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.
Mr. Rod Adams
Managing Partner
Nucleation Capital
Rod Adams is an independent atomic energy expert who has chronicled the nuclear industry over the last 25 years. He has a BS in English from United States Naval Academy (USNA), a MS in Systems Technology from US Naval Postgraduate School, and a Naval War College diploma in Defense and Strategic Studies. His sea-going submarine service included 11 deployments, five as a junior officer on USS Stonewall Jackson in various engineering and communications division assignments, and six as the Engineer Officer (Engineering Department Head) on USS Von Steuben. Ultimately, Rod retired from the US Navy as a Commander.
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In 1993, Rod developed a refinement to a nuclear heated, closed cycle gas turbine engine and received a patent for its control system. He resigned his active duty commission to start Adams Atomic Engines (AAE), possibly the first advanced nuclear venture ever attempted. AAE was founded on the idea that much smaller nuclear plants using simplified system designs could be competitive power sources for commercial ships, islands and populated or resource-rich areas not served by conventional power grids.
That vision is underlies what most of today’s advanced nuclear entrepreneurs are pursuing. Yet, back then, Rod spent several years developing AAE, searching unsuccessfully to find investors who shared his vision. In the post-9/11 era, Rod was recalled to active duty. Since he could not secure the funding he needed to grow the venture, he was forced to close Adams Atomic Engines. He recognized then, that without investors who had deep knowledge of nuclear’s power and potential, nuclear entrepreneurs would not be able to bring their innovations to market.
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In the time since, Rod has devoted considerable time to thinking and writing about nuclear and its issues. He started publishing his thoughts about nuclear power in 1995, which over the years became the online blog, Atomic Insights, now one of the most widely-read blogs focused on nuclear energy. In 2006, Rod added recorded live interviews, making The Atomic Show the go-to place to learn about key trends from industry experts (well before podcasting was a thing). Rod Adams is now a recognized thought leader in the small nuclear power system sector. He has published articles in Forbes, ANS Nuclear Cafe, Fuel Cycle Week and has self-published hundreds of articles and interviews, where he makes atomic energy information accessible to the public. (Click here to hear Rod discussing nuclear energy economics.)
Mr. Thomas Assimes
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Thomas Assimes has 35 years of combined experience in financial management, infrastructure project development and investment in the public and private sectors.
In the last decade, he has been a recognized leader in Canada in the development of greenfield and revenue-risk infrastructure projects such as the Site C Clean Energy Project, a $16 billion greenfield hydroelectric facility near completion in British Columbia, and the Réseau express metropolitain, an $8 billion light rail transit system owned and operated by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.
Thomas became Chief Financial Officer of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited in 2021 where he leads AECL’s finance and human resources functions, provides strategic leadership of AECL business initiatives and financial oversight of the contract with CNL.
He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.
Mr. Julien Barber
Growth Stage Investor - Climate
Emerson Collective
Julien Barber, based in San Francisco, CA, US, is currently a Graduate Fellow - Climate Tech at Emerson Collective, bringing experience from previous roles at The Wonderful Company, Joro and Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT. Julien Barber holds a Stanford University Graduate School of Business. With a robust skill set that includes Marketing, Business Strategy, Environmental Science, Microsoft Office, Energy Efficiency and more, Julien Barber contributes valuable insights to the industry. Julien Barber has 2 emails and 1 mobile phone number on RocketReach.
Ms. Diane Cameron
Head of Nuclear Technology Development & Economics Division
Nuclear Technology Development and Economics
OECD/NEA
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.
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. Annie Caputo
Commissioner
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Honorable Annie Caputo was sworn in as a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Aug. 9, 2022, and is serving the remainder of a five-year term ending June 30, 2026. Commissioner Caputo previously served on the NRC Commission from 2018 to 2021.
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Commissioner Caputo has over two decades of government and private- sector experience in nuclear energy and security policy. Caputo has a distinguished career as a nuclear engineer and, policy advisor, and has made significant contributions related to federal nuclear energy policy.
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Prior to her most recent appointment as an NRC Commissioner, she consulted for the Department of Energy Idaho National Laboratory, promoting international collaboration on advanced nuclear reactors. Prior to her work at INL, she served a short-term assignment with the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, where she assisted with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s portfolio.
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Prior to joining the NRC, she spent over 13 years as a staff member in the U.S. Congress advancing key policies and initiatives related to nuclear regulation, science and technology, energy, and the environment. She served as senior policy advisor for Sen. John Barrasso and former Sen. James Inhofe when each were chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Notably, she supported the Senators’ work on nuclear energy policy and NRC oversight.
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From 2005-2006 and 2012-2015, she worked for the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, overseeing a variety of nuclear energy issues. She supported then-Chairman Joe Barton and Fred Upton with oversight of DOE and NRC. Prior to her positions on Capitol Hill, she worked for Exelon Corporation in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in both nuclear generation and governmental affairs.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, with an emphasis in communications. She previously studied Chemical Engineering at Michigan Technological University.
Early in her career she worked as a ski instructor and patroller, and served as a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician. In addition to her many accomplishments, she brings ingenuity to her hobbies as an avid quilter and crafter.
Mr. Reed Clay
President
Texas Nuclear Alliance
Reed Clay serves as President of the Texas Nuclear Alliance, which seeks to educate Texans on the advancements in nuclear technology, advocate for public policy changes to support our country’s nuclear renaissance, and organize a growing grassroots army supporting nuclear technology. Reed founded the Texas Nuclear Alliance after recognizing that there was no single organization in Texas to advocate for the incredible advancements being made across the nuclear industry.
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Reed was formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Texas under Governor Greg Abbott, where he worked daily alongside executive and legislative leadership to implement Governor Abbott's vision for the State of Texas. Reed has earned a reputation as a tireless worker who is trusted for his honest communication, strategic approach, and deep understanding of a broad range of industries and issues. He spent over a decade at the highest levels of government, and during that time gained a deep understanding of highly regulated industries and how government action impacts the bottom line.
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After leaving government service, Reed founded the highly successful government affairs consulting firm Crestline Group. The firm has successfully represented dozens of clients, from Fortune 50 companies to early-stage start-ups across a wide variety of industries. Reed’s approach has led pundits inside Austin and outside of Texas to recognize him as one of the top public policy advocates in the State of Texas. Reed is also a founding partner of Clay Scott LLP, a boutique Texas law firm focused on administrative and regulatory law.
Mr. Rob Creager
Executive Director
Wyoming Energy Authority
Rob Creager is the Executive Director of the WEA. He previously served as Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Mark Gordon, where he strongly emphasized Wyoming’s economic portfolio and public policy. In that role, he led multiple efforts, including implementing multiple pieces of federal legislation and the successful execution of five pandemic-related business relief programs. He led the Governor’s budget transparency promise by creating the Wyoming Sense initiative. Creager has also presided over several of Wyoming’s state agencies and served as the Governor’s liaison to the White House. He is a native of Casper, Wyoming and a graduate of the University of Wyoming.
Mr. Larry Cutlip
Senior Vice President
Centrus Energy Corporation
Larry B. Cutlip is senior vice president, field operations, for Centrus Energy Corp and president, American Centrifuge Operating, LLC. In these roles, Mr. Cutlip has P&L responsibility for ACO and leads Centrus’ activities at its Tennessee and Ohio sites, including centrifuge and plant design, and operations.
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Mr. Cutlip has more than 42 years of nuclear experience and has served in several senior operations, engineering, plant management and executive positions at Centrus. Previously, he was president of American Centrifuge Manufacturing, LLC where he led the teams charged with developing the AC-100M centrifuge manufacturing supply chain, including establishing Centrus’ Technology and Manufacturing Center for production of classified centrifuge parts and subassemblies.
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In addition to establishing Centrus’ manufacturing base for the American Centrifuge program, Mr. Cutlip has a long history of successfully leading critical programs for the company, including execution of major contract work for the Department of Energy in Oak Ridge and at the Portsmouth and Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plants. He has received numerous corporate awards for his accomplishments.
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Mr. Cutlip holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics from Muskingum College. He completed Advanced Management Training School as well as numerous other technical and management training programs.
Dr. Dorothy Davidson
President & CEO
Orano Federal Services LLC
Dr. Dorothy Davidson is the President and CEO of Orano Federal Services. She is an accomplished and innovative senior executive well known for her success in developing and implementing successful growth strategies in the U.S. nuclear energy industry. Dr. Davidson excels in working effectively with a diverse set of Government agencies, national laboratories, research universities, industry partners, and stakeholders on large, complex nuclear energy programs and projects at DOE operations and cleanup sites. She has skillfully led large organizations that develop and/or apply state-of-the-art nuclear science and technologies while adapting quickly to evolving industry, economic, and policy requirements and challenges. She establishes a positive, transparent working environment, sets clear goals, develops talented science and technology teams, and directs and continuously improves both company-wide and project-by-project performance.
The Hon. Tim Echols
Commissioner & Vice-Chairman, Georgia Public Utilities Commission
Chairman, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners – Nuclear Subcommittee
A younger Tim Echols was selected by the Atlanta Airport Rotary Club as "Student of the Year" from his high school in 1978. While at the luncheon, he met Truett Cathy, a member of the Atlanta Airport Rotary Club. After the meeting, Truett invited Tim to come by his Hapeville office and there gave him a set of motivational tapes and a challenge. Echols said the tapes changed his life and as a result of listening to Zig Ziglar and his teaching, Tim set a goal to be a statewide elected official.
Shortly after graduating from UGA, Tim and his wife Windy founded TeenPact, a training experience for conservative high school students. The program began at the Georgia Capitol and now operates in all 50 states, having trained 60,000 students. After building TeenPact, Echols ran for and was elected to statewide office in 2010 serving as Public Service Commissioner.
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The PSC's primary job is energy regulation. When Echols took office, Georgia was 34th in solar power. Now, the state is 9th in the nation for installed solar. In 2020, Conservatives for Clean Energy dubbed Echols the "Solar Architect of Georgia." Georgia will be 4th in installed solar by 2024.
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Echols has also created the Clean Energy Roadshow that has traveled the state every summer for the last eleven years. This educational event travels to cities around the state helping commuters, businesses and municipal governments evaluate alternative fuel for their transportation and residential use.
Tim authored the December 2017 motion to keep Plant Vogtle moving forward. He believes carbon-free nuclear energy plus solar is the way forward for Georgia. He has represented the United States at the World Nuclear Exhibition for the last eight years.
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Tim has tried to lead by example. He added solar hot water heating to his Athens home just before being sworn in. He bought a natural gas car, a propane van and now owns an electric car. Tim also led the effort to provide the Salvation Army and two other agencies with $5 million to help low income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance. That program continues today. Tim created a pilot program to provide specially equipped IPADS to the hearing impaired to help them function more productively. Tim also led the PSC to increase the number of pediatric hearing aids in a program the PSC oversees.
Most recently, Tim rallied donors and the solar community to build and donate to the Hog Hammock Foundation a 16-panel solar pavilion for the community library on the remote island off Georgia’s coast. Sapelo is the home of one of the last remaining Gullah Geechee communities and this array provides free electricity to the library for the next 30 years. With help from YellaWood, Southern Current and EDF Renewables, Echols led the way to build this lasting asset.
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Tim also has been at the forefront in fighting human sex trafficking. He created the "Unholy Tour" that helps policy makers see first-hand the harms of human trafficking. As a part of his efforts to educate the public about the harms of trafficking, Echols created the Wilberforce Fellowship that meets once per year at Jackson Lake in Newton County. Tim and Judge Tim Batten head up this effort.
Tim has a weekly radio show called Energy Matters airing on Cox Media Group and in four other Georgia media markets.
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Tim most recently finished up a historical fiction book about the founding of the Jekyll Island Club entitled “Jean Marc of Jekyll.” The book is about the power of remarkable friendships.
Tim and his wife, Windy, have been married 40 years and they have seven children. He has 3 degrees from the University of Georgia and lives in Hoschton, Georgia.
Ms. Juliann Edwards
Chair, U.S. Women in Nuclear
Board Advisor, Solestiss
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Chair for U.S. Women in Nuclear and board advisor to various energy companies in North America
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Former Vice President Energy Origination & Development at TC Energy where her team deployed an annual implied capital of $3B in nuclear, solar, wind, pump storage, hydrogen and CCUS
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15 years of nuclear and fossil industry experience in acquisition of commercial nuclear facilities, engineering, procurement, and construction of energy related projects
Dr. Ron Faibish
Chair, USNIC Space and Emerging Technologies Working Group
Sr. Director, Strategic Development, Nuclear Technologies & Materials
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS)
Dr. Ron S. Faibish has nearly 23 years of combined experience in the government and industry energy sectors, including extensive work with and within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory complex and other government functions.​
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Dr. Faibish leads strategic development for General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Group (GA-EMS) in the area of nuclear technologies and materials, leading strategic planning and programmtic growth for fission-related technology development and products, such as high temperature gas-cooled fast reactor technologies, space nuclear thermal propulsion and power systems, advanced nuclear fuels, and various applications of advanced ceramic composite materials, such as GA-EMS’ SiGA®-silicon carbide technologies-related applications.​
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Prior to joining General Atomics, Dr. Faibish worked at Argonne National Laboratory for nearly 14 years, most recently leading Argonne’s Energy Systems initiatives and associated program development. He managed several DOE international engagements on nuclear safety and technology. Dr. Faibish also spent time in Washington as an Argonne detailee, serving as the Senior Advisor to the Director of the DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy. In this role, he advised the Director on policy, technology and strategic planning.​
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Dr. Faibish also served as the Science Fellow with the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where he worked on major legislation, led the authorship of one of five whitepapers for Senator Lisa Murkowski on the energy-water nexus, worked closely with numerous external stakeholders, and negotiated complex issues related to bilateral international energy legislation, among other accomplishments.​
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Prior to joining Argonne, Dr. Faibish worked as a Research Development Manager at the International Atomic Energy Agency, managing multinational scientific research proposals and projects related to peaceful, non-electrical applications of nuclear energy.​
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Dr. Faibish received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also completed a certificate program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Hon. Bill Flores
Member of Congress (2011-2021)
Vice Chairman
Electric Reliability Council of Texas
Bill Flores is an entrepreneur, business leader, and public policy leader. He most recently served as the U.S. Representative for the 17th Congressional District of Texas from 2011 through 2021. Mr. Flores has also served in board governance and senior leadership positions for numerous public and private entities. His work has emphasized job creation and retention while generating significant value for investors, including public company shareholders, private-equity investors, public sector pensions, and retirement funds. Mr. Flores is a Texas licensed CPA, who earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Texas A&M University and his MBA from Houston Baptist University.
Mr. Jon Franke
Senior Vice President – Darlington New Nuclear Project
Ontario Power Generation
Jon Franke is the OPG’s Senior Vice President for the Darlington New Nuclear Project. In his role he is leading the development of the operational and maintenance strategy and programs to ready the station for transition to an operating station.
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Prior to his present role, Jon was assigned as OPG’s Senior Vice President for the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the 6 unit nuclear site.
Prior to joining OPG in June of 2020, Jon held a variety of executive roles within the US electrical utility industry. While working for Pacific Gas & Electric Jon served as the Vice President Power Generation, overseeing the operation of a 5400 MW generation fleet consisting of 65 hydro stations, a 1200 MW pumped storage station, two combined cycle stations and four solar facilities.
Jon also was the executive leading the nuclear decommissioning of the Humbolt Bay nuclear plant and preparation for the eventual decommissioning of the Diablo Canyon station. Prior to that Jon served as Site Vice President for Talen Energy’s Susquehanna Nuclear Plant leading that station through significant performance improvement as noted by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) peer review. Jon held a series of roles for Duke Energy and predecessor companies at the Brunswick Nuclear Station and the Crystal River 3 Nuclear plant where he served as Site Vice President.
Over Jon’s 36-year career he has held a wide variety of power generation leadership roles. These include: Station System Engineering manager, Project Management, Control Room Supervisor, Design Control Manager, Engineering Director, Plant General Manager, Director Site Operations and Senior Vice President Fleet Operations.
Following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, Jon served as a US naval officer on surface ships, as deck officer and navigator on a destroyer and principal assistant to the Reactor Officer aboard a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier where he led the operation of the ship’s dual reactor propulsion plant. Jon has held a Senior Reactor License from the US Nuclear Reactor Commission. He has a MS Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an MBA with a utility focus from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Dr. Jess Gehin
Associate Laboratory Director – Nuclear Science & Technology
Idaho National Laboratory
Dr. Jess Gehin became associate laboratory director for INL’s Nuclear Science & Technology (NS&T) Directorate in March 2021 after serving as chief scientist for the directorate since 2018. Over his 28-year career, he has built national strategies and priorities for nuclear energy, led complex projects and organizations, and developed strong relationships with senior leaders within INL, DOE and federal sponsors, and other laboratories, companies and universities. In support of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, he served as the national technical director for the DOE Microreactor Program. He expanded NS&T’s strategic direction and helped develop and establish key projects to build advanced reactors at INL such as the Department of Defense’s demonstration microreactor Project Pele, and the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) Project. Previously, he held research and leadership positions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in nuclear reactor core physics, reactor core and system technologies, reactor modeling and simulation, and fuel cycle reactor applications. While at ORNL, he served as director of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Kansas State University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His was an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society, and has authored or co-authored more than 120 refereed journal and conference articles, technical reports and conference summaries.
Hon. Jimmy Glotfelty
Commissioner
Public Utilities Commission of Texas
Governor Greg Abbott appointed James Glotfelty to serve as a commissioner on the Public Utility Commission of Texas on August 6, 2021, for a term set to expire on September 1, 2025. Before his appointment, he served as Founder and Executive Vice President of Clean Line Energy.
His public sector experience includes serving as Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, Energy Policy Director to Texas Governor George W. Bush and Legislative Director to Congressman Sam Johnson. He founded and led the Office of Electricity at The U.S. Department of Energy, led the joint US-Canadian Power System Outage Task Force and served on the White House Task Force to Streamline Energy Permitting.
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Mr. Glotfelty's private sector work also includes various Executive and Managerial roles at Calpine Corporation, ICF Consulting and Quanta Services.
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He served as Chairman of AWEA on the Transmission Committee and held board positions on ConservAmerica, Texas Housing Finance Corporation and Group NIRE. He regularly participated in the Aspen Institute Energy Forum, the Harvard Energy Policy Group and the Keystone Energy Forum.
A former Committee Chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership and an Alumni of the Texas Lyceum, Jimmy received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Marketing from Texas Christian University.
Ms. Judi Greenwald
Executive Director
Nuclear Innovation Alliance
Judi Greenwald is the Executive Director of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance.
Ms. Greenwald has over 35 years of energy and environmental policy leadership experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, including the U.S. Congress, the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES, formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change). Highlights of her distinguished career include working on the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments as congressional committee staff; overseeing energy and environmental programs at C2ES and DOE; co-founding the Carbon Capture Coalition; advising U.S. state and regional greenhouse gas initaitives; and collaborating with stakeholders to advance both economic and environmental goals.
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She has focused extensively on deep decarbonization through the interplay of public policy, technology innovation, human behavior, and markets. She served as Deputy Director for Climate, Environment, and Energy Efficiency at US DOE's Energy Policy and Systems Analysis Office, and the Senior Climate Advisor to the Energy Secretary. She is a fellow at Princeton University's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. Ms. Greenwald received a B.S. in Engineering, cum laude, from Princeton University, and an M.A. in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from George Washington University.
Hon. Cody Harris
Representative
Texas House of Representatives
A 5th generation resident of East Texas, Cody Harris’ conservative values are deeply rooted in Texas House District 8. His ancestors settled in Freestone County after the Civil War and his great-grandfather was the last operator of the Wildcat Ferry on the Trinity River at Cayuga.
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With an extensive background in real estate and banking, Harris is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL) Program.
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A member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2019, Harris currently serves as the Chair of the Local & Consent Calendars Committee. He also serves on the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee, Public Education Committee, House Administration Committee, and the Select Committee on Educational Opportunity & Enrichment. In the 87th Legislature, Harris was the House Chair of the State Water Infrastructure Fund Advisory Committee, Vice-Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, and a member of the House Transportation and Calendars Committees. In his first term, Harris served on the House Energy Committee, Natural Resources Committee, Local & Consent Calendars Committee, and the House Republican Caucus Policy Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Texas Nuclear Caucus, Texas Water Caucus, House Information & Technology Caucus, Texas Conservative Coalition, House Republican Caucus, and he was recently appointed to the Energy Council.
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Cody and his wife Taylor are proud parents to three sons and a daughter. The family is active at First Baptist Church where Cody serves as a Deacon. Before being elected, Harris served on the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as member and President of the Palestine YMCA Board of Directors, President of the Palestine Young Professionals Network, volunteer for Palestine YMCA Youth & Government, and volunteer for Palestine ISD Business Mentor Program.
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. John Howanitz
President - Nuclear
Bechtel
John Howanitz was named president of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental global business unit in September 2021.
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He oversees a portfolio of U.S., allied government, and civil nuclear projects with missions that protect people and the planet and help build the path to net zero.
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Key customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, and industry leaders in current and next-generation civil nuclear technologies. Project sites include a premier national laboratory, two chemical weapons destruction plants, three multi-billion-dollar construction projects, environmental cleanup projects, and two nuclear defense plants. In civil nuclear, Bechtel is completing construction on Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4 – the only nuclear plant expansion currently underway in the U.S. – and has joined forces with TerraPower and GE Hitachi on the Natrium advanced reactor demonstration project.
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Previously, Howanitz was general manager of Bechtel’s business line that supports the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. A veteran Bechtel project manager who joined the company in 1982, Howanitz has held leadership roles on a wide variety of projects including fossil power plants, commercial nuclear power plants, combined-cycle natural gas units, waste-to-energy facilities, and a NASA launch complex.
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He has led teams building the U.S. Uranium Processing Facility for highly enriched uranium in Tennessee and managing and operating the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, the Nevada Test Site, and the Y-12 National Security Site in Tennessee.
Howanitz was elected a principal vice president of Bechtel in 2011 and senior vice president in 2014. He also serves as vice-chair of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Board of Governors.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree from King’s College in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Lauren Hughes
Deputy Director – Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative
Atlantic Council
Lauren Hughes serves as the deputy director of the Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, where she supports the center’s nuclear energy portfolio. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Hughes was chief operating officer of Washington Policy and Analysis, a consulting firm led by former US Deputy Secretary of Energy William F. Martin. Hughes’s expertise includes nuclear energy and nonproliferation policy, and her previous work focused on US-Japan civil nuclear cooperation.
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Hughes holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in foreign affairs and a master’s degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies in conflict management.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mr. Irish holds an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MSc in Finance from the London Business School.
Mr. Ramzi Jammal
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Ramzi Jammal has worked for the CNSC since 1998. He has accumulated over 35 years of experience in the nuclear industry, combining management skills with scientific expertise and representing the CNSC in various international activities. These include co-chairing the IAEA Fukushima report, and leading Canadian delegations to the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.
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In 2007, he was named Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, and was responsible for leading the development of the CNSC’s regulatory action plan in response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident.
In 2016, Mr. Jammal was elected President of the Convention on Nuclear Safety by the Contracting Parties, a position he held until October 2018. He also sits on the IAEA Commission on Safety Standards. He was instrumental in the development and establishment of the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, and the international categorization of radioactive sources. He also played a key role in ensuring that the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection complemented the CNSC’s regulatory needs.
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Mr. Jammal was the recipient of the prestigious Ian McRae award in 2021, honouring his substantive contribution to the advancement of nuclear energy in Canada.
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Mr. Jammal also serves as the chair of the IAEA’s Regulatory Cooperation Forum. This member driven forum of nuclear safety regulators promotes the sharing of regulatory knowledge and experience through international cooperation, with the goal of achieving a high level of nuclear safety that is consistent with IAEA safety standards.
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On October 14, 2023, Mr. Jammal became acting Chief Executive Officer of the CNSC, overseeing the supervision and direction of CNSC officers and employees.
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On March 27, 2024, Mr. Jammal was elected by consensus as President of the Eighth Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (Joint Convention).
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Over his 2024–27 term as President of the Joint Convention, Mr. Jammal’s priorities will be to raise awareness of the importance of the Joint Convention to increase the number of signatories; increase participation in the Joint Convention by underrepresented and emerging nuclear nations; introduce new and support current improvements to the national reporting and peer review processes; and facilitate participation, especially by Contracting Parties with minimal resources.
Mr. Jake Jurewicz
Chief Executive Officer
Blue Energy Global, Inc.
Jake is the cofounder and CEO of Blue Energy, which is leveraging manufacturing techniques from offshore oil and wind to reduce the overnight capital cost for nuclear power from >$10k/kW to <$3/kW and the deployment time from >10 years to 2 years. Jake has over 10 years of experience building, investing in, and advising companies in the energy, climate, security, and construction sectors. He previously co-founded Entropy Power, a developer of behind-the-meter co-located industrial loads at wholesale generators and served on the corporate strategy team at Exelon Corporation, leading projects in R&D, strategic planning, and venture capital. Jake holds a Masters in Nuclear Science & Engineering as well as a dual bachelors in physics and nuclear science & engineering from MIT where he did his thesis on shipyard construction of offshore nuclear power plants.
Mr. Chris Levesque
Chief Executive Officer
Terrapower
Chris Levesque is president and chief executive officer of TerraPower, and also serves as a member of the TerraPower Board. He was appointed to that position in November 2018 after having served as president of TerraPower since 2015. Levesque leads this nuclear innovation company in the pursuit of next-generation nuclear energy solutions and also oversees TerraPower’s new venture into therapeutic medical isotopes. His proven track record in scoping, planning and implementing complex projects began with his service in the U.S. Nuclear Navy and features more than 30 years of experience in the nuclear field.
Prior to joining TerraPower, Levesque led major new reactor build efforts at both Westinghouse and AREVA, overseeing projects in both the U.S. and Finland. Before his assignment in Finland, he led the formation of AREVA’s joint venture with Newport News Shipbuilding, AREVA Newport News, for which he served as chairman of the Board and president.
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Levesque has extensive experience with the nuclear industrial base and nuclear component manufacturing. Earlier in his career, Levesque served as the manager of engineering and manufacturing at Westinghouse’s Newington, New Hampshire, component manufacturing facility, and he has served in multiple management positions at two nuclear-capable shipyards. Levesque began his career as a nuclear submarine officer and served on both the USS Boise (SSN 764) and the USS Will Rogers (SSBN 659). On Boise, he supervised initial criticality and reactor startup testing, and qualified as chief engineer.
Levesque holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and a Naval Engineer degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He currently serves on the Department of Energy’s Energy Workforce Advisory Board that advises the Secretary on workforce issues; and serves on the Board of the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Dr Jason Lloyd
Manager, Energy Solutions
Nucor Corporation
Dr Jason Lloyd is the Energy Solutions Manager, at Nucor Corporation. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with over 18 years of professional experience in marketing, training, and public speaking, large scale steel bridge research and project management. After many years in the infrastructure space, and with a passion for the clean energy transition, Jason recently transitioned to the Nucor Energy Solutions team. He is a proud father, former US Navy Seabee officer, and attained his MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.
Mr. Paul Lorskulsint
Chief Nuclear Officer
Urenco USA
Paul is responsible for the nuclear safety, industrial safety, and security of the UUSA facility. He ensures the plant is in compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and the facility license.
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Paul has served in a number of positions of increasing responsibility at UUSA which include, Compliance Manager, Deputy Compliance Manager, Head of Supply Chain Execution, Chief of Staff, Logistics Manager, Operations Support Manager, and Shift Manager. Prior to joining UUSA, Paul worked at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory where he was responsible for overall shift operations of a submarine prototype to train US Navy personnel on the routine operations and maintenance of a submarine engine room.
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Paul is pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Temple University and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California.
Ms. Melissa Mann
Associate Assistant Deputy Administrator
Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control
National Nuclear Security Administration
Melissa C. Mann is currently serving as the Associate Assistant Deputy Administrator for the Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control at the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In this capacity, she is responsible for implementing programs to close proliferation pathways to the acquisition of nuclear weapons and WMD-related materials, technology, and expertise by executing programs across the breadth of international nuclear safeguards, nuclear export controls, arms control verification, and nonproliferation policy.
Melissa brings a wealth of leadership and nuclear industry experience. She previously served as President of URENCO USA Inc., the holding company for Louisiana Energy Services (LES) and its Urenco USA enrichment facility, and concurrently as the Executive Director of Urenco’s global Strategic and Government Affairs Departments. Prior to joining Urenco, Melissa spent nearly two decades managing the international movement of radioactive materials, specializing in non-proliferation policy, export controls and transportation regulations related to such movements, and consulting on nuclear fuel cycle issues.
Mr. Sam Mar
Senior Advisor
Arnold Ventures
Sam manages strategy and grant-making for democracy, climate and clean energy, immigration, and organ donation.
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Before the formation of Arnold Ventures, Sam was the CEO of Action Now Initiative, a political advocacy organization founded by Laura and John Arnold. Prior to entering the field of philanthropy, Sam held various positions globally in technology consulting, banking, asset management, private equity, and product innovation.
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Sam is a member of the advisory committee at the Nuclear Innovation Alliance and a member of the Board at ClearPath, Unite America, and Bipartisan Climate Action. He is a graduate of the University of Texas and IE Business School.
Mr. Ed McGinnis
CEO
Curio
Edward (Ed) McGinnis, is an accomplished senior U.S. government executive with over 30 years of proven experience in the fields of national and international nuclear energy policy and technical cooperation, national and international nuclear security and nonproliferation, science and technology policy and programmatic activities, international relations and global energy policy and cooperation.
Ed's experience includes serving at the White House as the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), as Assistant Secretary (Acting) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); leading DOE’s international nuclear energy policy and cooperation for over 10 years as Deputy Assistant Secretary; serving as the founding Chair of the 65-nation International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) and its predecessor Presidential initiative – the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP); as founding Director of the Secretary of Energy’s Global Nuclear and Radiological Threat Reduction Task Force, and serving over 10 years in nuclear nonproliferation, including countering the global threat of nuclear weapons proliferation and serving in DOE’s Office of Foreign Intelligence.
Mr. Niko McMurray
Managing Director – International & Nuclear Policy
ClearPath
Niko McMurray is the Managing Director of International and Nuclear Policy at ClearPath. In this role, he leads the development and execution of ClearPath’s international and nuclear policy portfolios to advance the organization’s mission and vision.
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Niko serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC), the Keystone Energy Board, the E4 Carolinas Southeast Nuclear Industry Advisory Council, and represents ClearPath before multiple other industry groups.
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Before joining ClearPath, Niko was a Materials Engineer at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). While at the NRC, he developed and provided technical guidance on materials, component integrity, and licensing topics for new and advanced nuclear reactors.
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.
Mr. Joe Miller
President Advanced Technologies
BWX Technologies
Joseph K. Miller is the president of BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC (AT), a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) focused on demonstrating and deploying new nuclear technology for terrestrial and space applications. He is also president of subsidiaries Cunico Corporation and Dynamic Controls, Ltd.
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During his 24-year career, Mr. Miller served in the U.S. Navy onboard the USS Norfolk (SSN 714). He was mechanical test engineer for new construction of Virginia-class submarines, as well as a semiconductor equipment engineer.
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At BWXT, Mr. Miller served as a system design manager of various nuclear engineering projects as well as test engineering manager, validating the design of the mPower™ small modular reactor nuclear steam supply system.
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Under Mr. Miller’s leadership, Advanced Technologies is currently active in delivering the advanced microreactor demonstration for Project Pele and it’s commercial microreactor product named BANR. AT is also serving as the designer and manufacturer for DARPA and NASA’s DRACO program to demonstrate space nuclear propulsion.
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Mr. Miller holds a master’s degree in radiation health physics from Oregon State University. He serves on the Central Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Board, the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization Ltd. Board and the Oregon State University Nuclear Science and Engineering Advisory Board.
Mr. Nick Morriss
Director of Business Development
Shepherd Power
Nick Morriss, based in Houston, TX, US, is currently a Director of Business Development at Shepherd Power, bringing experience from previous roles at National Oilwell Varco. Nick Morriss holds a 2009 - 2010 Master of Science @ The University of Texas at Austin. With a robust skill set that includes Offshore Drilling, Engineering, Oilfield, Drilling, Oil/Gas and more, Nick Morriss contributes valuable insights to the industry. Nick Morriss has 1 email on RocketReach.
Mr. Rupen Pandya
President and CEO
Sask Power
Rupen Pandya became the President and Chief Executive Officer of SaskPower in 2022.
Before joining SaskPower, Mr. Pandya was the Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to Treasury Board for the Government of Saskatchewan.
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He has 25 years of public service experience in Saskatchewan, including previous positions as the President and Chief Executive Officer of SaskBuilds, and Assistant Deputy Minister roles with the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration.
He holds Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Regina.
Mr. Ed Petit de Mange
Director of Recycling
Oklo Inc.
Ed Petit de Mange has a diverse work experience. Ed is currently working as the Director of Fuel Recycling at Oklo Inc since August 2022. Prior to this, they served as the Managing Director at Diakont from April 2011 to August 2022. Before that, they were the Director at Remote Ocean Systems (ROS) from August 2005 to April 2011. Ed also worked as the General Manager at Fast Track Yacht Services from August 2003 to August 2005.
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Ed Petit de Mange earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland - A. James Clark School of Engineering in 2001. The start year of their education is not provided.
Mr. Greg Piefer
Founder & CEO
Shine Technologies
As founder and CEO of SHINE Technologies, Greg has nearly 20 years of executive management experience at growth-stage technology companies. His passion is the growth of technology companies that take scientific advancement to commercialization, providing the opportunity to serve and better humanity. Greg holds a PhD in nuclear engineering and BS degrees in physics and electrical and computer engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Dr. David Pointer
Interim Division Director, Nuclear Energy & Fuel Cycle Division
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
W. David Pointer is a recognized expert in the thermal hydraulics and safety of both conventional and advanced nuclear energy systems. He has extensive experience in the application, validation and development of computational fluid dynamics software as well as a strong background in experimental fluid dynamics methods for nuclear energy system and component design and licensing. Dr. Pointer has contributed to a wide variety of technical initiatives including: • The development of integrated multi-physics simulation toolsets for advanced reactor design and safety analysis which leverage high performance computing to provide unprecedented predictive power and precision. • The development and calibration of CFD-based simulation capabilities for boiling flows to support industry application to current fuel performance issues.• The development and execution of advanced separate effects experiments to support the design of advanced reactor concepts, including VHTR and SFR systems. • The design and execution of dual use experiments that address physics questions related to specific reactor design features and provide opportunities for validation of higher fidelity methods.• The identification and prioritization of phenomena occurring in postulated events in advanced reactor designs, including VHTR and SFR concepts.• The application of CFD methods to a variety of engineering problems in the areas of power generation, energy efficiency and transportation.
Ms. Tara Righetti
Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Policies
University of Wyoming College of Law
Tara Righetti is the Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Policy at the School of Energy Resources and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and a Professor in the College of Law. She is the co-director of the Nuclear Energy Research Center. Professor Righetti served as a Fulbright Research Scholar for the 2021-2022 academic year at the Université de Lille in Lille, France. She previously directed the Professional Land Management concentration from January 2016 to August 2020. Prior to joining the University of Wyoming in the fall of 2014, she served in legal and executive roles in a privately owned upstream oil and gas company.
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Professor Righetti is a member of the state bars of Texas and California and is a Certified Professional Landman and member of AAPL. Professor Righetti has served as a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC-265- Carbon Dioxide Capture, Transportation, and Geologic Storage since July of 2022 and has chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law since 2023.
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Professor Righetti's research focuses on subsurface property law and administrative regulation of energy development and industrial decarbonization technologies including nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage. She teaches classes related to oil and gas law, climate law, and the governance and regulation of geoengineering and advanced energy technologies. She has also led students on a summer natural resource field practicum in Wyoming and to Peru.
Mr. Douglass Robison
Founder & President
Natura Resources
Douglass Robison is the founder and president of Natura Resources. Formerly, Robison was partner, co-founder, president, and executive chair of ExL Petroleum, a Permian-based oil and gas exploration and production company.
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Additionally, Robison has earned a national reputation as an expert in the analysis and communication of issues impacting the independent oil and gas community.
Among many industry accomplishments, he was appointed in 2004 by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve on the Texas Energy Planning Council. Moreover, Robison co-chaired the Energy Supply Committee with Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson.
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Under Robison’s leadership, ExL assembled and developed over 76,000 acres in the Permian Basin, resulting in sales over $2 billion and an average return on capital of 3.6X.
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.
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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.
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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.
Mr. Sean Sexstone
Executive Vice President, Advanced Nuclear
GE Hitachi
Sean joined GEH in February 2022 from Aecon, where he led Aecon’s nuclear group focused on life extension projects, plant life maintenance projects, decommissioning, and nuclear fabrication.
Sean is responsible for furthering the design progress of the BWRX-300 and Natrium projects, supporting customers, meeting product cost targets to ensure market competitiveness, and developing key partnerships for global small modular reactor (SMR) deployment.
Mr. Edward Stones
Vice President – Energy & Climate
Dow Corporation
Edward Stones is business vice president, Energy and Climate for Dow. He is responsible for delivering business profitability and more than 7 GW of steam and power at the 14 company-operated power facilities, as well as steam, utilities, and energy service to more than 100 manufacturing facilities globally. He leads Dow’s energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction efforts, serving as a member of the Company’s Climate Steering Team, and as executive sponsor for its scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions reductions efforts. He actively participates in the Company’s global advocacy efforts for energy sustainability and climate change.
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Stones is a respected thought leader in the areas of energy transition, climate change, and industrial decarbonization. He has provided testimony to the US Senate Energy Committee on the role of natural gas in climate change, and to the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
Prior to his current role, Stones served as Dow’s global business director for Energy and Climate Change. He joined Union Carbide Corporation in 1997, now a subsidiary of Dow, as a manufacturing engineer at the St. Charles, Louisiana site. After a number of manufacturing, finance and commercial roles in Hydrocarbons, Specialty Chemicals and Plastics, he was named Director, Energy Risk in 2007. He relocated to Horgen, Switzerland and was named Director, Hydrocarbons Business Development and EMEA Plastics Strategic Development in 2010. In 2012, he was appointed Director, Global Hydrocarbons Business Development and Hydrocarbons Risk Management. In 2014, Stones relocated to Midland and was appointed Senior Director for Investor Relations.
He was recently appointed to the Texas Energy Reliability Council. Stones holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from Louisiana State University.
Mr. David Sumoski
Chief Operating Officer
Nucor Corp.
Mr. Sumoski was named Chief Operating Officer in 2021. He began his career in Nucor in 1995 as an Electrical Supervisor at Nucor Steel Berkeley before moving on to Maintenance Manager in 1999. Mr. Sumoski was General Manager of Nucor Steel Marion, elected a Vice President of Nucor in 2010, and subsequently served as Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Memphis. He most recently served as an Executive Vice President from 2014 through 2020.
Mr. Jonathan Wade
Manager – R&D
Power Cycle Machinery
Southwest Research Institute
Mr. Wade is the manager of the Power Cycle Machinery Section in the Machinery Department at Southwest Research Institute. His research interests are in the areas of supercritical CO2 power cycles, energy storage, turbomachinery, rotordynamics, seals, bearings, foil gas bearings, microturbines, structural dynamics, finite element analysis, and fluid-structure interactions. He is experienced in turbomachinery design, high-vibration (synchronous and subsynchronous) root cause and corrective action investigations, machine failure investigations, and vibration and performance testing.
During his time at Southwest Research Institute, Mr. Wade has worked on several projects. He was deeply involved in the design, procurement, assembly, testing, and commissioning of a ground-based demonstrator for an advanced-design air cycle machine. This project involved finite element analysis of heavily-stressed radial impellers and a very intricate thermal management design. Additionally, Mr. Wade has worked on several supercritical CO2 machines. These have included compressors and high-temperature turbines for the electrical generation market. He also has experience commissioning, troubleshooting, and operating the auxiliary equipment needed to test these machines.
Beginning in 2017 Mr. Wade joined the STEP supercritical CO2 pilot power plant project team. Duties within the team have included design reviews for all components in the power block, optimizing the component layout within the facility, detailed project schedule development, and preparing reports and updates for the customer.
Mr. Wade’s Master’s thesis focused on testing hole-pattern gas seals to measure the rotordynamic coefficients and leakage at various pressure ratios, clearances, inlet pre-swirl, and rotor speeds. The test results were compared to predicted values made with the ISOTSEAL analysis software developed at the Texas A&M University Turbomachinery Laboratory.
Before joining Southwest Research Institute, Mr. Wade was employed for nine years at Capstone Turbine Corporation. He worked as a rotordynamics design engineer. His main responsibilities were working to solve various vibration issues and improving the design of the rotating components and the foil gas bearings.
Mr. James Walker
Nano Energy
CEO
Mr. Walker is a Nuclear Physicist and was the project lead and manager for constructing the new Rolls-Royce Nuclear Chemical Plant; he was the UK Subject Matter Expert for the UK Nuclear Material Recovery Capabilities and was the technical project manager for constructing the UK reactor core manufacturing facilities. Mr. Walker was also seconded to Rolls Royce where he modeled configurations of RR’s Zero-Power reactor to inform confidence limits for the UK’s successor submarine’s mechanical design and worked for the Rolls-Royce Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics Engineering team investigating reactor channel thermal performance to inform new reactor designs and support the safety case for reactors in current class submarines. Mr. Walker’s professional engineering experience includes nuclear reactors, mines, submarines, chemical plants, factories, mine processing facilities, infrastructure, automotive machinery, and testing rigs.
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Mr. Walker has extensive experience in engineering and project management, particularly within nuclear engineering, mining engineering, mechanical engineering, construction, manufacturing, engineering design, infrastructure, and safety management. He has executive experience in several public companies, as well as acquiring and re-developing the only fluorspar mine in the United States.
Mr. Walker is also a Director of Ares Strategic Mining Inc. and holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering, as well as qualifications in Project Management and Accountancy. He is a Chartered Engineer with the IMechE, a Project Manager Professional with the APM, and a Professional Engineer with the Engineers and Geoscientists BC.
Ms. Katherine Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Framatome
Katherine Williams serves as Chief Executive Officer of Framatome Inc. She has more than 20 years of experience with Framatome with seven of these years at the company’s global headquarters in Paris. In addition, she has held financial management positions in E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Westinghouse, and Duke Energy. Williams currently serves on the Framatome Inc. board and on the boards of Framatome Canada Ltd. and Isogen, a joint venture with Kinectrics for isotope production.
