.-made output with greater supply-chain resilience and predictability for developers and OEMs. In public remarks, he has emphasized the importance of local manufacturing to help reduce cost volatility, shorten logistics, and avoid the emissions associated with transporting oversized components from overseas.
Sozzi is also the project’s public-facing lead for expansion planning and site selection, describing an active, multi-state evaluation that has included consideration of North Carolina, alongside the expected workforce buildout of 500+ full-time roles once operational.
He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Canadoil Group, bringing long-standing leadership experience in industrial materials and energy infrastructure supply chains.
Jacob Stedman
Chief Executive Officer
Blykalla
Jacob Stedman is Chief Executive Officer of Blykalla, the Swedish advanced nuclear company developing a lead-cooled small modular reactor designed to deliver reliable, carbon-free power with a compact footprint. He became CEO in January 2023 and leads the company’s commercialization strategy—working across industrial partners, regulators, investors, and the broader European energy ecosystem to move the technology from development into deployment.
Stedman is a serial entrepreneur and company builder with experience spanning energy, technology, and mission-driven organizations. Prior to Blykalla, he served as CEO of Platform24 Healthcare AB (2019–2022), and earlier co-founded Doktor24, where he held senior leadership roles including Deputy CEO and CPO. Before his entrepreneurial work, he spent six years at McKinsey & Company as an Engagement Manager, focusing on electricity production and energy-related strategy, and later joined Reach for Change (within the Kinnevik sphere), serving as COO/Deputy CEO and then acting CEO.
Alongside executive leadership roles, Stedman has served on several nonprofit boards, including Better Shelter and Friends, reflecting a long-standing engagement with social-impact initiatives.
He holds BSc and MSc degrees in Business Administration and Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics, and participated in an MBA-level exchange program at UCLA Anderson.
Mr. Jay Surina
Managing Partner
Pelican Energy Partners
Jay Surina joined Pelican in 2022. Prior to joining Pelican, Jay worked for over two decades in the management of mostly private equity backed/venture capital backed energy businesses at the executive level including CEO of Northwest Medical Isotopes, CFO of NuScale Power, VP of Corporate Finance at Boart Longyear, VP of Finance at Texas Genco, VP of Finance/M&A at Centrica North America/Direct Energy and VP of Finance at Sithe Energies. Prior to his corporate roles Jay, along with two partners, started up and ran an energy focused consulting firm, CornerStone Energy Advisors, assisting clients in the purchase of deregulating generating assets on the buy side and, as well, consulted with Coopers & Lybrand Consulting with a similar focus. Prior to graduating from business school, Jay was a nuclear trained submarine officer in the US Navy.
While CFO at NuScale Power from 2009 to early 2021, Jay raised over $1 B in equity and US DOE funding allowing NuScale to grow from a pure startup with 20 employees to the leading Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology with over 400 employees and leading to NuScale becoming a public company in May, 2022. While at Boart Longyear, Jay completed the purchase of six acquisitions in a one-year time frame immediately prior to Boart Longyear going public on the Australian exchange in April, 2007 (at the time the largest IPO to date on the Australian exchange). While at Texas Genco, Jay was a part of the management team that was formed when Texas Genco was purchased by four large private equity firms for $900 mm in 2005 and subsequently sold to NRG for $5.8 B in February, 2006.
Jay earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Finance and Strategic Management, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Jay holds a nuclear engineer certification from the US Navy and is a Professional Engineer (PE).
Dr. Joshua Vajda
Chief Engineer – UCOR;
Workforce Development Lead – American Nuclear Society
Dr. Joshua Vajda is Chief Engineer at UCOR (United Cleanup Oak Ridge), the U.S. Department of Energy cleanup contractor responsible for major environmental remediation and deactivation work in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Appointed in October 2025, Vajda serves as UCOR’s design authority, ensuring technical excellence, design standards, and engineering program requirements are maintained across the organization.
He brings 20+ years of experience spanning nuclear operations, reactor design, regulatory policy, and environmental remediation across both the DOE complex and the commercial nuclear industry. Prior to joining UCOR, Vajda served as the regulatory lead and subject-matter expert for transuranic waste characterization and acceptance at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), supporting key aspects of DOE’s surplus plutonium disposition mission. At UCOR, he has led engineering efforts for the deactivation of two historically significant Oak Ridge National Laboratory reactor facilities—the Low Intensity Test Reactor and the Oak Ridge Research Reactor.
Vajda is also a long-time leader within the American Nuclear Society (ANS), where his workforce-focused work has emphasized credentialing, certification, and professional standards for the nuclear workforce. He has been recognized by ANS for these contributions, including honors tied to credentialing and certification initiatives and broader contributions benefiting DOE-EM sites nationwide. Additionally, he has served as ANS’s chair of the Professional Engineering Examination Committee, underscoring his focus on professional licensure and career pathways in nuclear.
Dr. Vajda holds a doctorate in Engineering Management (George Washington University), master’s degrees in Nuclear Engineering (University of Idaho) and Materials Science & Engineering (University of Virginia), and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Penn State). He is a licensed Professional Engineer (mechanical and nuclear) and a Certified Health Physicist (CHP).
Dr. John Wagner
Laboratory Director
Idaho National Laboratory
Dr. John C. Wagner is the director of Idaho National Laboratory and president of Battelle Energy Alliance LLC. He is responsible for management and integration of a large, multipurpose laboratory that has a mission focused on nuclear energy, national and homeland security, and energy and environment science and technology. He manages this U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory of approximately 6,000 scientists, engineers and support staff members in multiple nuclear and nonnuclear experimental facilities, with an annual budget of more than $2 billion.
Wagner began serving as INL director in 2020. He has more than 25 years of experience performing research, and managing and leading research and development projects, programs and organizations.
Wagner’s experience is strongly aligned with INL’s programmatic portfolio. He has guided and helped implement INL’s nuclear energy strategy during an innovative and exciting time at the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development. As a recognized expert in reactor and fuel cycle technologies, he is called upon frequently to advise in formulation of policies for nuclear fuel cycles and advanced reactors.
Wagner initially joined INL as chief scientist at the Materials and Fuels Complex in 2016 and served as associate laboratory director for Nuclear Science and Technology beginning in 2017. Prior to joining INL, he worked for nearly 17 years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he held several research and leadership roles in reactor and fuel cycle technologies.
Wagner is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and recipient of the 2013 E.O. Lawrence Award. He has authored or co-authored more than 170 refereed journal and conference articles, technical reports, and conference summaries. He earned a bachelor’s in nuclear engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 1992, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the Pennsylvania State University in 1994 and 1997, respectively.
Emily Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Geenex
As the CEO of Geenex, Emily Williams leads the company’s strategic growth and operational excellence across its portfolio of energy projects. With over 15 years in the electric generation industry, including a decade at a leading utility, Emily has deep knowledge of project development and regulatory dynamics, which has led to a proven record of driving successful energy initiatives. Prior to becoming CEO, Emily served as Geenex’s Chief Development Officer, guiding major project developments and fostering partnerships across the industry. Emily holds a Juris Doctor from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, an MBA from the Kelley School of Business, and a Bachelor’s degree from Miami University.
