As a socially responsible corporate citizen, Holtec International recognizes the importance of frequent and timely communications with the company’s key stakeholders. Therefore, Holtec’s communications and outreach efforts are designed to maintain an open line of communication. This includes interaction with federal government entities like the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the federal level, the energy and environmental regulatory agencies at the state level, and the counties and municipalities where our industrial installations are located. This outreach program extends around the world where Holtec works closely with host governments in the many countries where we have ongoing projects.
Holtec takes great pride in its trusting and strong relationships with the communities where it operates. The company considers ongoing communications with local municipal governments and civic groups to be vital to fostering mutual respect and confidence. Many of our company associates live in the communities where our nuclear installations are located; therefore, our ongoing communications with the local communities are also intertwined with our internal intra-company dialogue. We believe a constructive dialogue with groups who share our commitment to protecting public health and safety and the environment is an essential predicate for the success of our programs such as decommissioning of shuttered plants, establishment of a consolidated interim storage facility or of a small modular reactor. Our approach for an open and transparent relationship with the stakeholders is explained in the Chief Communication Officer’s page.
Our communication outreach effort hopes to reach our fellow citizens (the silent super-majority!) as well as the tiny band of activists and political leaders who display a reflexive opposition to nuclear energy. The opponents to nuclear power are evidently driven by myths and misinformation that can be easily disproved byinformed discussion and dispassionate dialogue in the public square. Sadly, we have seen that the unfounded allegations, and misinformation-fueled canards promoted through social media actually act against the fundamental interests of the local communities that the activists profess to represent. A contemporary example is the vociferous opposition by a few activists who oppose moving used fuel from sites in (inhospitable) marine air to the seismically placid and arid plateau of southeastern New Mexico. These attacks, laced with rumors, innuendos or downright inventions, tend to gain currency crowding out scientific facts. It is truly ironic as often the very people who loudly proclaim their allegiance to clean energy seek to suffocate the only form of clean energy that is produced from mining the earth, and which has spared the environment millions of tons of carbon dioxide from burning of carbonaceous fuels.
We view it to be our industry’s mission to act to support, for the sake of our small planet, an informed discourse on the good and bad of nuclear energy based on scientific facts, and a reasoned dialogue. Toward this end, we plan to summon the participation of technically enlightened individuals and organizations to conduct interactive seminars on topics such as used nuclear fuel and decommissioning in appropriate public forums. Candid dialogue supported by solid facts is the best approach to ensure that matters vital to our way of life such as safe and secure methods of storing used nuclear fuel and decommissioning shuttered nuclear plantsare properly understood by our citizens and our policy makers.
Vehicles for Information Outreach
Holtec’s periodic publication, Holtec Highlights, reports major events to our stakeholders. In addition, time-sensitive and newsworthy events of public/media interest are shared as news releases or via Holtec’s social media channels. This website contains all recent Holtec Highlights as well as news releases from Holtec and others relevant to Holtec’s operations.
The company publishes Holtec Happenings, which captures accomplishments and events that are deemed to be significant to the local communities where Holtec operates. Issues of Holtec Happenings are posted on this website.
On a periodic basis, another publication called HI-STORE Highlights is published to provide factual information and routine updates on our HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF) project in southeast New Mexico. This publication’s goal is to keep its stakeholders informed on the wide range of topics germane to the HI-STORE CIS including the NRC licensing process, interactions with key project stakeholders and upcoming meetings and events.
Holtec’s Code of Professional Responsibility in Communications
Every member of Holtec’s communications and outreach team is personally committed to engaging with our stakeholders and listening to their concerns. At all times, they are expected and required to maintain a professional code of conduct built upon honesty, and providing truthful and accurate information in a timely manner.
Every member of Holtec’s communications and outreach team makes the following pledge:
- I am loyal to my company, but I am even more loyal to the truth.
- I will always be unfailingly respectful to those with whom I communicate.
- I will ensure that all publications from my organization are candid and accurate.
- I will always check my facts before presenting them to others and take full responsibility for their accuracy.
Communications and Outreach Team Members
Holtec’s Communications and Outreach Program is led by Joy Russell, Holtec’s Chief Strategy & Communications Officer. Ms. Russell is also a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. Her vision of stakeholder engagement is articulated in the Chief Communication Officer’s page.
Joy Russell
Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy & Communications Officer, Holtec International
Holtec’s Communications and Outreach Program is led by Joy Russell, Holtec’s Chief Strategy & Communications Officer. Russell is also a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. Her vision of stakeholder engagement is articulated in the Chief Communication Officer’s page.
Patrick O’Brien
Director, Government Affairs and Communications, Holtec International
For over 20 years, Pat has built a reputation for his proactive communications strategies, government and community relations, and media management in high visibility situations. Prior to joining Holtec, Pat spent 3 years with Holtec’s decommissioning unit, Holtec Decommissioning International, as Senior Manager Government Affairs and Communications overseeing the Government Affairs and Communications programs at our five, current, decommissioning sites. Pat began his career in the nuclear industry serving 4 years as the Company Spokesman and Sr. Communications Specialist for Entergy’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. In this role, he served as the company’s direct media contact, managed day-to-day communications with employees, ran the company’s charitable contributions, and saw the plant through Column 4 recovery and transition from operational facility to decommissioning site.
More importantly, Pat has been a key conduit to the local community. Throughout his career he built relationships with elected officials and key community stakeholders. He has served on various non-profit boards including the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, South Shore Community Action Council, and the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority. He served three years on the Town of Plymouth Advisory and Finance Committee, the last year as Vice-Chair.
Prior to joining Pilgrim station in 2015, he spent thirteen years working in state and local government in Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master’s degree from Norwich University.
Pat handles all media inquiries for the company and he can be reached at p.obrien@holtec.com or by cell 508-494-4254.
Suzanne D’Ambrosio
Communications Manager for Oyster Creek Generating Station and
Supplier Diversity Manager, Holtec International
Suzanne D’Ambrosio is the Communications Manager at the Oyster Creek Generating Station. She is also the Supplier Diversity Manager for Holtec International. In her Oyster Creek role, Sue is responsible for building and maintaining honest and transparent relationships with political, community and civic leaders, as well as the general public. Her responsibilities also include employee relations, community outreach and media interaction. As Supplier Diversity Manager, Sue has developed and facilitates an innovative ground-floor program that underscores our commitment to equal opportunity, sustaining and enhancing the economic development of small businesses and diverse organizations in their communities, and aligns with programs and policies that are becoming the norm in our industry and our nation.
Sue has currently held her position at Oyster Creek since 2011, and previously worked as the station’s communications manager from 1991 to 2000. She owned and operated a small public relations firm and was a reporter for a New Jersey daily newspaper. She has also served as an adjunct college instructor of public relations.
She is a member of the Eagleswood Township Board of Education. She and her dog, Boo, are a certified team with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, and volunteer time at nursing homes, schools and hospices.
Sue can be reached on 609-971-2185 or by cell on 609-290-3650 or by e-mail to s.dambrosio@holtec.com.
Nick Culp
Senior Manager, Government Affairs and Communications, Holtec Decommissioning International
Nick Culp is the Senior Manager of Government Affairs and Communications for Holtec Decommissioning International and is based at the Palisades Power Plant in Covert Township, Michigan. In this capacity, Nick helps lead external stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, and community and government relations activities across the HDI decommissioning fleet. Prior to joining Holtec, Nick worked as the Senior Manager of Northeast Government Affairs and company spokesperson for Palisades under the site’s prior owner and operator Entergy, where his team was nationally recognized for corporate reputation management during a significant business transition.
Prior to joining Palisades, Nick worked for more than a decade in policy, communications, and constituent service roles in the office of U.S. Representative Fred Upton, most recently as Senior Policy and Media Advisor during the Congressman’s tenure as Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kalamazoo College. He and his family reside in St. Joseph, Michigan.
Nick can be reached at 269-764-2226, by cell at 269-350-1787, or by email at n.culp@holtec.com.
Supporting the Outreach Team with Veteran Industry Experts
An elite team of Holtec’s technical experts has been assigned to support the outreach team in public meetings on an as-needed basis to ensure that the attendees get prompt and authoritative responses to their questions. The names and areas of expertise of the assigned specialists are provided below:
| Name | Area of Expertise | Years of Experience |
| Dr. Stefan Anton | Nuclear Physics, Consolidated Storage | 35 |
| Dr. Gordon Bjorkman | Fuel Storage/Transport Structural Safety | 45 |
| Charles Bullard | Transportation of High-Level Waste | 26 |
| Corey Dewitt | Decommissioning Safety | 18 |
| Fred Hartz | Worker Safety | 30 |
| Dr. Debu Majumdar | Used Fuel Safety, Storage Casks | 25 |
| Thomas Marcille | Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Safety | 30 |
| Michael O’Connell | Decommissioning Safety | 35 |
| Mark Soler | Quality Assurance | 35 |
| Jean Fleming | Regulatory Affairs | 20 |
| J. Scott Thomson | Site and Personnel Security | 30 |
| Kelly Trice | Decommissioning Safety and Regulatory Affairs | 30 |
| Michael Williams | Site Operations | 35 |
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