Schedule

All activities will be held at the Pollard Center on ORAU's campus in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Parking is free.

Coffee, snacks, and lunch will be provided. There is no registration fee.

Thursday, May 14, 2026
8:00 a.m. - Gathering and Networking

8:30 a.m. - Welcome Remarks

  • Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer, ORAU
  • Honorable Chuck Fleischmann, U.S. House of Representatives (via video)

8:45 a.m. - Keynote Address I: National Perspective

  • Michelle Scott, Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Crosscuts, Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy

9:05 a.m. - Keynote Address II: State Perspective

  • Brooks Young, Executive Director, TNWorks, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

9:25 a.m. - Spotlight: Local Perspective – The Nuclear Surge

  • Tracy Boatner, President and CEO, East Tennessee Economic Council

9:35 a.m. - Spotlight: The Local Trades

  • Charlie Woody, President of the Knoxville Builders and Construction Trade Council and Business Manager, Insulators #46

9:45 a.m. - Break

10:00 a.m. - Panel: Shared Outcomes

Moderator: Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer, ORAU

Panelists:

  • Amanda Hurley, Talent Acquisition and Workforce Strategy Director, Y‑12 National Security Complex
  • Jamie Choate, Director, Workforce Strategy and Enablement, Tennessee Valley Authority
  • Daniel Smith, Business Manager, IBEW #270
  • Chris O’Keefe, Business Manager, Iron Workers Local 384

11:00 a.m. - Lunch, Trade Fair, and Networking

12:30 p.m. - Spotlight: Tennessee Board of Regents

  • Teresa Duncan, Lead Nuclear Strategist, Tennessee Board of Regents and Vice President of Workforce and Community Development, Roane State Community College

12:45 p.m. - Case Study: C.A.L.M. East Tennessee Apprenticeship Readiness Program – Apprenticeships for Graduates!

  • Jason Andrews, Director, Cooperative Agreement Labor and Management
  • Cindy Lockett, Career and Technical Education Director, Roane County Schools

1:15 p.m. - Panel: Supply-Side Capacity – Assets and Gaps

Moderator: Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer, ORAU

Panelists:

  • Teresa Duncan, Lead Nuclear Strategist, Tennessee Board of Regents and Vice President of Workforce and Community Development, Roane State Community College
  • Patty Weaver, Vice President for External Affairs, Pellissippi State Community College
  • Lyn Potter, Ph.D., Department Head of Engineering Systems Technology, Chattanooga State Community College
  • Chris Ayers, President, TCAT Harriman
  • Christian Fuller, Business Manager, Sheetmetal Local #5 and Financial Secretary-Treasurer, KBCTC
  • Holly Cross, Director, Career & Technical Education (CTE), Oak Ridge Schools

2:15 p.m. - Break

2:30 p.m. - Panel: Wraparound Services – Mitigating Barriers to Employment

Moderator: Naomi Asher, President, The Maven Consulting

Panelists:

  • Shannon Rosedale, Senior Policy and Research Coordinator, Tennessee Department of Human Services
  • John Shefner, Ph.D., Director, Community-University Research Collaborative Initiative (CURCI) and Professor, University of Tennessee
  • Dawn Carlock, Vice President, Roane Alliance
  • Heather Harned, Regional Service Director, Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley
  • Sara Rymer, Business Agent, Painters #437

3:30 p.m. - Spotlight: Veterans’ Programs

  • Kristen Rawson, Manager, Y-12 National Security Complex Operations Center and SkillBridge expert

3:45 p.m. - Closing Remarks

  • Molly Cripps, Director, Office of Energy Programs (OEP), Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)
  • Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer, ORAU