As increasing global tensions place renewed emphasis on nuclear deterrence, the Pre-Conference Workshop will spotlight Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) and Department of Defense (DoD) ongoing efforts to strengthen the US deterrent more rapidly. This workshop will address the urgent need for actionable strategies to accelerate the delivery of capabilities and system production. By addressing these challenges directly, the session aims to ignite discussions that work to align critical requirements, address the complexities of risk-based decision making, and cultivate a culture of agility necessary to accelerate delivery.
Speakers will explore innovative solutions and address beyond line-of-sight needs, emphasizing the importance of leveraging cutting-edge technologies and tools to enhance efficiency, agility, safety, and quality. Featuring a distinguished lineup of experts from DOE/NNSA, DoD, national laboratories, and industry, the session will deal with key inflection points on stockpile responsiveness, rapid capability development, integration of technologies and AI, and workforce modernization. Presented by TechSource
View the Pre-Conference Workshop agenda
Join us for a vibrant networking session designed to spark connections before the conference begins! Enjoy delicious treats and refreshments while mingling with fellow attendees. This is the perfect opportunity to engage with industry peers, exchange ideas, and set the tone for an insightful summit.
The Nuclear Security Enterprise cannot meet today’s mission demands without modernizing how it delivers major infrastructure programs. This talk highlights how clearer incentives, disciplined delivery practices and healthy competition can improve reliability and overall mission success. Drawing on Kiewit’s experience delivering complex, national-scale infrastructure, Rinehart will show how commercial execution discipline can strengthen the enterprise’s existing technical capabilities. The goal is simple: build an enterprise fully capable of delivering the mission with confidence and credibility. Presented by Kiewit
Featured Speaker
At the intersection of program delivery and operational oversight, NNSA field office managers play a critical role in translating mission priorities into action. In this discussion, senior leaders from across the enterprise will highlight initiatives underway at their sites including improvements in contracting, operations, and community engagement and share lessons learned that continue to guide effective mission execution. Presented by: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII)
Featured Speakers
Betty Huck
Manager, Nevada Field Office
National Nuclear Security Administration
Michael Mikolanis
Manager
NNSA Savannah River Field Office
Shekita Robinson
Acting Manager
Kansas City National Security Campus
Ted Wyka
Manager
Los Alamos National Laboratory
James (Jim) Dawkins
Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Moderator
Take a moment to recharge and connect during our Mindful Mingle Networking Break! Connect with fellow attendees, enjoy a selection of nourishing treats and experience mindful networking designed to leave you feeling recharged.
In an era marked by rapid technological advancement, geopolitical shifts, and evolving security threats, NNSA lab directors face unprecedented challenges in the development, maintenance, and modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Join the directors of Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories to explore the future landscape of nuclear weapons development, focusing on strategic solutions to emerging challenges. Discussions will cover the integration of cutting-edge technologies, maintaining safety and security in a rapidly changing environment, workforce development, and the role of international collaboration. Attendees will gain insights into navigating the complexities of nuclear deterrence, ensuring national security, and sustaining innovation in the face of budgetary and political constraints and what comes next. Presented by: Longenecker & Associates
Featured Speakers
Presented by Honeywell Federal Solutions
Featured Speakers
Presented by Amentum
Featured Speakers
Centrus Energy CEO Amir Vexler will discuss Centrus’ plans to produce unobligated LEU and HALEU to meet the growing needs of the nuclear security enterprise. With the first U.S.-owned enrichment plant to start production in nearly 70 years, Centrus is uniquely positioned to meet U.S. government’s national security requirements. Presented by Centrus Energy
Featured Speaker
This session will examine the policies, priorities, and considerations shaping the Pit Mission going forward. Speakers will share perspectives on the path ahead and the factors influencing decision-making in this critical area of national security. Presented by Merrick & Company
Featured Speakers
Sean McDonald
Senior Advisor for the Integrated Plutonium Program
National Nuclear Security Administration
Matt Nuckols
President
Strategic Management Solutions LLC
David Dooley
Associate Laboratory Director Weapons Production
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Tony Wampler
Senior Business Development Director
Merrick & Company
Moderator
Gain insights into the operational challenges and strategic initiatives at the (NNSA) sites. This session will feature key leaders from various NNSA facilities who will share their perspectives on managing site operations, maintaining safety standards, and advancing mission-critical objectives. Attendees will hear about the latest developments in site management, collaboration across facilities, and the innovative approaches being employed to ensure national security and technological advancement and guidelines to assist sites to move into the next phase. Presented by: Longenecker & Associates
Featured Speakers
Kelly Beierschmitt
President and General Manager
PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC
Jeffrey Griffin, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Roger Rocha
President
Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (NNSS)
Richard Tighe, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC
Eric Wollerman
President and CEO
Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies
Christine Gelles
Chief Operating Officer
Longenecker & Associates
Moderator
Efficiently managing major construction projects is essential to advancing the NNSA mission of delivering safe, secure, and effective infrastructure to support national security priorities. In this discussion, Nicole Nelson-Jean, Associate Administrator for the Office of Infrastructure, and representatives from NNSA field sites will highlight how the agency is leveraging commercial best practices and technical innovations including AI to accelerate project timelines, reduce costs, and enhance delivery outcomes. Panelists will share insights into successful initiatives and lessons learned that are shaping the future of project execution across the enterprise. Presented by Parsons Corporation
Featured Speakers
Mark Davis
Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Mary Helen Hitson
Manager
NNSA Y-12 Field Office
Betty Huck
Manager, Nevada Field Office
National Nuclear Security Administration
Nicole Nelson-Jean
Associate Administrator, Office of Infrastructure
National Nuclear Security Administration
Darnell Wagstaffe
Senior Vice President and Sector Manager, Infrastructure Solutions
Parsons
Moderator
The Manhattan Project proved that when urgency meets mission focus, extraordinary results are possible. Today, the NNSA is at a similar turning point—tasked with modernizing the Nation’s nuclear deterrent, modernizing infrastructure, delivering complex capital projects, and strengthening national security in a complex and dynamic geopolitical environment.
This panel will focus on how we operate across the M&O sites to meet these demands—driving integration between mission execution, capital project delivery, and long-term enterprise transformation. Success will require faster decisions, empowered teams, and a shared urgency to act. Presented by: Bechtel
Featured Speakers
The Nuclear Security Enterprise calls for adaptable and specialized infrastructure to maintain modern nuclear weapons that meet global security needs. The NNSA production sites face challenges modernizing specialized infrastructure while maintaining mission delivery on time and at scale. This requires the ability to be more responsive, balanced, resilient, innovative, and flexible to maintain the critical infrastructure needed to support enduring missions. This panel will provide insights into the modernization of production sites and how each are embracing the challenges of balancing critical investments and mission delivery in a dynamic environment. Presented by Fluor
Featured Speakers
Scott Kennedy
Infrastructure & Modernization Division Director
PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC
Dylan Plemons
Vice President, Nuclear Weapon Programs
Kansas City National Security Campus
Lee Schifer
Senior Vice President, Infrastructure Modernization and Sustainment
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Gene Sievers
Vice President, Production and Operations (Y-12 Site Manager)
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC
Jeffrey Griffin, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Moderator
Presented by ANWA
This session features updates from the leadership of NNSA and the national laboratory weapons programs. These distinguished leaders are responsible for the scientific, engineering, and technical efforts that uphold the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. Their insights will provide a unique perspective on the critical work being done to sustain and advance the nuclear stockpile and support scientific and physical infrastructure. The speakers will delve into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of our weapons systems. Attendees will gain an understanding of the impact of recapitalization, the pressures of schedule compression, and the innovative initiatives being implemented to enhance mission delivery. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from the leaders ensuring the resilience and reliability of our nation’s nuclear capabilities. Presented by TechSource
Featured Speakers
Rita Gonzales
Deputy Laboratories Director for Nuclear Deterrence and Chief Technology Officer
Sandia National Laboratories
Bradley Wallin, PhD
Deputy Director Strategic Deterrence
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Bob Webster, PhD
Deputy Laboratory Director for Weapons
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Brian D’Andrea
Chairman, Technical Advisory Board
TechSource, Inc.
Moderator
This session will explore how digital transformation will allow the NSE to meet the mission of tomorrow. Presented by Honeywell Federal Solutions
Elizabeth Fossey
Vice President of Engineering
Kansas City National Security Campus
John Miller
Associate Laboratories Director for Weapon Technologies and Engineering
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Brad Boswell, PhD
Associate Laboratories Director, Nuclear Deterrence Modernization & Stockpile Systems and Chief Engineer for Nuclear Weapons
Sandia National Laboratories
Kent Jones
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Systems Engineering and Integration
National Nuclear Security Administration
Moderator
A dynamic discussion on the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) strategic collaboration with U.S. private sector partners to develop and power next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. This initiative addresses the urgent need to expand AI data center capacity, and the energy infrastructure required to support it, ensuring the U.S. remains at the forefront of technological advancement.
From multiple vantage points, panelists will explore how NNSA can effectively harness AI to enhance national security, accelerate scientific discovery, and drive innovation. The conversation will highlight the role of public-private partnerships in meeting commercial demands, advancing energy solutions, and reinforcing U.S. leadership in both AI and critical infrastructure.
Featuring distinguished leaders from NNSA and industry, this session offers exclusive insights into a transformative initiative shaping the future of national resilience and technological dominance. Presented by AtkinsRéalis US Nuclear
Featured Speakers
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