We bring together preeminent experts and Nobel laureates with leadership experience in nuclear energy science, technology, and policy, alongside the top minds in geology, and environmental science. We add to that, business leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs for an exemplary advisory board.
Zann Aeck
Silicon Valley marketing professional who specializes in marketing strategy, brand development, and in creating digital experiences across multiple media channels. Aeck’s expertise centers on the data-driven analysis of online behavior to improve the performance of a company’s digital presence. She has led and successfully improved digital strategy and brand experiences for leading high-tech companies such as NetApp and Fujitsu. She also owns and runs a successful pet supply and grooming business near Santa Cruz, California.
Robert Budnitz
Involved with nuclear reactor safety and radioactive-waste safety for many years, Budnitz was with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he worked on nuclear power safety and security and radioactive waste management. He also served as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Director of the Yucca Mountain Project.
Steven Chu
Nobel Prize winner in Physics, 12th U.S. Secretary of Energy, former Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Chu is currently Professor of Physics and Professor of Molecular and Cell Physiology at Stanford University. Chu initiated ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy), created the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, published 260 papers in physics, biophysics, biology, biomedicine, and batteries, and holds 10 patents.
Clay Collier
With expertise in communication architecture and software development, he has established himself as a leading player in both the geospatial and energy markets. Collier is also a Mentor at SkyDeck Berkeley, which was one of the first research university startup accelerators developed to foster entrepreneurial excellence.
Terry Considine
A Colorado entrepreneur, Considine has been a real estate investor for more than 45 years, serving on four REITs as CEO. Through the Considine Companies, he has invested in real estate, television broadcasting, convenience stores, environmental services, and venture capital. Considine is a director of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Intrepid Potash (NYSE: IPI) in Denver, Colorado.
Richard Esposito
As a veteran of over 30 years of experience in the electrical utility industry, Dr. Esposito currently serves as an R&D Program Manager at Southern Company. He also serves on the research faculty and as a graduate student advisor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is the President of the Alabama Geological Society, Vice Chair of the Energy Division of the Geological Society of America, and serves on the Executive Committee for the International Energy Agency – GHG program. Dr. Esposito’s current research focuses on a wide range of energy-related technology issues including bulk energy storage, geothermal power, deep well underground injection control and isolation, and Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS). He has published extensively and lectured internationally on a wide range of energy-related issues.
Ed Feulner
Founder and former president of The Heritage Foundation. He holds a Wharton M.B.A. and Edinburgh Ph.D. in Political Science. A syndicated columnist, Feulner is the author of nine books and has received numerous awards for contributions to U.S. and world public policy, including the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Ronald Reagan.
Will Glaser
Founding CTO/COO of Pandora Media (NYSE: P). CEO of Grabango, a company using computer vision and machine learning in consumer applications. Glaser focuses on the solutions sought by users in data-intensive industries and was recognized by Microtimes magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in high-technology.
David Hoffman
Communications innovator (a winner of the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award) who has made 176 prime-time television documentaries and won 8 Emmys. He has served as communications consultant to C-Suite executives at AT&T, Google, Amazon, Sony, Verizon, and Fidelity. Hoffman’s clients have included startups subsequently acquired by Liberty Media, Amazon, Unicom and Boeing. Hoffman is a 15-year TEDster and has twice spoken at the annual TED conference.
Daniel Metlay
Independent researcher with in-depth expertise in the challenges presented by radioactive waste, Metlay was a member of the Senior Professional Staff of the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. He also served in the Carter White House and with the Secretary of Energy on radioactive waste-management issues.
Monica Mwanje
An expert with 17 years’ nuclear sector experience garnered from working in technical and business leadership roles. In her current work, she provides strategic consultancy services for organizations seeking growth and transformation in nuclear and other regulated sectors. With a specialism in inclusion and diversity, Monica works with multi-disciplined technical teams, boards, and leadership teams, advising on how to develop, implement and maintain inclusive working cultures.
Arno Penzias
Nobel Prize winner in Physics who co-discovered cosmic microwave background radiation, which helped establish the Big Bang Theory of cosmology. Dr. Penzias headed Bell Lab’s research organization and served as the company’s Chief Scientist. He joined New Enterprise Associates in 1997 and continues to work there as a Venture Partner.
Per Peterson
Nuclear Engineering Professor at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on problems in energy and environmental systems, including high-temperature reactors, high-level nuclear waste processing, and nuclear materials management. Peterson served as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future that provided a national framework for the nuclear waste management strategy.
John Raymont
An award-winning entrepreneur experienced delivering success in the global nuclear market. Most recently, Raymont was the Founder and President of Kurion Inc., which he established to “isolate waste from the environment to support clean, safe, and secure nuclear power”. Under his leadership, Kurion grew into a global business providing innovative, class-leading waste management products and services that lower waste management lifecycle costs. Kurion was sold to Veolia in 2016 for $350 million.
Matthew Saunders
Principal at Helena where he leads the firm’s private investing activities. Saunders is responsible for deal sourcing, negotiating, and execution, in addition to macro investment thesis origination and investment management. Matt serves on a variety of Boards and is a thought leader in social impact investing. Prior to Helena, he served in roles at Global Infrastructure Partners, Barclays, and at the White House.
Jen Schneider
A professor at the School of Public Service at Boise State University, Schneider conducts research on the public communication of scientific and environmental topics, with a particular focus on energy industry rhetoric and technical discourse. Her expertise includes federal public engagement efforts; hydrofracturing and induced seismicity perceptions; nuclear power and waste; climate change and social movements; and transitions in American energy policy. She frequently serves as a stakeholder engagement specialist for government agencies.
Leslie Tepper
A General Partner and Co-Founder of The Artemis Fund, a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage companies founded and led by women, Tepper has significant experience in helping private companies obtain funding and scale. She has served on the board and/or advisory board of several early and growth stage companies and is a frequent speaker for the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), where she also serves on the Board, on private and public company governance. Her prior legal experience includes serving as General Counsel of Fisher HealthCare and in-house counsel for Waste Management.
Scott Tinker
An energy expert and has visited 65 countries and given more than 800 keynote and invited lectures. Tinker co-produced and is featured in the energy documentary film Switch and has just released a new film on global energy poverty called Switch On. He is the Director of the 250-person Bureau of Economic Geology, the State Geologist of Texas, and a professor at The University of Texas at Austin.
Barbara Laflin Treat
President/CEO of InfrastructureWorld (IW), a global consulting company that advises clients on the structuring, financing, and development of complex infrastructure projects. Prior to launching IW two decades ago, she spent over a decade with global construction giant, Bechtel Corporation, and was the first woman named a Principal Vice President in Bechtel’s history. She has worked in Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, and on projects in energy, transport, water, and government facilities.
Heather Westra
Independent consultant with over 30 years working in Indian Country, focusing primarily on regulatory and legislative matters related to spent nuclear fuel storage, transportation, and disposal. In addition, Ms. Westra has trained hundreds of tribal representatives in the areas of emergency management planning, emergency management operations, and hazard mitigation. Ms. Westra proudly served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1984 to 1987.
Mary Woollen
With an extensive background in stakeholder engagement for nuclear and nuclear waste issues, she was the Government and Community Liaison for the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future and worked to develop a consent-based approach to siting nuclear waste facilities. Woollen has been a consultant for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, DOE’s Integrated Waste Management Program, and has served as an external engagement policy advisor to the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Alina Zagaytova
Ms. Zagaytova is a start-up advisor and investor. With over 15 years of experience as an attorney and private company director in the clean energy and technology industries, Ms. Zagaytova advises CEOs and Boards on fundraising, strategic transactions, M&A and international growth. Ms. Zagaytova served as a Director on the Boards of Clean Energy Collective, LLC and Younicos AG and is currently working as the General Counsel at Redwood Materials.
Neil Chapman (Observer)
Geologist, Professor Emeritus, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK and an independent consultant, he has over 40 years’ experience worldwide in radioactive waste management and has published more than 200 papers and articles, and several books on the subject. He has been involved in the geological disposal programmes of many countries, including Canada, Finland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and the USA, and works closely with the EU, IAEA and ERDO Association.