Speakers
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.
Dr. Tina Back
Vice President
Nuclear Tech. & Materials General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems
Dr. Christina Back is the Vice President of Nuclear Technologies and Materials for General Atomics, where she Leads the nuclear fission programs and related technology development. Her research additionally includes terrestrial nuclear reactors, novel isotope production, and Accident Tolerant Fuel nuclear technology.
She is also the lead physicist responsible for the Energy Multiplier Module (EM2), an advanced reactor concept.
A graduate of Yale University undergrad with a concentration in Physics, Dr. Back continued her research at University of Florida where she earned her PHD.
Beginning her early career in 1992 as a Physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, she soon migrated to General Atomics in 2005, where she has resided for just short of 19 years.
Dr. Back is fluent in both English and French.
Dr. Rita Baranwal
Senior Vice President
Westinghouse
Dr. Rita Baranwal was appointed as Westinghouse's Chief Technology Officer in January 2022, to lead Westinghouse's global research and development investments and spearhead a technology strategy to advance the company’s innovative nuclear solutions.
Dr. Baranwal’s appointment marks a return to Westinghouse where she worked for nearly a decade in leadership positions in the Global Technology Development, Fuel Engineering, and Product Engineering groups. In this new, strategic role, Dr. Baranwal will drive next-generation solutions for existing and new markets that align with Westinghouse’s forward-looking strategy.
Prior to rejoining Westinghouse, Dr. Baranwal served as the Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy where she directed the R&D portfolio across current and advanced nuclear technologies while collaborating across nuclear utilities, national labs, reactor developers, academia and government stakeholders. She has also held senior leadership roles with the Idaho National Laboratory as Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), where she was responsible for providing the nuclear industry and other stakeholders access to DOE's state-of-the-art R&D expertise, capabilities, and infrastructure to achieve faster and cost-effective development, demonstration, and ultimate deployment of innovative nuclear energy technologies. Under her leadership, GAIN positively impacted over 120 companies.
Dr. Baranwal most recently was the Chief Nuclear Officer and Vice President of Nuclear for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Dr. Baranwal is a past Chairman of the Executive Committee of the American Nuclear Society's (ANS) Materials Science and Technology Division and is distinguished as an American Nuclear Society Fellow.
Dr. Baranwal has a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in materials science and engineering and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in the same discipline from the University of Michigan. She has also served on the Boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters-Pittsburgh and North Hills Community Outreach.
Ana Birchall
Special Envoy for Strategic and International Affairs
Nuclearelectrica, Romania
Ms. Birchall is contributing to Nuclearelectrica’s efforts to promote the company’s ongoing strategic projects, particularly within the North American Energy and Security Partnership, as well as other strategic partnerships.
Ana Birchall has a law degree from the University of Bucharest, a master’s degree and a doctorate in law from the prestigious Yale Law School, USA.
Before returning home, Ana Birchall worked on Wall Street, New York City, USA, as a lawyer at one of the largest law firms in the world. Since 2003, Ms. Birchall has returned home with her family and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs team, promoting Romania’s interests of integration in NATO and EU membership.
Subsequently, Ana Birchall decided to get involved in political life by holding the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Romania’s Strategic Partnerships, Minister of Justice, Minister Delegate for European Affairs, High Government Representative for US Relations and European Affairs, Member of the Romanian Parliament, President of the Commission for European Affairs in the Chamber of Deputies, President of the Special Commission for the Presidency of Romania at the European Union Council, President of the Delegation of the Romanian Parliament to the OSCE.
Mikal Boe
Founder & CEO
CorePower UK, Ltd.
Mikal Boe is a senior maritime executive with three decades of experience from floor to board level in shipping, finance and technology.
As Chairman and CEO of CORE POWER, Mikal today plays a key role in the development and deployment of a new generation of reactor technologies as the solution for ocean transportation to meet its emission reduction targets.
Mikal graduated from the Royal College of Music after mastering the saxophone before receiving his MBA from Ashton University.
Alice Caponiti
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Reactor Fleet and Advanced Reactor Deployment
DOE
Alice Caponiti serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Reactor Fleet and Advanced Reactor Deployment in the Office of Nuclear Energy. She leads a diverse portfolio of research, development and demonstration programs focused on the technical and economic sustainability of the existing U.S. fleet of commercial reactors and the development and deployment of innovative advanced reactors, including small modular reactors and microreactors. Ms. Caponiti is managing a new cost-shared program with industry to demonstrate multiple advanced reactor designs that offer improved safety, functionality and affordability, leading to expanded market opportunities for clean energy. Her office also sustains the nuclear talent pipeline through competitive university R&D and infrastructure investment programs. Ms. Caponiti serves as Chair of the Generation IV International Forum Policy Group that advises on research and development needed to establish the feasibility and performance capabilities of the next generation nuclear energy systems.
Ms. Caponiti has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland and master degrees in nuclear engineering and the Technology and Policy Program from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Hon. Michael Caron
President | National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
Commissioner | Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
Michael Caron is a Utility Commissioner of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). Governor Dannel P. Malloy nominated Caron to serve on the three member regulatory authority on July 12, 2012. His appointment was confirmed by both the House of Representatives and State Senate in the 2013 session of the Connecticut General Assembly.
Commissioner Caron is the Authority's former designee to the Connecticut Siting Council and is PURA's representative to the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC). He also serves as Treasurer of the New England Council of Public Utility Commissioners(NECPUC) and is a member of the Electricity Committee for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and was appointed last year to the NARUC Telecommunications Task Force by past President Commissioner Lisa Edgar (FL).
Prior to his appointment, Caron was the Director of Public Affairs – Global Sites for Pfizer, Inc. and an associate lobbyist for the lobbying and business development firm Camilliere, Cloud & Kennedy.
Caron previously served as a State Representative from the 44th District for nine terms (1991-2009) and Assistant Republican Leader for five terms (1999-2009). During his time as a member of the General Assembly, Caron served on the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee, as Ranking Member of a number of legislative committees including the Transportation Bonding Sub-Committee. He was also a member of the Energy and Technology Committee.
Caron received his B.A. in History and a B.S. in Finance from Central Connecticut State University.
Mr. Steve Chengelis
Director Research & Development, Future Nuclear
EPRI
Mr. Steve Chengelis serves as the Director of Research and Development, Future Nuclear at Electric Power Research Institute. With just short of a decade of experience at EPRI, Mr. Chengelis is a seasoned member of the team, and is described to be a hands-on leader with strong industry knowledge and commercial experience in the energy industry.
Mr. chengelis demonstrates success in business development, strategy, project management, and power plant operations, and pioneers new findings in the Transformative Nuclear Technologies Sector.
Mr. Chengelis earned a BS at Ohio University in 2005 and an MBA from Drexel University in 2010.
Ms. Caroline Cochrane
COO
Oklo
Caroline Cochran is the co-founder and COO of Oklo, working to build emission-free power plants utilizing advanced fission powered by nuclear waste.
Previously, she founded multiple organizations and managed 16 projects, including ten start-ups. As an engineer, Cochran has worked with energy technologies that span solar vehicles, natural gas, oil, and nuclear.
Earlier in her career, she helped establish a technology commercialization and business development program at the University of Oklahoma. Cochrane is one of the youngest recipients of the University of Oklahoma Regents Alumni Award.
Cochran is a former member of the US Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee and was a panel member at the 9th Clean Energy Ministerial.
Mr. Steve Cuevas
Executive Vice President Legal Affairs
Ultra Safe Nuclear
A seasoned legal executive in the nuclear industry, Cuevas combines extensive hands-on operational knowledge and international experience, with legal and policy-making expertise.
At USNC, Cuevas Oversees the continued development of USNC’s long-term legal, compliance, and regulatory programs. He also manages the company’s policy and government affairs efforts, advancing the company’s opportunities within the U.S. government.
Cuevas joined USNC from Magellan Investment Holdings Ltd. where he served as executive vice president and general counsel, overseeing global legal operations for the company.
Prior to Magellan, Cuevas served as general counsel and vice president to Orano’s U.S. subsidiary (formerly AREVA), an established player in nuclear fuel cycle products and services. At Orano, Cuevas and his team provided a vast array of legal, strategic, and policy advice to executive stakeholders and spent considerable time managing the legal relationship with the U.S. Department of Energy.
Mr. James Danly
Commissioner and Former Chairman
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Commissioner James Danly was nominated Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on February 12, 2020, and confirmed as a Commissioner by the United States Senate on March 12, 2020.
Danly served as Chairman of the Federal Regulatory Commission from November 5, 2020 to January 21, 2021.
Danly formerly served as general counsel to FERC. Prior to joining the Commission, he was a member of the energy regulation and litigation group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP.
Prior to this Danly served as law clerk to Judge Danny Boggs at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He was a managing director of the Institute for the Study of War, a military think tank in Washington, D.C., and served an International Affairs Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Danly is a former U.S. Army officer who served two tours in Iraq, first with an infantry company in Baghdad and then on staff at Multi-National Force—Iraq, receiving a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Danly earned his juris doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School, and his bachelor’s degree from Yale University. He is licensed to practice law before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Mr. Matt Dryden
V.P. Business Development
Bloom Energy
Mr. Matt Dryden serves as the Vice President of Business Development at Bloom Energy. He can be described to exhibit executive experience in strategic planning, customer relations, business development, & commercial relations.
His career has been primarily centered on leading business development efforts to achieve business goals and targets. Mr. Dryden’s executive career in commercial operations has also allowed him to conduct various strategies on building relationships, implementing projects, and delivering overall business success.
Mr. Dryden continues to work towards higher goals of advocating continuous improvement in the industry, sector, and business by profoundly impacting strategies, priorities, and decision-making processes.
Mr. Dryden received his AAS with an emphasis on Nuclear Power from Terra Technical College before receiving his BA from Siena Heights University and an MBA from Indiana University.
Ms. Aleshia Duncan
Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Nuclear Energy Policy & Cooperation
U.S. Department of Energy
Aleshia Duncan serves as the deputy assistant secretary for International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation in the Office of Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
She has worked in various capacities in the international nuclear energy policy arena both domestically and abroad. Domestically, she has served a foreign affairs specialist at the U.S. Department of Energy, supporting the Office of Nuclear Energy, managing bilateral and multilateral relationships on several continents.
Ms. Duncan has also completed two overseas posts. In 2016, she joined the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in France, as the policy adviser to the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), where she coordinated the policies and programs of its 65 member countries and four international organizations with the common goal of the safe, reliable use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. She continued in that role in 2017 in addition to serving as the director general’s senior advisor for multilateral coordination and secretary of the NEA Steering Committee until her departure at the end of 2018.
From October 2010 to December 2013, Ms. Duncan was posted at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan as the director for nuclear operations and served as a diplomat in the capacity of energy attaché. Ms. Duncan had the opportunity to liaise with the government of Japan regularly before, during and after its change in nuclear policies and was awarded the Secretary’s Honor Award for her efforts in supporting the coordination of the United States crisis response.
Ms. Duncan also has an extensive background in human resources in the areas of employee and labor relations, performance management, employee discipline and contract negotiation and administration.
Ms. Duncan holds a bachelor of arts in international relations from Pennsylvania State University and a master of arts in community counseling from Trinity University in Washington, DC.
Ms. Karen Davis Fili
President & CEO
URENCO USA
Karen serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of URENCO USA (UUSA) and has over 32 years of experience in commercial nuclear power. As President of UUSA, she oversees the company’s business strategies and objectives and provides organizational leadership for the UUSA plant. Located just outside of Eunice, New Mexico, UUSA enriches uranium for commercial nuclear reactors for US and international customers and serves as the only centrifuge based operational facility in North America. Karen’s responsibilities include maintaining safe and compliant operations, meeting corporate business goals and objectives, and fulfilling environmental and community stewardship of this $5 billion facility.
Prior to joining UUSA, Karen served as the Site Vice President for two different nuclear power plants, Vogtle 3 & 4 and Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. She also served as the Vice President of Nuclear Projects at Xcel Energy and Vice President of Nuclear Oversight at FirstEnergy.
Karen holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Mississippi College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University. She has a Senior Reactor Operator Certification, Professional Project Management Certification, and attended the Wharton Executive Program. Karen resides in Hobbs, New Mexico and is an active member of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), the American Nuclear Society, and Women in Nuclear (WIN) as well as a contributor and giver in the local community.
Mr. Rex Geveden
President & CEO
BWX Technologies
Rex D. Geveden is president and chief executive officer of BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), a $2.4B 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, components, and fuel for the U.S. Navy; provides nuclear technical, management, and environmental remediation services at contractor-operated U.S. government laboratories and facilities; manufactures medical radioisotopes; and supplies precision manufactured components, services, and fuel for the commercial nuclear power industry. With about 7,000 employees, BWXT has 14 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada, and the UK comprising over four million square feet of manufacturing space. In addition, BWXT joint ventures operate at a dozen U.S. Department of Energy sites and two NASA facilities.
Mr. Geveden joined BWXT in 2015 as chief operating officer (COO) before advancing to CEO in 2017. Previously, he was executive vice president at Teledyne Technologies for eight years, leading two of the four Teledyne operating segments.
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 holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Murray State University.
Ms. Pam Gorman Prochaska
Director, Nuclear Regulatory Policy
Xcel Energy
Ms. Pam Gorman Prochaska serves as the Director of Nuclear Regulatory Policy at Xcel Energy.
A member of the Xcel Energy group since 1989, Ms. Gorman Prochaska is a seasoned member of the Xcel team, with more than three decades of experience and a vast knowledge of Nuclear Regulatory procedure, implementations, and policies.
Ms. Gorman Prochaska received her Bachelor degree with a concentration in Applied Science, math, Secondary Math Education, and physics from University of Minnesota Duluth.
Mr. Jeremy Harrell
Chief Strategy Officer
ClearPath
Jeremy is the Chief Strategy Officer at ClearPath, where he leads the development, management, and execution of the organization’s strategic plan. In that role, he oversees the organization’s public policy development, government affairs, research, and strategic partnerships, including philanthropic initiatives.
Jeremy serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (REEAC). He also plays a leadership role in multiple clean energy industry trade groups, serving as the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, a leading advocate for American nuclear energy technologies, and Legislative Chair for Geothermal Rising, the largest association for geothermal energy professionals.
Before joining ClearPath, Jeremy advised Congressional leaders, across multiple roles in the House and Senate, on energy, environmental, national security, tax, and transportation policy for a decade.
Mr. Harrell earned his B.A. in Political Science and History from Miami University and an M.B.A. from New York University Stern School of Business
Ms. Bristol Hartlage
Sr. Director of Business Development
Numerical Advisory Solutions, a Zachry Group Company
Bristol Hartlage is the Sr Director of Business Development for Numerical
Advisory Solutions, a Zachry company. Prior to NAS, she served five years in the
United States Navy as a Nuclear Engineer in the Surface Warfare Officer
community and has worked at various companies supporting the nuclear energy
industry since 2009.
Bristol has two Bachelors of Science in Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a Global
EMBA from Purdue University, and a Master’s in Accounting from Purdue Global.
She resides in Cary, NC, and her current marathon count is 67, including 48 US
states, 13 countries, and all 7 continents!
Mr. Ken Hartwick
President & CEO
Ontario Power Generation
Ken Hartwick is OPG’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ken joined OPG in March 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President - Finance. He was appointed President and CEO in April 2019.
Under Ken’s tenure, OPG has released its first-ever Climate Change Plan, advanced its electrification efforts through the Ivy charging partnership and PowerON subsidiary, launched a Reconciliation Action Plan, and is currently leading the development of Canada’s first Small Modular Reactor.
Ken joined OPG from Wellspring Financial Corporation, where he was CFO and Treasurer. He held various senior positions in the energy sector, including interim President and CEO of Atlantic Power Corporation, CFO and CEO of Just Energy Corporation, and CFO of Hydro One. Ken previously held senior positions at Capgemini and was a partner at Ernst & Young LLP.
He is a Chartered Professional Accountant with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Trent University and serves on a number of boards.
Mr. Peter Hastings
Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Quality
Kairos Power LLC
Mr. Peter Hastings is the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Quality at Kairos Power and leads teams responsible for licensing and permitting activities, safety analysis and probabilistic risk assessment, quality assurance, and government affairs with a focus on establishing the regulatory basis for Kairos Power's reactor technology.
Mr. Hastings previously ran a successful management and regulatory consulting firm and held prior positions as Director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for Generation mPower, Licensing Manager for Duke Energy’s Nuclear Plant Development Division, and licensing and design-center lead NuStart Energy Development, LLC.
Mr. Hastings’ background includes work as a reactor engineer responsible for startup testing and fuel performance monitoring, design engineer on the Monitored Retrievable Storage facility, manager in safety assurance and performance assessment for the Yucca Mountain repository, and licensing manager responsible for receipt of construction authorization for the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility.
Mr. Hastings earned his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is a registered professional engineer in North and South Carolina.
Mr. Maynard Holt
Founder & CEO | Veriten, LLC
Maynard Holt is the founder & CEO of Veriten. Built off the momentum created by the “Close of Business Tuesday” podcast, Veriten is an energy-focused knowledge platform that brings diverse perspectives to the energy transition discussion, improving the ability of industry leaders, policy makers, and investors to make investment and strategic choices.
Maynard previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. from 2016 to 2021 and has over 27 years of experience in energy investment banking and strategic advice.
A co-founder of TPH, Maynard functioned as Co-President from 2007 to 2016 and prior to joining TPH, Maynard worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. At Goldman from 1994 to 2007, Maynard worked in Leveraged / Structured Finance and was last a Managing Director in Energy & Power / Natural Resources.
Maynard launched Veriten to convene the brightest minds in and around energy in a civil, inclusive, and intellectually honest discussion to address the most pressing topics across the space. Like too many of us, he passionately believes there are better ways forward in energy and he wants to find them.
Maynard holds a BA in Economics and Russian from Rice University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Mr. Simon Irish
CEO
Terrestrial Energy
Simon Irish is Chief Executive Officer of Terrestrial Energy Inc. He has 20 years of global investment banking and investment management experience in New York and London. He has a formal education in the quantitative sciences and quantitative finance and has established and managed multi-billion-dollar alternative investment businesses in North America.
Mr. Irish is the former Head of Man Global Strategies (MGS) in North America, the strategic investment division of Man Group Plc, a leading global investment management business. During his tenure at Man, Mr. Irish was responsible for building and managing the largest and most active strategic investment and managed account business in North America. Mr. Irish was a member of the Investment Committee and responsible for corporate acquisition opportunities in North America for Man Group Plc.
Mr. Irish began his banking career at Credit Suisse in London and in 2001 moved to New York as Director of FRM, the London-based investment firm, to establish its U.S. business.
In 2010, he focused on opportunities in breakthrough energy technologies and in particular nuclear energy given its unparalleled energy density and the commercial potential of advanced reactor technologies.
Mr. Irish holds an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MSc in Finance from the London Business School.
Mr. Bret Kugelmass
President & CEO | Last Energy
Bret Kugelmass is a technology entrepreneur previously best known for his work pioneering autonomous flight technology. In 2017, his dedication towards solving climate and energy challenges led to the founding of the Energy Impact Center, a Washington DC-based research institute, with a focus on climate restoration and special expertise in nuclear energy.
Through the OPEN100 platform, EIC continues to demonstrate technical leadership and business innovation, in bringing together dozens of leading nuclear institutions from around the world. Bret’s personal goal and leadership of the Energy Impact Center aims for nothing short of bringing nuclear energy to never before realized heights to enable rapid decarbonization and energy access for all.
Bret received his BS from Stony Brook University before receiving his MS from Stanford University.
Ms. Reta Jo Lewis
President & Chair
EXIM Bank of the United States
On February 9, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed Reta Jo Lewis as EXIM’s President and Chair of the Board of Directors. Chair Lewis was sworn in by Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris on February 16, 2022. Ms. Lewis is a senior executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in international affairs, legal, public policy, business and regulatory affairs, and subnational diplomacy.
Ms. Lewis was most recently a Senior Fellow and Director of Congressional Affairs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. At GMF, Ms. Lewis led and oversaw initiatives, programs, and bipartisan exchanges for members of the U.S. Congress and their European counterparts, focusing on leadership development and subnational diplomacy efforts. Prior to her time at GMF, she served as the first-ever Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs under Secretary Hillary Clinton at the U.S. Department of State during the Obama-Biden Administration. As Special Representative, Lewis was the chief diplomat in charge of the international efforts to build and support strategic relationships between the federal government, state and local leaders, and their foreign counterparts. In 2013, she was awarded the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award.
She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former Member of the Board of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security. Ms. Lewis received a J.D. from Emory University School of Law, an M.S.A.J. from American University, and a B.A. from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Jeff Lyash
President & CEO
Tennessee Valley Authority
Jeff Lyash is NEI’s chairman. He also is president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Appointed by the Board of Directors in February 2019, Mr. Lyash leads the nation’s largest public utility in its mission of serving the people of the Tennessee Valley to make life better.
Before coming to TVA, Mr. Lyash served since 2015 as president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation Inc., one of the largest electric generating companies in Canada with a diverse fleet of nuclear, hydroelectric, gas, biomass and renewable generating stations. Mr. Lyash also formerly served as president of CB&I Power, executive vice president of Energy Supply for Duke Energy, and executive vice president of Energy Supply for Progress Energy.
Mr. Lyash began his career in the utility industry in 1981 and worked for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in senior technical and management positions throughout the Northeast and in Washington, DC. He received the NRC Meritorious Service Award in 1987.
Mr. Lyash earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University, and was honored with the Drexel University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009. He has held a senior reactor operator license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and is a graduate of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Executive Training Program and the Duke Fuqua School of Business Advanced Management Program.
Dr. Vahid Majidi
Laboratory Director
Savannah River National Laboratory
As Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Executive Vice President and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Director, Vahid Majidi is responsible for the management, operation, and strategic direction of SRNL. Employing approximately 1,000 technical and support staff, SRNL conducts research and development for diverse federal agencies, providing practical, cost-effective solutions for the nation’s environmental, nuclear security, energy and manufacturing challenges. As the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Environmental Management Laboratory, SRNL provides strategic scientific and technological direction and program support for the nation’s $6 billion per year legacy waste clean-up program.
Dr. Majidi is a decorated former member of the senior executive service and senior intelligence service with direct reporting responsibilities to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, U.S. Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of chemistry, measurement science and technology, national and homeland security, science and technology policy, and nuclear nonproliferation.
Most recently he was Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Inc. Dr. Majidi previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters, responsible for nuclear weapon surety and the acquisition and modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile. Prior to joining the Department of Defense, he was Chief Scientist for Infrastructure Protection and Security at TASC Inc. and Director of University Multispectral Laboratories focusing on national and homeland security. From 2006-2012, Dr. Majidi served as Assistant Director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Directorate, responsible for coordinating and managing its equities, activities, and investigations involving WMD. In 2003, he was appointed Chief Science Advisor to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and was detailed to DOJ from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where he coordinated science and technology policy among DOJ component agencies and with state and local law enforcement entities.
Dr. Majidi also served as the Chemistry Division Leader at LANL and was a tenured associate professor of chemistry at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Michael Mazzola
Executive Director
EPIC, UNC Charlotte
Dr. Michael Mazzola is the Director of the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) and the Duke Energy Distinguished Chair in Power Engineering Systems at UNC Charlotte.
After three years in government service at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, in 1993, he joined the faculty at Mississippi State University, where he became known for his research in the areas of silicon carbide power semiconductor device prototyping and semiconductor materials growth and characterization.
For 10 years, he served at the Mississippi State University Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems as the associate director for advanced vehicle systems, where he lead research in high-voltage engineering, power systems modeling and simulation, the application of silicon carbide semiconductor devices in power electronics, and the control of hybrid electric vehicle power trains.
In addition, he served two years as the chief technology officer of SemiSouth Laboratories, a company he co-founded. Dr. Mazzola holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Old Dominion University.
Dr. Corey McDaniel
Northwest Regional Manager
Kiewit Nuclear Solutions
Hon. Jeffrey Merrifield
Former Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
Chairman, USNIC Advanced Nuclear Working Group;
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.
Dr. Tara Neider
SVP & Project Director, Natrium™ Demonstration Reactor
TerraPower
Tara Neider is senior vice president and project director, Natrium™ demonstration reactor, at TerraPower. In this role, she leads TerraPower’s efforts to demonstrate the Natrium reactor as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Her team is responsible for plant design, testing, licensing, design integration, procurement and project leadership and administration.
Neider has more than 30 years of experience in nuclear engineering, project management and licensing. Previously, she worked as senior vice president of Back End Business Development and Sales at AREVA, Inc. Neider had responsibility for directing back end customer relations for AREVA in North America, developing an overall fuel and decommissioning strategy for the company, and pushing sales revenues for AREVA and AREVA subsidiary Transnuclear, Inc. to double their sales targets.
For four years prior, Neider served as president and CEO of AREVA Federal Services where she established its overall strategy. In this role, she held board positions on major Department of Energy project teams, including the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility, Hanford Tank Operations, Savannah River Remediation and Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Neider’s many accomplishments include developing a new product line in support of AREVA’s Reactors, Services and Fuels group, and expanding the company’s mission to include sales to Canada and Saudi Arabia.
Neider holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also earned an MBA in finance and international business from New York University.
Mr. Glenn Neises
Nuclear Director
Burns & McDonnell
Mr. Neises is the Nuclear Director at Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, with over 35 years of nuclear power experience.
Mr. Neises is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of all nuclear projects, and initiatives. He has served on nuclear safety review committees, executive oversight committees, nuclear vendor advisory boards and technical review boards.
His previous experience includes over two decades at a nuclear power plant utility and experience at the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO).
Mr. Neises has commercial nuclear power experience in engineering, operations support, project management and construction and is a graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering.
Mr. P. Todd Noe
Director of Nuclear Technologies Engineering
Microsoft Corporation
Mr. P. Todd Noe serves as Microsoft’s Director of Nuclear technologies engineering, where he is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic roadmap that compliments Microsoft’s clean energy goals.
He is a champion of the global 100/100/0 commitment by 2030, and actively investigates the potential implementations and services of nuclear technologies to service his commitment towards efficient, reliable, carbon-free energy.
Mr. Noe received his graduate degree from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management before receiving his B.S.E. with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Hon. Dan Poneman
President & CEO
Centrus Energy
Daniel B. Poneman is president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corp. He also serves on the company’s board of directors.
From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Poneman was the Deputy Secretary of Energy, also serving as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Energy. His responsibilities spanned the range of U.S. energy policies and programs – hydrocarbons, renewables, nuclear, and efficiency – including cybersecurity, project management, national security, and international cooperation. He was also responsible for the Department’s efforts on resilience and emergency response, in cases ranging from Fukushima to Hurricane Sandy. Between April 23, 2013, and May 21, 2013, Mr. Poneman served as Acting Secretary of Energy.
Prior to assuming his responsibilities as Deputy Secretary, Mr. Poneman served as a principal of the Scowcroft Group for eight years, providing strategic advice to corporations in a variety of strategic industries. In addition, for eight years he practiced law as a partner at Hogan & Hartson and an associate at Covington & Burling, advising clients on regulatory and policy matters.
In prior tours in government, Mr. Poneman served as a White House Fellow and as Director of Defense Policy and Arms Control for the National Security Council. From 1993 through 1996 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Nonproliferation and Export Controls at the National Security Council. His responsibilities included the development and implementation of U.S. policy in such areas as peaceful nuclear cooperation, missile technology, space-launch activities, sanctions determinations, chemical and biological arms control efforts, and conventional arms transfer policy.
Mr. Poneman has published widely on national security issues and is the author of Nuclear Power in the Developing World and Argentina: Democracy on Trial. His third book, Going Critical: The First North Korean Nuclear Crisis (coauthored with Joel Wit and Robert Gallucci), received the 2005 Douglas Dillon Award for Distinguished Writing on American Diplomacy. Mr. Poneman is a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, a Distinguished Fellow at the Paulson Institute, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
His fourth book, Double Jeopardy: Combating Nuclear Terror and Climate Change, was released by the MIT Press in May 2019.
Mr. Poneman received A.B. and J.D. degrees with honors from Harvard University and an M.Litt. in Politics from Oxford University.
Ms. Marcy Sanderson
Vice President
Industrial Applications X-energy
Ms. Sanderson joined X-energy in 2021 as Project Director, responsible for overseeing a multi-disciplinary technical team for Xe-100 electricity application efforts in Canada. In this position, she played a central role in advancing the reactor’s engineering and licensing requirements for both Canadian and U.S. regulatory jurisdictions.
Prior to joining X-energy, Ms. Sanderson held several key positions throughout her career, notably as Project Director and General Manager for the Bruce Major Component Replacement at SNC-Lavalin, where she oversaw all aspects of the dynamic portfolio.
A talented leader with more than 15 years of nuclear engineering experience, she spent seven years on OPG’s Darlington Retube and Feeder Replacement Project, finishing her tenure as the Deputy Project Director for Subsequent Units, accountable for the engineering, procurement, quality and construction planning for Darlington Units 3, 1 and 4. Known for her strong leadership and interpersonal skills, Ms. Sanderson has forged enduring relationships across the nuclear industry, including with suppliers, customers, utilities and regulatory bodies.
Ms. Sanderson holds an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science and Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo and is licensed with the Professional Engineers of Ontario.
Mr. James Schaefer
Senior Managing Director
Guggenheim Partners
James Schaefer is a Senior Managing Director within Guggenheim’s Power, Energy and Renewables team and covers a number of electric and gas utility and renewable energy accounts for Guggenheim Securities. 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 over $30 billion of lead managed financings.
Mr. Schaefer graduated with honors in Finance and Accounting from the University of Michigan's MBA program and cum laude in Finance from the University of Vermont.
Mr. Clayton Scott
Executive Vice President, Business Development
NuScale Power
Clayton Scott serves NuScale Power as Executive Vice President of Business Development. Scott leads the commercial global business development activities, including the sales, and marketing and communications functions for all NuScale products and services in the U.S. and abroad.
Scott joins NuScale with an extensive business development background and more than 40 years of professional experience in the nuclear sector including managing utility contracts globally; construction management; vast expertise in licensing and compliance, mergers and acquisitions, engineering design, and startup and operation of nuclear power plants. Throughout his years of global experience, he has demonstrated the ability to open markets, raise brand awareness and close deals.
Prior to joining NuScale, Scott was a Senior Vice President – Global Sales, Deputy Director, Instrumentation and Control (I&C) Business at Framatome. Scott is also an active member of various industry committees, including an appointment to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to chair a taskforce on harmonizing digital licensing issues globally and the University of Tennessee Advisory Board.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine, and a Leading with Finance certification from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Mike Scott
Managing Partner
Pelican Energy Partners
Mike Scott has over 24 years of private equity and energy industry experience. Mike founded Pelican Energy Partners in 2012 by bringing together a unique team of operationally-focused executives with deep experience in oilfield manufacturing and service companies. He also assembled a group of investors that consists of over thirty former CEOs and twenty former energy company business owners, providing a rich resource for deal flow, relationships and industry expertise.
Prior to founding Pelican, Mike spent four years as a principal at Sorenson Capital Partners, a private equity firm in Salt Lake City, Utah with $650MM under management. During this time, he led three platform transactions in the energy services sectors and several transactions in other industry sectors. He served as chairman of the board of NCS Energy Services and a board director of Southeast Directional Drilling and M&M Pipeline.
Prior to joining Sorenson Capital Partners, Mike worked at Cameron International Corporation, a multi-national oilfield equipment company, where he worked in corporate development and reported directly to the CFO. He also held various other management positions in global sourcing, project management and lean manufacturing, and played a key role in implementing lean manufacturing techniques in manufacturing plants throughout the U.S. and Europe. Prior to attending business school, Mike spent six years in engineering roles at Valtek International Ltd. and AlliedSignal Inc., where he worked in product development and designed several new products for gas turbine based industrial power generation. He holds five patents and has received several design and technical achievement awards.
Mike received a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University and received an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ms. Rachel Slaybaugh
Partner
DCVC
Rachel is a Partner at DCVC focused on climate, sustainability, and energy investments.
Before joining DCVC, Rachel was an Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley where she held leadership roles in several data science and entrepreneurship efforts.
Concurrent to being a professor, Rachel was a Division Director at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where she ran the Cyclotron Road Division. She served as a Program Director at the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E, where she created the nuclear fission program and managed the agriculture portfolio as well as solar and virtual reality teams.
Rachel co-founded the Good Energy Collective and currently serves as Chair of the Board.
Rachel received a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, where she served as a licensed nuclear reactor operator, and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics.
Dr. Rick Springman
Senior Vice President of International Projects
Holtec International
Dr. Rick Springman is senior vice president of international projects. In this role, he is responsible for managing international project development and overseeing project execution for private and public sector utilities in South America, Europe, East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Springman employs a technology-driven focus to develop and execute projects for small modular reactors, decommissioning, spent fuel and waste management, heat transfer equipment, nuclear power plant engineering and site services, and energy storage technologies. Reporting directly to the President/CEO, Dr. Springman directs strategic business development, manages government relations, and strengthens partnerships while expanding Holtec’s supply chain.
Dr. Springman’s efforts have resulted in the successful establishment of numerous international operation centers, including Holtec Britain Limited (UK), Holtec do Brasil (Brazil), Holtec Europe (Madrid), Holtec Japan (Tokyo) and the Holtec South African branch. Dr. Springman is involved in corporate strategy, has led several new ventures for Holtec, and routinely contributes and leads new product development.
Dr. Springman was appointed to Holtec’s Executive Committee in 2018. He advises the President/CEO on corporate policies, administration, growth plans, acquisitions and other corporate strategies. He serves on the Board of Directors for several Holtec company divisions and serves as a company representative on U.S.-E.U. Public Private Partnerships for Small Modular Reactors, Nuclear Energy Industry subcommittees, other interfaces within the industry, U.S. government entities (State, Commerce, DOE) and foreign governments.
Mr. Dan Stout
Chief Nuclear Officer
Ultra Safe Nuclear
Mr. Stout is USNC’s Chief Nuclear Officer. Dan oversees and supports all nuclear operations including licensing and regulatory compliance efforts, reactor and powerplant manufacturing planning, and management of client support operations and fleet services.
With more than three decades of experience in the nuclear energy sector, Mr. Stout is uniquely qualified to manage critical programs and projects at USNC. His unparalleled experience in planning, budgeting, navigating licensing processes, and deploying nuclear reactors and associated infrastructure are invaluable to the company.
Mr. Stout served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer, as well as in the Naval Reserves in the Naval Special Warfare community, retiring as a Commander. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and received his Masters Degree in Engineering Management from the National Technological University.
He was recently elected to the Board of the American Nuclear Society and represents USNC with various industry organizations.
Mr. David Sumoski
Chief Operating Officer
Nucor Corp.
Mr. Stout is USNC’s Chief Nuclear Officer. Dan oversees and supports all nuclear operations including licensing and regulatory compliance efforts, reactor and powerplant manufacturing planning, and management of client support operations and fleet services.
With more than three decades of experience in the nuclear energy sector, Mr. Stout is uniquely qualified to manage critical programs and projects at USNC. His unparalleled experience in planning, budgeting, navigating licensing processes, and deploying nuclear reactors and associated infrastructure are invaluable to the company.
Mr. Stout served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer, as well as in the Naval Reserves in the Naval Special Warfare community, retiring as a Commander. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and received his Masters Degree in Engineering Management from the National Technological University.
He was recently elected to the Board of the American Nuclear Society and represents USNC with various industry organizations.
Mr. Leon Topalian
Chairman & CEO
Nucor Corp.
Mr. Topalian was named Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 15, 2022.
He previously served as President and Chief Executive officer beginning January 1, 2020 and as President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2019 through December 2019.
Mr. Topalian began his career with Nucor as a project engineer at Nucor Steel-Berkeley in 1996 and was promoted to Cold Mill Production Supervisor in 1998.
He has held various leadership positions throughout his Nucor career in Australia, at Nucor Steel South Carolina, Nucor Steel Kankakee, and Nucor-Yamato Steel Company. He also served as Executive Vice President of Beam and Plate Products from 2017 to 2019.
Mr. David Vannier
Chief Government Affairs Officer
Newcleo
Mr. David Vannier has extensive international experience in government affairs. He worked as an economist on Wall Street prior to joining the World Bank in the US and Asia.
He became Board Operations Officer at the International Monetary Fund in 2006, and went on to spend over 12 years reporting directly, as a cabinet member, to the last 3 Managing Directors of the IMF, in Washington, DC.
David holds a master’s degree from the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Ms. Rumina Velshi
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Rumina Velshi was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the CNSC in August 2018. Ms. Velshi has had a long association with the CNSC, having been a Commission member from 2011 until her appointment as President and CEO. Ms. Velshi has extensive technical, regulatory and adjudication expertise in the energy industry. Throughout her career, she has worked in various capacities at Ontario Hydro and Ontario Power Generation, the electrical utilities in the province. Ms. Velshi also previously served as a part-time Board member of the Ontario Energy Board, the economic regulator of the province’s electricity and natural gas sectors. In February 2020, Ms. Velshi was appointed Chairperson of the Commission on Safety Standards (CSS), established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for a four-year term. Ms. Velshi very actively promotes careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), especially for young women. Since joining the CNSC as President and CEO, she has launched a women-in-STEM initiative to consider ways to support women in STEM careers at the CNSC and elsewhere, and to further STEM education by working with interested partners. She has also delivered several international keynote addresses about breaking down barriers for women in STEM. Ms. Velshi was one of the founding members of Canada's Women in Science and Engineering and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute for Women in Engineering and Science (CIWES), an institute that advances education in the STEM fields worldwide through an international network of organizations, foundations and experts. She has served as Vice-Chair on the Board of Directors of Scientists in School, a non-profit organization that offers STEM-focused workshops to more than 700,000 students each year. Ms. Velshi is one of 150 Canadian women whose stories are compiled in Your Turn, a book published to mark Canada's 150th anniversary and inspire the next generation of women leaders. Ms. Velshi holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in civil engineering, a Master of Engineering degree in chemical engineering and a Master of Business Administration, all from the University of Toronto.
Mr. Richard Voorberg
President
Siemens Energy North America
Richard Voorberg is President of the North America Hub of Siemens Energy, based in Orlando, FL. In this role, Richard has regional responsibility for the Energy business in the Americas, which includes the company’s Generation, Industrial Applications, and Transmission divisions.
Most recently, Richard served as the Head of Service in North America, where he was responsible for managing all aspects of Large Power Service, including Gas Turbines, Steam Turbines, Generators and Nuclear.
Additionally, he is Chairman of the Board for Advanced Airfoil Components and a board member for Siemens Gamesa USA. Richard has over 30 years of experience with Siemens Energy including extensive involvement in the manufacturing, commissioning management, project management and marketing aspects of the power generation business.
Richard was responsible for the design, project management and building of a brand-new factory at the Charlotte, North Carolina, site for gas turbine manufacturing. Throughout his career Richard has had the privilege to live and work in several different locations including Canada, Indonesia, Argentina, Korea and Germany. The North American business consists of over 10,000 people who manage all aspects of Service from Sales, Marketing, Project Management, Field Engineering, Shop Repair and Business Administration.
Richard holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and his MBA from ESMT in Berlin Germany. Richard and his wife, Esther, have four children and reside in Winter Springs, FL.
Ms. Lindsay Walter
Director of International Policy
Third Way
Lindsey is the Deputy Director of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program. She manages their climate policy portfolio, developing and advocating for sector-specific standards, incentives, and investments in innovation and infrastructure to reach net-zero emissions.
Prior to Third Way, Lindsey worked at the Center on Global Energy Policy researching the geopolitics of clean energy. She also led a project for the New York City Mayor’s Office analyzing the impact of NYC’s climate policies on the energy cost burden for different demographics.
Lindsey began her career in climate science and policy working at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory writing grants and contributing to scientific write-ups for Lamont’s Polar Explorer App.
Lindsey earned her MPA in Environmental Science and Policy and her BA in Sustainable Development from Columbia University. She was a Fulbright Research Scholar at the Heidelberg Center for the Environment in Germany.
Ms. Christina Walrond
Director of International Policy
Third Way
Lindsey is the Deputy Director of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program. She manages their climate policy portfolio, developing and advocating for sector-specific standards, incentives, and investments in innovation and infrastructure to reach net-zero emissions.
Prior to Third Way, Lindsey worked at the Center on Global Energy Policy researching the geopolitics of clean energy. She also led a project for the New York City Mayor’s Office analyzing the impact of NYC’s climate policies on the energy cost burden for different demographics.
Lindsey began her career in climate science and policy working at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory writing grants and contributing to scientific write-ups for Lamont’s Polar Explorer App.
Lindsey earned her MPA in Environmental Science and Policy and her BA in Sustainable Development from Columbia University. She was a Fulbright Research Scholar at the Heidelberg Center for the Environment in Germany.
Mr. Jeff Whitt
President
Framatome Government Solutions
Jeff Whitt is Director of Government Services & Advanced Reactors and is responsible for Framatome’s North America focus on advanced reactor technology and increasing engagement with the US DOE and industry to advance the development of strategic US infrastructure and capabilities.
Jeff began his career in the nuclear industry about 36 years ago, working in various positions associated with fabrication, design, and technical management. He holds patents related to the fabrication of nuclear fuel. Prior to his current assignment, he was responsible for facilitation of strategic business development for the Fuel group, which included projects such as Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) and the introduction of advanced fuel products, and was named an officer of the Enfission joint venture that was created for the purpose of deploying the Lightbridge advanced metal fuel for the LWR fleet.
Before his previous position, he was a member of Framatome’s U.S. Fuel Business Unit team with responsibility for strategic business development, which included the DOE Accident-Tolerant Fuel program, and he led the effort to grow the services business. In that role, he developed key relationships with the U.S. DOE and the U.S. National Laboratories, promoting Framatome as a strategic partner for the future of nuclear power in the U.S.
Hon. David Wright
Commissioner
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Honorable David A. Wright was first sworn in as a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on May 30, 2018. He is currently serving a term ending on June 30, 2025.
Commissioner Wright was Owner/President of Wright Directions, LLC, a strategic energy and water consulting and communications business. During this time, he also was a member of the Advisory Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Nuclear Waste Initiative; and an Ex Officio Member and Chairman Emeritus of the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition, an ad hoc organization representing the interests of industry, state officials, local governments and tribes, and consumer advocates.
From 2004-2013, Commissioner Wright served the South Carolina Public Service Commission in a variety of capacities, including Vice Chairman and Chairman. From 2011-2012, he served as President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; he had previously served the association in other capacities, including as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. From 2010-2013, Commissioner Wright was a member of the Advisory Board of the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Research Institute.
Previously, he served as a council member and mayor of Irmo, S.C., and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
A colon cancer survivor, Commissioner Wright is an advocate for cancer awareness and education, and a former member of the Leadership Council for the Cancer Centers at the University of South Carolina. He was presented with the Community Champions Award by Molina Healthcare of South Carolina in 2016 and the Blue Star Service Excellence Award by the USC Center for Colon Cancer Research in 2014. In 1996, he received South Carolina's highest citizen honor, The Order of the Palmetto.
Commissioner Wright received a bachelor's degree in political science from Clemson University.
Ms. Kreshka Young
North American Business Director
(Energy and Climate) Dow
Kreshka Young is Dow’s North America Business Director for Energy & Climate. In this role she is responsible for developing and implementing competitive and reliable energy and climate change strategies for Dow’s manufacturing sites across North America, and for implementing strategic investments and business models to preserve Dow’s competitiveness through the energy transition.
In addition, she leads Dow’s effort to implement a small modular nuclear reactor project at a USGC facility by approximately 2030.
Prior to her work at the Dow, Kreshka worked at Weyerhaeuser as a Project and Electrical Engineer, and a Production Manager helping manage the forest ecosystem and manufacture products that make the world a better place.
Kreshka holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the University of Calgary.
