Joy Russell is Holtec’s Executive Vice President of Business Development & Chief Communications Officer. She supports the business development efforts of all Holtec operating divisions from the corporate level and leadership of the company’s communications and public outreach program. Russell is also the Chair of Holtec’s Executive Committee.

Russell is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, where she studied Mechanical Engineering, graduating in 1987. After serving for 8 years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army in the U.S. and Europe, she returned to the academic world to study Nuclear Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville from where she graduated in 1995 with a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering.

Prior to joining Holtec International in 1997, Russell worked for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy and the State of Maryland in the defense, commercial, and public health sectors of the nuclear industry, in positions of increasing responsibility. Shortly after joining Holtec, Russell played a significant role in helping strengthen the company’s site services organization. A published nuclear specialist, she also played a critical role in the development and licensing of Holtec’s first generation dry storage and transport systems in the late 1990s. Some of the nuclear analysis methodologies pioneered by Russell continue to serve as the licensing basis for Holtec’s dry storage and transport systems and components. Highly regarded as an astute business strategist and a proven consensus builder within the company, Russell has led in guiding the direction of Holtec’s R&D program to maintain its alignment with the needs of the nuclear industry since 2005. In 2011, Russell’s executive responsibilities were expanded to include support of the business development efforts of all Holtec operating divisions from the corporate level and leadership of the company’s communications and public outreach program. Her vision for stakeholder engagement is articled in the Chief Communications Officer communique.

Russell is a member of the ABET Accreditation Advisory Board for the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point.