BOTC 2021 SPEAKER BIOS - Energy, Technology and ...

BOTC 2021 SPEAKER BIOS
Jason A. Armstrong
Manager, Savannah River Field Office
Jason A. Armstrong is the Manager of NNSA’s Savannah River Field Office (SRFO), a position he has held since April 2021. As the
SRFO Manager, he leads a team of approximately 50 federal employees in managing and operating contracts with an annual
budget of $1.3 billion, and a contract workforce of nearly 4,000 people. He is responsible for the implementation of national security
and nonproliferation missions by providing oversight of program management, nuclear operations, security, quality assurance,
environment, safety and health, and the overall execution of key mission deliverables. He is a member of the Senior Executive
Service.
Before coming to SRFO, Mr. Armstrong served as Assistant Manager for Nuclear Safety and Engineering at the NNSA Production
Office from March 2018 to April 2021 where he was responsible for nuclear safety, nuclear explosives safety and engineering
program elements, systems and processes associated with the delivery of nuclear weapons and components, important research
and technology development, and upkeep of equipment and facilities critical to the nation’s nuclear weapons enterprise. Duties
also included ensuring nuclear and hazardous facilities at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Oak Ridge, TN) and the Pantex Plant
(Amarillo, TX) operate safely and securely.
Mr. Armstrong previously served as the Operations Director for the DOE Office of Environmental Management in Oak Ridge where he
was responsible for leading a large team of Facility Representatives, Health & Safety Professionals, and Nuclear Safety Engineers
providing contract oversight of 2,500 employees.
In 2014, Mr. Armstrong was appointed by senior agency leadership to serve as an Accident Investigation Board Member for the Waste
Isolation Pilot Project in New Mexico following a fire and radiological release. As a board member, Mr. Armstrong spent 7 months at
the Los Alamos National Laboratory evaluating and ensuring transuranic waste is safely packaged.
Mr. Armstrong also worked previously at the U.S. DOE Richland Operations Office, Office of River Protection, and the Brookhaven
Site Office in New York. In 2007, Mr. Armstrong qualified as DOE Facility Representative at the Brookhaven Site Office. In addition, Mr.
Armstrong served as the acting Deputy Manager at the U.S. DOE Pacific Northwest Site Office.
Mr. Armstrong received a Bachelor of Science degree in Radiation Health Physics from Oregon State University. In addition, he is a
Certified Health Physicist and attended the DOE Nuclear Executive Leadership Training course.
In Jason’s spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, hanging out with his dogs, and getting some wind therapy on
his Harley Davidson.

Brooks Baldwin
Director, Contracts Division at ORNL
Brooks has worked in procurement and program management for over 25 years in both the commercial and public sectors. He has
a passion for finding innovative solutions to procurement and process challenges. Brooks is Director of the Contracts Division for
UT-Battelle at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN where he has worked for 10 years. Brooks
is active in the East Tennessee Chapter of National Contract Management Associate where he is served as President for the 2021
program year and is currently the Chapter Advisor. He lives in Oak Ridge, TN with his wife and two daughters.

Carol Barajas
Vice President, Steam Generator Project, Watts Bar Nuclear
Tennessee Valley Authority
Carol Barajas is Vice President of WBN Steam Generator Project and is responsible for the successful replacement of the steam
generators on WBN2 in spring of 2022. She previously held the position of TVA’s Vice President of Nuclear Oversight. Carol has a
diverse background, with nuclear fleet and site leadership roles at Duke Energy, Progress Energy and Exelon. Before joining TVA,
she served as Duke’s vice president of Environmental & Health and Safety for nuclear, generation, transmission, distribution, major
projects and renewables. Prior to that role, she was general manager of Nuclear Operations for six Duke Nuclear sites, working to
establish their Nuclear Operating Model.
Carol previously served as director of Fleet Operations at both Progress Energy and Exelon. She started her nuclear career in
Instrument and Control Maintenance, before earning both a Reactor Operator and Senior Reactor Operator license, and serving
various roles in Operations including shift operations superintendent and operations director at Exelon’s Dresden Nuclear Station.
Carol holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. She is a long-time member of
Women in Nuclear (WIN).
Carol has been married to her husband Chris since 1992 and they have two children Gabby (21) and Chase (17).

Carmen I. Bigles
President & CEO Coqui Pharmaceuticals
Mrs. Bigles brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the design, construction, licensing, and operation of medical
facilities. Her educational background in mathematics, architecture, and urban planning and her intuitive analytical and problem-
solving skills, along with a deep knowledge of building construction and land development, create a baseline for excelling at
managing projects at both macro and micro levels.
Her medical facilities construction experience has given her critical skills that ensure compliance with applicable design and
established regulations and codes. She is committed to cost efficiency and quick turnaround of projects with high-quality, low-risk
approaches while delivering value to customers and shareholders alike.
Her keen attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills contribute to her ability to identify and eliminate problems quickly
to keep projects on track, on budget, and on schedule.

Anne Marie Bird
Small Business Program Manager, DOEEM,EM Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC)
Ms. Anne Marie Bird is the Small Business Program Manager for the Office of Environmental Management (EM) Program and an
Acquisition Analyst in the Office of Contracting at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management Consolidated
Business Center (EMCBC) located in Cincinnati, OH. In her role as the EM Small Business Program Manager, Ms. Bird is responsible
for supporting and assisting DOE’s Office of Environmental Management and DOE’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization in educating and advocating for small businesses and interfacing on behalf of small businesses with EM’s acquisition
professionals. Ms. Bird has over 30 years of experience with DOE and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational
Management.

Joel Bradburne
U.S. Department of Energy, Acting Manager
Portsmouth Paducah Project Office
Joel Bradburne serves as the Acting Manager for the Department of Energy’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. Mr. Bradburne is
responsible for overseeing the environmental remediation and deactivation and demolition (D&D) of DOE’s former gaseous diffusion
plant sites in Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky. In July 2020 he was named acting lead for the Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride
Project operations, with two plants at the Ohio and Kentucky sites.
Mr. Bradburne joined the Department of Energy in June 2009 as the Site Lead for the Portsmouth Site. Mr. Bradburne has over 35
years of nuclear industry experience which includes shipyard, commercial nuclear, Department of Energy, and foreign nuclear site
decommissioning with various senior program and project management responsibilities. Mr. Bradburne’s DOE experience prior to
PPPO includes almost 20 years at various DOE sites and projects throughout the nation, including many years at the closure of the
Fernald Site in Ohio.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a Master of Science in Environmental Management, and is a certified Project
Management Professional.

Mike Budney
Manager, Savannah River Operations Office
Michael D. Budney was appointed Manager of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in February 2018. As DOE-SR
Manager, Mr. Budney leads a workforce of about 11,000 government and contractor personnel to perform the Office of Environmental
Management’s important missions that include nuclear material storage and disposition, tank waste cleanup and management of
Savannah River National Laboratory, EM’s corporate lab.
Prior to his assignment to SRS, Mr. Budney was the Director of the Office of Business Operations in the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy where he led EERE’s workforce planning, information technology and project management efforts and
coordinated support service contract and acquisition activities.
Before joining EERE in May 2015, Mr. Budney worked at the Northrop Grumman Corporation leading efforts to win major missile
defense contracts in information technology, modeling and simulation, wargames and exercise support, radar, and electronic
warfare sensor development. He also led corporatewide initiatives to demonstrate technologies applicable to military missile
defense missions.
Mr. Budney is a retired Navy Captain with 29 years of service.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the U.S. Naval Academy. He also holds a Master of Science degree in electrical
engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and an MBA from the University of Maryland University College.

Paul A. Buerkle
Senior Program Manager, Supplier Diversity, Tennessee Valley Authority
Paul is currently the Senior Program Manager for Supplier Diversity for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This role encompasses
leading classroom training sessions, presenting at conferences and summits, reviewing contracts with several key suppliers,
developing formal procurement processes, implementing strategic sourcing approaches and building diverse supplier relationships.
Paul previously held Program Manager and Sr. Contract Manager positions at TVA and has experience with how TVA manages the
Sourcing and Procurement processes across the fleet.
Prior to joining TVA in 2011, Paul spent six (6) years with Shaw Industries working as a Procurement/Sourcing Specialist for raw
materials and as a Global Sourcing Manager for wood products. During this time, he oversaw the procurement and sourcing for the
Wood Products Division consisting of 16 manufacturing locations across 5 states and effectively managed a procurement team of
12. Paul also served as the Sourcing Management Lead on three (3) significant multi-site acquisitions facilitating assimilation and
integration of systems, processes and people. He led and participated on multiple Six Sigma projects to improve manufacturing
and BU process efficiencies, and negotiated business sensitive and critical supply assurance contracts strategic to Shaw’s growth
in hardwood flooring and. While at Shaw, he obtained his certification as a Professional in Supplier Diversity from the Institute for
Supply Management (ISM)
Prior to joining Shaw in 2005, Paul spent five years with American Standard (Trane) where he managed direct materials spend in
excel of $100 MM and indirect materials spend of nearly $50 MM.
Paul is a certified Supply Chain Professional with a blend of private industry and governmental experience. He has demonstrated/
proven experience in team leadership experience; developing and implementing processes; and integrate sourcing efforts across
multiple locations. Some of Paul’s main areas of strength include global sourcing, supplier development, supplier relationship
management, product change implementation, and process development and improvement methods.

Cheryl Cabbil
Senior Vice President Operations, Nuclear & Environment, Amentum
Cheryl Cabbil currently provides Operations Support and Assurance for Amentum’s Nuclear & Environment business. She has held
key corporate management positions and at various project across the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex.
A Change Agent and results-oriented executive, Cheryl offers 30+ years of experience in executive and leadership positions
providing safe, efficient, and compliant high hazard nuclear facility operations and decommissioning at DOE and the National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sites.
At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Ms. Cabbil was responsible for managing facility operations, and managed a $600M/year
budget, and a staff of ~1,500 direct and deployed resources.
Ms. Cabbil served as the ESH&QA Manager and Executive Officer of the URS CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR).
Her experience at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC included Deputy Director for Research Operations and Assurance at the
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Tritium Area Operations Manager, and various ESH assignments.
Ms. Cabbil was the Senior Vice President for Energy & Science Solutions at URS Safety Management Solutions (now Amentum
Technical Services).
Cheryl holds a Master of Science in Occupational and Environmental Health from Wayne State University and Bachelor of Science in
Microbiology from the University of Michigan.

Dale Christenson
Director, Y-12 Acquisition and Project Management Office
National Nuclear Security Administration
Dale Christenson currently serves as the Director of the NNSA Y-12 Acquisition and Project Management Office at the Y-12 National
Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. In this capacity he is responsible for the oversight of capital projects totaling over $8.5 billion. He
also serves as Federal Project Director for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Project. DOE recognized him as the Federal Project
Director of the Year in 2017 for his leadership on UPF. Prior to his current assignment he served as the UPF Deputy Federal Project
Director.
He has over 15 years’ experience in the nuclear operations field and over 20 years in Department of Energy (DOE) project
management. Prior to joining UPF, he was the Federal Project Director on multiple capital line item projects at Y-12 including the
Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility Project (HEUMF), the Security Improvements Project and the Beryllium Capabilities
Project. The HEUMF Project was completed over 2 months ahead of schedule and $25 million under budget. For his leadership on
the project he was awarded the NNSA Award of Excellence by the NNSA Administrator.
Mr. Christenson served on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Navy for 8 years in the Naval Nuclear Reactor program as a qualified
submarine officer, and 22 years as a Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officer. He retired as a Captain in the U.S. Navy in 2013 following
30 years of commissioned service. Mr. Christenson received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of
Washington and a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and Construction Management from the University of Maryland.

T. Levitte Cox, P.E.
Vice President/General Manager, Nuclear Projects and Consulting, Jacobs
Levitte Cox has been with Jacobs since 1997 and is the Vice President and General Manager of Jacobs’ Nuclear Projects and
Consulting (NPC). NPC provides a diverse range of services including specialty and nuclear engineering design and construction
management and nuclear environmental remediation for clients in the nuclear, defense, power, and science and technology markets.
Levitte has more than 30 years of experience in leading and delivering engineering and construction, environmental, and sales. Prior
to his current role, he served as Director of Jacobs’ Federal Operations Sales where he led Jacobs’ expansion into new markets and
bolstered the company’s presence in existing markets. Prior to joining sales Levitte served as the Project Manager for several large-
scale design projects for DOE and the Process Engineering Department manager for Jacobs Federal Operations.
Levitte received his Master’s Degree in Polymer Engineer and Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of
Tennessee.

Aaron W. Deckard
Procurement Director, DOE-EMCBC, Office of Contracting
Aaron Deckard is the Procurement Director at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management Consolidated
Business Center (EMCBC) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Deckard leads the EMCBC, Office of Contracting to acquire, manage, and direct the
procurement of supplies and services needed to support the EM mission, including major contracts to further DOE-EM environmental
clean-up efforts. Mr. Deckard’s previous positions with DOE and U.S. Customs include leadership roles in acquisition and financial
management. Mr. Deckard holds an unlimited Contracting Officer warrant, a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University
of Cincinnati, and a Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University.

Rexann Dunn
Small Business Partnerships
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory
In her position managing small business partnerships at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Rexann Dunn oversees
many of the lab’s outreach activities with the small business community, both locally and across the nation. In this capacity, she
attends trade fairs, conferences, and other events to educate and assist small and minority-owned business owners and managers,
and facilitates their efforts to explore business opportunities with NREL.
In addition to her work with the small business community, Rexann manages NREL’s Mentor-Protégé program, in which she works
with small businesses to enhance their performance capabilities so they could successfully subcontract with NREL, the Department
of Energy (DOE), and other federal agencies. In 2015, Rexann was selected by DOE as it’s Facility Management Contractor Small
Business Program Manager of the year.
On behalf of NREL, Rexann works with:
•   The Opportunity Council – Board of Directors member
•   The Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council
•   Presidents and directors of local small business councils
•   Local Chambers of Commerce
•   Small business and diversity program managers of large businesses and other federal laboratories and agencies
•   Minority and small business community leaders

Jason Eaton
Senior Director, Supply Chain Management
Jason is the Senior Director of Supply Chain Management for Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC. In this role, he is responsible for
providing leadership for all Supply Chain Management activities at both the Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex.
He brings twenty years of supply chain experience, primarily in support of defense and intelligence missions in both the United
States Air Force and other corporate environments. Before his tenure with CNS, Jason served the Vice President and Sourcing
Operations Director for Leidos Strategic Sourcing Group.

Jeffrey G. Ernest
District Contracting Chief, USACE Buffalo District
Jeffrey G. Ernest is the District Contracting Chief for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District. Jeff has been with
the Corps of Engineers since 2008, and he’s also served as the District Contracting Chief for the Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh
Districts. In his current position, Mr. Ernest oversees all purchases for the Buffalo District and manages an acquisition portfolio valued
at over $500M. Jeff oversees the award and administration of numerous types of projects ranging from FUSRAP, marine construction,
dredging, environmental investigation and remediation, lock and dam maintenance, shoreline protection, flood damage reduction
and both vertical/horizontal construction for other agencies.
Jeff earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the Air Force Academy in 1999. In 2003, he earned his MBA from Wright
State University in Dayton, OH. He is Level 3 DAWIA certified in Contracting. Jeff graduated from Squadron Officer School in 2005 and
Air Command and Staff College in 2012.
Prior to joining USACE in 2008, Jeff held a variety of contracting positions as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1999 -
2008. Jeff served as a Contract Negotiator/Contracting Officer at the Air Force Research Laboratory (Wright Patterson AFB, OH), the
37th Contracting Squadron (Lackland AFB, TX), and the Electronic Systems Center (Hanscom AFB, MA). In addition, he deployed to
Baghdad, Iraq in 2007 as a Contracting Officer. In April 2021, Jeff retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve.
Jeff resides in Newfane, NY with his wife Jennifer. They have two sons, John (17) and Conner (15) and one daughter, Taylor (11).

Ms. Nicki Fatherly, R.G
National Program Manager
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers – Headquarters
Washington, D. C.
Ms. Fatherly is the National Program Manager of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) for the United States
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at their Headquarters office in Washington, D.C. She is responsible for the performance and
congressional budget request development of a $200 Million dollar plus National cleanup program for sites impacted by low-level
radiological wastes resulting from former Manhattan Engineering District and/or early Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) activities.
She is recent recipient of an Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award for distiguished service. Prior to her federal service, Ms.
Fatherly served as a regulator with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality on state and federal CERCLA cleanup sites. Ms.
Fatherly holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and a Master’s of Science in
Environmental Technology from Arizona State University.

Nathan Felosi
ORNL Portfolio Federal Project Director
Nathan Felosi is the portfolio federal project director for environmental cleanup at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as part
of DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM).
As federal project director, Felosi oversees all of the planned and ongoing environmental cleanup operations at ORNL. That work
includes decommissioning and demolishing ORNL’s former nuclear research and isotope production facilities, eliminating the
inventory of uranium-233 stored at the site, ensuring aging buildings and waste treatment systems remain safe, and completing the
processing and disposal of the remaining transuranic waste.
Previously, Felosi served as the Engineering Branch Chief for OREM. He brings more than 20 years of experience in operations,
construction, engineering, and project management within DOE, the U.S. Army, and private industry to his new role.
He is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Tennessee, and he is a certified Project Management Professional. Felosi has
certifications in civil/structural engineering, nuclear safety, occupational safety, and project management. He earned his bachelor’s
degree in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Tom Foster
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Nuclear & Environment, Amentum
Tom Foster is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Nuclear & Environment (N&E) Strategic Business Unit
of Amentum. He is responsible for Amentum’s work with the Department of Energy, as well as other government and commercial
nuclear and environmental projects across the United States and United Kingdom.
More specifically, Mr. Foster oversees N&E-led operations in high-level radioactive waste management at DOE’s Savannah River
Site (SRS) and the Hanford Site (Savannah River Remediation and Washington River Protection Solutions); the demolition and
remediation of Manhattan Project and Cold War nuclear facilities by UCOR at Oak Ridge and Central Plateau Cleanup Company
at Hanford; and transuranic waste disposal by Nuclear Waste Partnership at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. He also oversees
N&E support for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project and at National Nuclear Security Administration
sites across the US. In the UK, he is responsible for work with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Atomic Weapons
Establishment. Mr. Foster also oversees N&E’s Technical Services sector which provides global environmental and nuclear
consulting, engineering, and project management services.
Mr. Foster has more than 40 years of experience in the nuclear industry, leading efforts in decommissioning, operations, project
management, and engineering. His most recent assignment was President and Project Manager of Savannah River Remediation
(SRR). In this position, Mr. Foster directed all areas of the liquid waste disposition program. Operations included removing high-
level waste from underground waste storage tanks at SRS and turning the waste into a safe, immobile glass form. He also oversaw
removal of low-level radioactive materials from the tanks, safe demonstration of new technologies for the treatment and disposition
of waste, and operational closure of the waste tanks.
Prior to his role at SRR, he served as the Chief Decommissioning Officer at the Sellafield site in the United Kingdom. Mr. Foster’s
leadership and management abilities are exemplified by his work at the Sellafield site where he successfully broke down
institutional and technical barriers in leading and integrating a $930M per annum decommissioning portfolio that included legacy
nuclear waste handling, storage, processing and treatment facility construction, startup, testing, operations, and optimization.
Prior to joining Sellafield, Mr. Foster was Director of Environmental Remediation for the River Corridor Cleanup project at Hanford,
Washington. Prior to working at Hanford, Mr. Foster spent 27 years at SRS and worked in areas across the site including several
senior management positions in the NNSA Tritium Facilities.
Mr. Foster is a graduate of Florida State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

Catherine Hampton
Deputy Program Manager, Office of Environmental Management, DOE
Catherine Hampton is the Deputy Program Manager for Operations Support for the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental
Management (EM) Nevada Program. As the Deputy Program Manager, Catherine is responsible for project and contract management,
integration, performance assurance and strategic communications. Her leadership of quality assurance, regulatory and Department
requirements, federal records management, and integration of information systems provides for cost-effective project execution,
strategic baseline planning and program closure, and critical stakeholder interface – both internal and external.
Catherine has more than 30 years with the Department of Energy. She joined the Department in 1987 and served in varying
capacities with the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, including as the Deputy Facility Operations Manager and the
Director of Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance Lead. Catherine has held positions with the National Nuclear Security
Administration, served in a long-term assignment as the Acting Director of External Affairs for EM Headquarters, and managed the
establishment of the EM Nevada Program in 2016. Catherine holds a B.A. in Public Affairs from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Matt Hayden
VP Deputy Lead of GovTech Solutions
Exiger
Matt Hayden, Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience is the VP Deputy Lead of
GovTech Solutions at Exiger, the industry leader in AI-powered supply chain risk mitigation. A technologist and cybersecurity expert,
Matt is focused on driving technology-enabled solutions that help Exiger’s federal government clients tackle their most complex
challenges. Matt is an expert at The Cipher Brief and a visiting fellow with the National Security Institute (NSI).

Brian Henry
Y-12 Portfolio Federal Project Director
Brian Henry was named Y-12’s portfolio federal project director in 2016. In this role, he oversees all of the planning and execution for
Y-12’s current and upcoming cleanup projects, including all decontamination, demolition, and disposal operations. In this role, he is
also leading preparations for the Mercury Treatment Facility and the Environmental Management Disposal Facility, two of OREM’s
largest and most vital near-term capital projects.
The Mercury Treatment Facility will provide a mechanism to control and limit potential increases in mercury migration resulting from
the future demolition of Y-12’s large, mercury-contaminated buildings. OREM is also working to finalize plans for the Environmental
Management Disposal Facility, an engineered facility that will provide the disposal capacity required to complete the remaining
cleanup at Y-12 and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Oak Ridge is unlike many other Environmental Management (EM) cleanup sites around the country since it employs thousands of
non-EM employees and conducts other DOE missions in science and national security. Specifically, cleanup at Y-12 requires special
considerations due to its mission, onsite employees, proximity to the City of Oak Ridge, and security requirements.
Prior to his selection, Henry was OREM’s senior project manager for the Environmental Management Disposal Facility, and he also
served as the interim portfolio federal project director for Y-12. Before joining OREM, Henry served as the chief of the Reservation
Management branch at DOE’s Oak Ridge Office, and he also led its Reindustrialization program. Henry has more than 18 years of
federal experience working on complex facility and utility projects, including time he spent as a civilian employee for the Navy and
the Air Force.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Tennessee Technological University, and he is a licensed
professional engineer in the State of Tennessee.

Eileen S. Hodges
Deputy for Small Business, USACE Huntington District
With a background of working in small business enterprises, some of which have been in business for more than a century, Eileen
Hodges is familiar with the workings of small and family-owned small firms. Since graduation from Marshall University in 1995 with
a Bachelors’ degree in Communication Studies, she has held positions from paralegal to contract specialist. Starting with the Corps
in 2009, Hodges worked as a contract specialist throughout the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009 (a very busy year) and was working as a Level II Certified contract specialist prior to taking on the role of Deputy for Small
Business in early 2016. As the Huntington District’s small business specialist, she acts as small business advocate and interfaces
on behalf of small businesses with the US Army Corps of Engineers Directorate of Contracting, contracting officers, and contract
specialists, as well as Project Development Team members, including the technical specialists.
Her work is diverse, using market research to determine acquisition strategies and bringing qualified small firms to the attention
of the project development team and technical element. In her role, Hodges is the point of contact for small firms wishing to make
capabilities presentations, or even to learn how to become involved in the contracting process. Providing information, links, tips, and
best business practices, she helps small businesses begin to tackle the process of working with the Corps.
Another aspect of the work is the outreach efforts. Hodges participates in several events, including The Huntington Small Business
Conference facilitated annually by the Huntington Post of the Society of American Military Engineers. Events such as this provide
great opportunities for small firms, large firms, and the Corps to connect, allowing partnering opportunities and building the bench
of qualified small firms for the Corps of Engineers.

Paul D. Hunt
Executive Project Director, Fluor
Paul Hunt is a Vice President for Fluor Mission Solutions currently serving as a Program Manager for Savannah River Nuclear
Solutions’ Plutonium Modernization Program. In 2020, Paul completed a five-and-a-half-year assignment in the United Kingdom
where he served as the Magnox Deputy Managing Director – Chief Nuclear Officer.
Paul has over 35 years of broad nuclear operations experience, including over 25 years in programme management, nuclear material
operations, waste management, facility decommissioning, and asset management for government clients that include the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). He
started his career in the U.S. Navy, retiring as Captain after seven years of active duty and twenty years of reserve service.
Paul has served on the Magnox and Cavendish Fluor Partnership Boards as well as a number of community service Boards in South
Carolina. He holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.

Gregory A. Jones
Assistant Manager for Business and Financial Operations
Hanford Site Chief Financial Officer
U.S. Department of Energy
Gregory A. (Greg) Jones began his position as Assistant Manager for Business and Financial Operations and Hanford Site Chief
Financial Officer (CFO) in September 2007. In this role, Jones is responsible for “people, money and contracts to support Hanford
cleanup,” including the financial activities of both U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) field offices conducting environmental cleanup at
Hanford: the Office of River Protection (ORP) and the Richland Operations Office (RL).
Greg is responsible for and oversees Contractor Industrial Relations, the Budget Division, the Finance Division, the Procurement
Division, and Human Resources Management. In FY 2018, Greg served as Acting Deputy Manager of the Richland Operation Office
from March to August, with Chief Operations Officer responsibility for the Field Office in addition to his role as CFO.
Prior to his position as Assistant Manager, Greg was Director of Finance for RL. His responsibilities in this position included
management of budget formulation and execution of approximately $1 billion in annual appropriations; preparation of financial
statements; accounting; contractor oversight of financial and management issues; audit oversight and resolution; cost price
analysis; and financial systems. From 1999 to early 2004, Greg was Executive Officer for ORP, with a wide range of responsibilities,
including Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, Employee Concerns, Emergency Preparedness, and Safeguards and Security.
He was also the Hanford Advisory Board interface for ORP.
Greg passed the Certified Public Accountant, and Certified Management Accountant examinations, and is a graduate of Washington
State University. Greg is a strong believer in community service and was an elected City Councilman for 5 years.

Rob Leuszler
Senior Commodity Manager, Kansas City National Security Campus/Supply Chain Management Center
Rob serves as the Senior Manager of Commodities for the Supply Chain Management Center. In this role, he is responsible for the
long term identification, evaluation, and approval of strategic projects designed to assist partner sites with their agreement/contract
requirements.
Rob has deep experience in supply chain management, having previously held senior strategic sourcing roles at LMI Aerospace,
Garmin International, and Honeywell Aerospace. He holds an MBA from Baker University and bachelors from Wichita State University
in business administration, accounting, and management.

Gary G. Lyttek
Senior Business Source Manager, Office of APM
For twenty-one years, Mr. Gary G. Lyttek has been the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Headquarters’ Senior Business
Source Manager, for Small Business Programs. In FY 2020, through his leadership, NNSA has funded over $3.7 billion with small
businesses through prime and subcontracting programs. Gary’s focus is to expand small business capabilities into some of the most
demanding and technically sensitive functional areas of the organization. He has been recognized for his innovation and leadership
as Co-Chairman for the Department of Energy’s Small Business First Policy, as well as receiving several awards for his dedication in
promoting “maximum practicable opportunities” for small businesses. He has thirty-seven years of Federal service.
His education includes: Annenberg Leadership Institute Fellowship graduate; Masters of Public Administration - Budget and Public
Finance concentration, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 1994, U.S. Department of Energy Management Intern
Development Program - 1991, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois, 1989

Lani MacRae
Small Business Program Manager, DOE Office of EERE
Lani MacRae is the Small Business Program Manager for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Ms. MacRae
spent nearly two decades in Washington DC where she led the national ENERGY STAR communication and marketing effort for the
U.S. Department of Energy and management of the $300 million ARRA Appliance Rebate Program across 56 states and territories.
Having focused much of her career in the area of public education, she has extensive experience in consumer outreach, education,
and promotion of energy efficiency programs. She has served on the immediate staff of two cabinet secretaries and spent many
years on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of Energy for EERE working on corporate communications.
Her history of promoting public literacy of energy issues made her the perfect choice to tackle and build EERE’s small business
efforts. Upon entering the Federal Workforce, Ms. MacRae worked in science education in the western states—connecting our
national labs and nation’s teachers.

Sharon Marra
Deputy Director, Operations of the Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC
Sharon serves as the Deputy Director, Operations of the Battelle Savannah River Alliance, recently selected by the DOE to manage the
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL).
In her role as Deputy Director, Sharon is responsible for executive leadership and daily management of the 1,000 employee, $350M
multi-program SRNL. She leads SRNL in driving down safety and operational events and assuring the Laboratory’s role as one of the
safest national laboratories in the DOE complex and assuring cost effectiveness while conducting its critical missions in support of
its customers and the nation.
Sharon has more than 30 years of experience at Savannah River Site. Prior to her role as Deputy Director, she held various Director
and Management-level roles in technical leadership in chemical and environmental processing and compliance. In these roles
she oversaw the development and deployment of critical technologies to advance the Environmental Management and other DOE
missions.
She is a member and former Chair of the National Laboratory Chief Operations Officers (NLCOO) comprised of Deputies/COOs of
each of the 17 National Laboratories that advises the National Laboratory Directors Council (NLDC). She serves on the Ames National
Laboratory Operations Review Committee, advising on operational performance plans and recommending best practices.
Additionally, she serves on University of South Carolina at Aiken’s Engineering Advisory Board, advising on the University’s new
engineering program curriculum. She is actively involved in Aiken community outreach projects on behalf of SRNL.
Sharon has a BS in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University.

Bridgitte Mase
Vice President
Cyber and Technology Solutions
Boston Government Services
As the Vice President of Cyber and Technology Solutions at Boston Government Services (BGS), Ms. Bridgitte Mase leads and
directs BGS initiatives in Cyber and Technology Solutions in the delivery of secure, compliant, innovation solutions that strengths
the Nation’s security and energy infrastructure. Ms. Mase has more than twenty-years of experience leading the planning,
implementation, and development of innovative solutions to complex problems while operating in a highly sensitive and controlled
environment at the executive leadership level. She has distinguished herself as a leader in critical infrastructure security, compliance
and governance, and technology innovation. Under her leadership, BGS recently became the 4th company in the Nation certified as
a CMMC C3PAO for the Department of Defense. Her experience spans across government, nuclear industry, and scientific research
facilities. Prior to joining BGS, she held positions as the Director of IT and Cyber Security for Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA)
and Atkins Global Nuclear Solutions, managed computing and scientific information system departments at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, and served as Program Manager roles for various government agencies and multi-site projects.
She serves as the Energy Facilities Contracting Organization Group (EFCOG) Cyber Security Working Group (CSWG) Chair, as well as
various other IT, Cyber Security, and Intelligence Community Councils.
She is a University of Tennessee alumni, holding a B.A. in Technical Writing and a M.S. in Computing Information Systems.

Robert Mason
Director
Global Client Solutions
RLG International
Robert W. Mason is a corporate strategist, manufacturing operations expert, and change management guru who is currently leading
RLG International’s Client Solutions and JV activities.
Internationally recognized as a leadership authority, Robert sees people and relationships as key drivers of performance. This
perspective has made Robert passionate about turning adversities into opportunities and championing success for everyone to
participate in.
His breakthrough accomplishments include improving safety and performance at ConocoPhillips, subsea reliability at BP and
creating entirely new businesses for GE. These are just a few examples of his passion in action that has impacted billions of dollars
to the bottom line.
His past roles have included CEO & Emergency Financial Manager for the State of Michigan’s Treasury Department, Managing
Director at YorkshireAmerica, Strategic and Operations Consultant supporting NASA’s Mars mission, and Strategy Manager for the
Office of the Chairman & CEO at Chrysler.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Lakehead University, and master’s degrees in Quality Engineering and
Operations Management from Madonna University. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and is a Certified Reliability
Engineer, Master Black Belt and Executive Leadership Coach.
Robert’s insights and interviews have been featured by Fox Business News, Crain’s Detroit Business, Fox & Friends, The Michigan
Chronicle, The Detroit Free Press, The Review, Your World with Neil Cavuto as well as Forbes Magazine.

James J. (Jim) McConnell
Associate Administrator for Safety, Infrastructure and Operations, NNSA
James McConnell is the Associate Administrator for Safety, Infrastructure and Operations. He is responsible for overall NNSA safety
activities, operations, infrastructure, capital planning, packaging and transportation, nuclear materials integration and sustainment
& environmental programs for the National Security Enterprise. In addition, he is NNSA’s Central Technical Authority responsible for
safety policy and interpretation throughout NNSA.
Prior to his current position, Mr. McConnell was the Deputy Associate Administrator for Infrastructure and Operations. He held several
positions within NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs, including Assistant Deputy Administrator for Nuclear Safety and Operations.
Mr. McConnell was NNSA’s first Chief of Defense Nuclear Safety. In that position, he established the office and its functions.
Prior to joining NNSA, Mr. McConnell held several senior staff positions at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board including
Deputy Technical Director, Group Leader for the Nuclear Weapons Program, and Site Representative at the Pantex Plant.
A former U.S. Navy submarine officer, Mr. McConnell holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy
and master’s degrees in engineering from the Catholic University of America and George Washington University.

John (Jay) Arthur Mullis II
Manager
DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management
John (Jay) Arthur Mullis II is the Manager of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM). He
has held this post since November 2017.
He is responsible for safely executing the environmental cleanup of the 32,400-acre Oak Ridge Reservation, which entails
successfully managing the cleanup of the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Y-12 National
Security Complex. Specifically, Jay oversees environmental cleanup and stewardship, decontamination and decommissioning
activities, waste processing and management, surveillance and maintenance programs, historic preservation efforts, and
procurement and contract functions.
Before serving as the Manager, he was OREM’s Deputy Manager. In this capacity, he helped direct and support the office’s division
directors and federal project directors to ensure federal oversight and progress conducting environmental cleanup across the Oak
Ridge Reservation.
He has also served as the Acting Deputy Manager and Director of the Engineering, Safety and Quality Division for OREM. Additionally,
Jay led the Source Evaluation Board (SEB) that resulted in the award of the $3.6 Billion ETTP contract.
Jay holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and he is a licensed
Professional Engineer in the state of South Carolina. He completed extensive training and was qualified as a Nuclear Engineer while
working for the Navy at the Charleston Naval Shipyard and has been a fully certified Facility Representative for the DOE.
Jay has more than 30 years of federal service. His experience consists of approximately nine years working in the Naval Nuclear
Propulsion program at Charleston Naval Shipyard with the balance of his service working for DOE in various assignments related to
environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and waste management activities. He has led or been a member
of numerous audits and assessments of nuclear operations including reviews of engineering processes and maintenance programs.

Nicole Nelson-Jean
Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations, Office of Environmental Management, US Department
of Energy
Nicole Nelson-Jean is serving as the Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations for the Office of
Environmental Management (EM). Nelson-Jean has overriding responsibility to support the 16 EM field sites working throughout the
nation to clean up and safely disposition large volumes of nuclear waste, safeguard and prepare for disposition of nuclear materials,
deactivate and decommission several thousand radiologically and chemically contaminated facilities, and remediate extensive
surface and groundwater contamination.
Prior to this position, Nelson-Jean served as the Manager of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Savannah River
Field Office providing oversight for the management, security, quality assurance, environment, health, safety, nonproliferation, and
national security missions for the Savannah River Site.
Nelson-Jean’s years of experience includes environmental management, infrastructure, nuclear safety, nuclear security, nuclear
energy, nonproliferation, business and contract management. She has held numerous positions domestically and abroad for
the Department of Energy and NNSA. She was the Manager of the Livermore Field Office and Senior Advisor to the Acting NNSA
Administrator at the Los Alamos Site Office.
She began her career at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Office of Environmental Management and then moved to the
Nonproliferation and International Technology where she supplied technical analysis regarding foreign civil, military, and commercial
technological advances in countries of a proliferation concern.
She served as Energy Attaché to the U.S. Ambassador of the Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, Austria, where she
coordinated and oversaw NNSA support of the International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear security and as Energy Attaché to the
U.S. Ambassador to Japan overseeing NNSA interests in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Other positions held in NNSA include Office Director
with the Global Threat Reduction Initiative and Deputy Office Director in Material Protection, Control and Accounting Program.
She was honored with the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award and the Service to America Medal from the Partnership for Public
Service.
Nelson-Jean earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Grambling State University, a master’s degree in liberal arts from
St. John’s College, and a master’s degree in strategic security studies from National Defense University. She also completed the
Leadership for a Democratic Society Program at the Federal Executive Institute.

Chris Payne
Vice President & Business Unit Leader
RLG International
Chris Payne is a Vice President and Senior Business Unit Leader with 25 years’ experience at RLG International. Chris has a passion
for helping others and leading his clients through both personal and professional transformation. RLG is considered by many to be
the best implementation partner in the world and Chris has successfully led many projects over the years that has helped to forge
this brand in Canada, Scotland and the USA.
Chris leads one of five business units in the USA which specializes in upstream, midstream, downstream, chemical and
manufacturing projects. These include capital projects, turnarounds, safety, operations and maintenance work with Chevron, BP,
Shell, Hess, CP Chem, P66, Holly Frontier and Tellurian among many others. A few of his major accomplishments are:
•   Transforming a failing manufacturing plant in Scotland
•   Reducing capital project overspend by a billion dollars in deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico
•   Creating a new business stream with GE Oil & Gas
•   Reducing the drilling cycle time by 50% saving $1M/ well with a US major
Chris brings a never-ending stream of energy and a drive for excellence in all that he does. Since 1996, Chris has been implementing
highly successful performance improvement projects for RLG in Canada, Scotland and the USA. Chris has won three Best of the Best
awards demonstrating excellence in project delivery and has been nominated five other times for the award. Chris has a great ability
to engage at all levels of an organization from the senior leaders to the front-line workers. Chris loves to build capability within his
own team and with his clients. Chris’ passion is to help transform organizations into high performing businesses.
Prior to RLG, Chris managed an exercise therapy department in a center for injured and disabled workers. He fostered a love for
coaching by spending many years coaching hockey, baseball and rugby teams. As an avid athlete playing university level rugby and
ice hockey, Chris continues to spend much of his time helping young people gain the confidence, skills and the character to excel.
Chris received both a bachelors and master’s degree from Brigham Young University.

David Pesiri, PhD
Senior Director
Project Management Resource Center
Los Alamos National Laboratory
David Pesiri is the Senior Director for Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Project Management Resource Center. In this role he is
responsible for providing project management services including project managers, construction managers, cost estimators, and
project controls engineers to projects and programs throughout the Laboratory. Prior to his current role David served as the Division
Leader for the Program Performance Services Division where he oversaw the Project Controls and related functions. David is also the
institutional Earned Value Management System Lead.
In management positions for over fifteen years at Los Alamos, David’s responsibilities have ranged from intellectual property
management to contracts and oversight of the reimbursable work portfolio. Before joining Capital Projects, David served as the
Deputy M&O Contract Transition Manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory and prior to that led the Richard P. Feynman Center for
Innovation at Los Alamos.
Prior to returning to the Laboratory in 2005, David worked extensively in projects in the private sector including roles as the Co-
founder and President of SDC Materials, a materials discovery company in Tempe, Arizona, Managing Partner of the Essex Technology
Group, and as a senior scientist at Technanogy, LLC in Irvine, CA.
David began his technical career as a staff member in the Materials Science and Technology Division at Los Alamos National
Laboratory and holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. from Pomona College in Claremont,
California.

Phillip A. (Tony) Polk
Director, DOE Savannah River Laboratory Office
Mr. Polk has 29 years of experience with the Department of Energy at the Savannah River Operations Office (SR). His range of
experience at SR includes leadership roles in nuclear facility construction, operations, program and project management. In his
current assignment, he leads the Operations and Research & Development activities of the Savannah River National Laboratory.
Mr. Polk began his federal career as a Facility Representative for the Defense Waste Processing Facility where he provided oversight
for construction, startup and operations of the largest nuclear waste vitrification facility in the world. From there, he went on to serve
as the Senior Technical Advisor to the Manager-SR. Following his role in the Manager’s office, he provided leadership for several key
programs and projects at SR.
Prior to his current assignment, he was Programs Director for Nuclear Materials; supporting spent fuel receipt, processing, and safe
storage of the nation’s excess plutonium. Prior to that, he was the Federal Project Director for the Salt Waste Processing Facility, a
significant first-of-a-kind major system acquisition for the Department.
He was also the Federal Project Director and Director of Programs for Radioactive Liquid Waste Disposition and Solid Waste.
Mr. Polk has held other key leadership positions for the Department at SRS including Director of Soils and Groundwater cleanup
where he achieved the first decommissioning and area closure of a National Priorities List unit.
Mr. Polk is a Senior Technical Safety Manager and a certified Level IV Federal Project Director for the Department of Energy. He holds
a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Sciences from Clemson University.

James Raines
Vice President Nuclear, Power & DOE
ARES Security Corporation
Mr. James Raines is a degreed nuclear engineer with 36 years of experience serving the nuclear, power and commercial industries.
He has a wide range of experience ranging from security & risk assessment, software development, modeling, simulation and
design, to designing, building and operating laboratories and actively performing on-site inspections, testing, assessments and
evaluations at nuclear and industrial facilities. Mr. Raines has extensive experience in performing Probabilistic Risk Assessments
(PRA), Security Risk Assessments (SRA), Vulnerability Assessments (VA), and software development for nuclear and power facilities.
Mr. Raines is a Vice President at ARES Security Corporation. ARES Security’s flagship product, AVERT, is an established suite of
software products encompassing the entire Physical Security Life Cycle from design to operations. At ARES, Mr. Raines performs &
supports projects and is responsible for AVERT business development, innovation, sales and all project aspects from product/project
development and technical content to delivery and client satisfaction.

Teresa M. Robbins
Manager
NNSA Production Office
National Nuclear Security Administration
U. S. Department of Energy
Teresa M. Robbins serves as the Manager for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Production Office (NPO). She is
responsible for the direction of NNSA programs, projects, safety, security, quality, and administrative functions and activities at the
Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex.
Robbins has over 29 years of experience in nuclear facility operations, engineering, safety analysis, maintenance, and risk analysis
within the DOE Complex. She has served in various positions including Deputy Manager, Senior Scientific and Technical Advisor,
Assistant Manager for Environment, Safety, Health and Quality, and Federal Project Director.
Robbins received a Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering from The University of Tennessee. She is a recipient of the
National Nuclear Security Administration Safety Professional of the Year Award.