Y-12 Blog
Nick D. and Kiki R. are wrapping up their 10-week stint at Y-12
Some problems encountered at Y‑12 require a broader perspective, like paying better attention to the details of business models, administrative procedures, and statistical trends. While many engineers and scientists learn principles and then apply them to technical problems, data analysts who apply statistical principles to business problems can offer a new perspective. That is where the Graduate Assistantship Program, also known as GAP, comes in. In partnership with the University of Tennessee, Y‑12 has a contract in place where students enrolled in the Haslam College of Business master of business administration (MBA) program participate in a fellowship at the site.
Nick D. and Kiki R. are wrapping up their 10‑week stint at Y‑12 (they will complete the fellowship in the fall semester by working several hours each week). The two share similar backgrounds in that they were college athletes (Nick for University of Delaware football and Kiki for University of Tennessee softball), and both will graduate in December with MBAs. The pair shared their perspectives on the GAP, acknowledging that they accepted the fellowship without knowing a lot about the Y‑12 mission but are taking away valuable lessons learned.
“I was not expecting to find the community of family I found here,” Kiki said. “Everyone wants to help you move forward in what you’re doing.”
Nick agreed. “It’s a family‑like atmosphere. There is very serious work going on at the site, but everyone is open to helping you.”
Nick is working with Jim H. in Y‑12 Technical Assurance to apply analytical skills to Y‑12 Production. “Jim offers a wealth of knowledge… Working with him is like drinking from a fire hose,” joked Nick in terms of the variety of information he is gaining.
“Nick and Kiki brought what any prospective employer would want: an insatiable appetite for learning, a different perspective, and a great attitude,” said Jim. “They brought insight and creativity to a variety of projects, ranging from fissile material handler training to artificial intelligence, but their greatest contribution by far was in how they shattered my preconceptions!”
Kiki, who is working with Jacob S. in the Production Activities Training group, shared that her time at Y‑12 has been filled with leadership experience opportunities.
Jacob said, “Kiki has been a valuable addition to the Production Activities Training team. She revamped our SharePoint site, resulting in a streamlined and more efficient platform that enabled an easier interface for all users. She has also brought unique leadership experience as a D1 athlete and facilitated a forum to share her perspective on leadership with our entire team.”
Working at a government facility wasn’t something either student had considered. “There are good opportunities in most areas — even if it is an area where we normally wouldn’t have thought we would have joined,” Kiki said. “Stepping into these new areas opens our minds to new doors. It’s good to have different experiences as well as a variety of references and contacts.”
Nick said he had an idea of what he wanted to do next as part of his MBA education, but a fellowship at Y‑12 wasn’t what that idea originally looked like. “I’m glad I stepped outside the box of my ‘plan.’ I’ve appreciated the journey and connections I’ve made. The experiences have been valuable.”
Ashley H., former program manager for University and Industry Partnerships, said, “These fellowships are subcontracts we have with UT, giving the fellows opportunities a traditional intern might not have. It is important for leadership to support this program and continue bringing GAP students to Y‑12. Their presence gives us opportunities to bring in students who may not be considered otherwise [because their expertise is in a different or non‑STEM discipline].” Ashley left CNS August 15 to pursue other opportunities, but she hopes to see continued opportunities and success from the programs and students as they continue to grow. “My mission for outreach and mentorship is part of my core values, regardless of where I work,” she added.
Jacob stated that Y‑12 is moving into a new era, with a large percentage of the site population nearing retirement. “In the near future, we have the start‑up of the Uranium Processing Facility and Lithium Processing Facility; it is paramount that we [Y‑12] do not miss an opportunity to hire great candidates to support our mission, regardless of their area of study.”
According to Jacob, having an MBA student on the team reenforced the importance of the new Y‑12 GOLD program (Growth, Opportunity, Leadership, and Development — a site leadership development program). “Y‑12 must continue to develop well‑rounded leaders. Kiki’s innate ability to lead was impressive. Having no knowledge of our facilities or processes, she quickly adapted and was able to create positive change in our organization almost immediately.”
Jim said that the pair challenged his own way of thinking. “I had a very narrow notion of the skillsets I thought were ideal [for job placement], but Nick and Kiki’s intelligent and articulate engagement in every discussion made me realize that I must broaden the qualities of an ‘ideal’ candidate.”
Both Nick and Kiki were complimentary when asked about the GAP. “Go into the program with an open mind — even if it’s not something you think you would do,” she said.
“You’ll be surprised what you will learn,” Nick added.
Take 5 minutes to learn about Eric G., a welder at the Uranium Processing Facility. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Since 1952, the Ingalls Apprentice School has provided the Navy shipbuilding industry more than 4,000 graduates. One of those graduates is Eric G., a quietly confident, seasoned welder at Y‑12’s UPF site.
Eric enrolled in welding school at the age of 19 and began his career in Virginia, building aircraft carriers and honing his skills to build the nation’s most powerful defense ships.
“I have worked on several aircraft carriers in my life, and knowing that what I’ve built has provided security to the men and women on them has been an honor,” he said.
Now, the 61‑year-old is using his career knowledge and experience in welding, steelworking, boilermaking, and electrical work in his current role as an electrical welder at UPF. This brings his profession full‑circle while keeping the mission of national security as his constant North Star.
“I believe in our national security,” Eric said. “I know how critical this project is. You come here and see what’s going on and you feel like life is truly a circle.”
Eric is a self‑proclaimed “family man,” speaking proudly about his children and grandchildren, as well as his extended family who served in the military. “Everything has a purpose, and if you’ve got military family members, like I have, I feel like I am doing my part for their safety and security.”
Why are you mission success?
“I believe in our national security. I can see the big picture and I work hard to get the job done.”
What is the greatest strength you bring to your organization?
“I am a self‑starter. I stay busy by learning the things I don’t know, so I can be of greater help to the project. Because I have been on the side of building the subs, I can see the whole picture of what we are doing here and understand what that means to our national security.”
Why is teamwork an important aspect when working at Y‑12?
“Teamwork is very important. You have to have a common goal and the right chemistry on a team. Otherwise, you won’t get anything done.”
What stands out to you about UPF?
“They go above and beyond to make sure it’s safe. You are able to see the project take shape and it is neat to see the progress. It is hard work though.”
All Pantex and Y-12 employees have a story about how they got to CNS, but only a few can say the journey included working with a sitting U.S. president. Eight employees who had that experience shared the similarities between the two entities and detailed their duties with the commanders-in-chief.
Garcia B.
Garcia worked for the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) during three presidential terms: Obama, Trump, and Biden. As part of the communications team, he was an audiovisual technician and White House Television (WHTV) director.
Garcia said his White House experience prepared him well for his latest role at Pantex. “Being at the White House allowed me to work with people from a variety of backgrounds with varying personalities, ranging from senior staff members to interns to foreign dignitaries. Learning how to communicate effectively with personnel enabled me to adapt to the different personalities in the civilian sector,” he said.
Jeff C.
President George W. Bush was commander in chief during Jeff’s tenure as a member of the Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), commonly known as the Presidential Helicopter Squadron.
“I served as the quality assurance (QA) chief and trip leader, where I led the QA division that ensured that HMX-1 executive flight detachment assets for presidential/chief executive and White House transport were properly inspected and maintained for maximum safety and on-call availability with a 100% mission success rate,” he said.
Jeff’s time with the squadron helped prepare him for his work at Y-12 as an engineering advisor.
“The high level of responsibility I was accustomed to for ensuring the safety and mission success of presidential support missions made transitioning into a nuclear environment much easier,” he said.
Linda F.
Linda began her career in the White House when she was 19 as a member of the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. After 3 years, she moved to the Office of Administration and served as the administrative assistant to the deputy director of administration in the West Wing, along with President Ronald Reagan’s senior staff.
Linda said her time at the White House “was an exciting job” and instilled a very strong work ethic in her at a young age, which she’s still grateful for. “Every day brought new challenges and new solutions,” she said. “Anyone working there tried to do their very best every single day.”
She still uses the same work ethic she developed from her time at the White House as she faces new challenges every day in helping to maintain all the equipment and facilities at Y-12.
Brenda G.
Brenda also worked for WHTV. She flew on Air Force One (AF-1) during President Obama’s tenure and was tasked with recording any briefings the president might give.
“WHCA prepared me for this role [at Y-12] by perfecting my attention to detail and organization skills. There were zero errors allowed at WHCA. The world has to see and hear the president without incident. I had to ensure the right people got to the right place at the right time in order for this to happen,” she said. “At CNS, it’s the same principles and work ethic: doing the task the right way, the right time, every time.”
Joe H.
There are not many CNS employees who can say they ate chocolate chip cookies baked by Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan. However, Joe can make that claim, as it is one of his fondest memories working with the Reagan/George H. W. Bush administration during his time with the WHCA from 1984 to 1988.
“It was a special duty to get assigned to WHCA,” Joe said. ““I was in my early 20s, so all of this was really cool to me. I got to travel the world and work at the White House — way cool!”
Joe noted that President Reagan was just like “one of us.” There was no Wi-Fi or internet connection during this time, so Reagan enjoyed simple pleasures like walking or riding horseback on his ranch and trimming trees.
“Whether you’re military, a federal employee, or a contractor, we are all serving a greater mission,” Joe said. Pantex and Y-12 call upon employees who are dedicated to the values of supporting our nation in order to meet our nuclear deterrent mission. To Joe, that is precisely the similarity between working with a president/at the White House and for CNS — the sense of duty to support a higher calling.
Greg K.
Greg worked with the Trump and Biden administrations as part of the Presidential Support Squadron, Air Force Security Forces.
“My role was to provide direction and guidance to the Security Forces personnel and ensure the safety and security of Air Force One and its support complex,” he said.
Greg came to Pantex through the DOD SkillBridge Program.
“My previous role prepared me to work at Pantex by allowing me to understand the importance of national security, from the lowest to highest level, and has allowed me to understand Pantex’s role in ensuring the safety of the nation,” he said.
Matt P.
Matt worked at the White House during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He was on the travel advance team, setting up and running events globally.
“I would travel anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks in advance of the president to coordinate and set up event sites, including sound amplification, media displays, staging, lighting, national television and radio press feeds, the president’s podium and presidential seal,” he said.
Matt also came to Y-12 through the DOD SkillBridge Program.
“The tenets of ‘A Learning Organization’ are just as applicable. ‘Set High Standards’ is one that sticks out to me,” he said. “We had a standard at the White House called ‘Presidential Quality.’ It is the best of everything, and it was the lowest standard everyone had to meet. Anything less was a failure.”
Michael V.
Michael worked as a uniformed officer with the U.S. Secret Service, where he controlled and maintained access and security for the White House, the Treasury Department, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the New Executive Office Building during President Trump’s administration.
He said, “The Secret Service prepared me for Y-12 by training me to control access and maintain security. I think Y-12 and the White House are pretty comparable as far as the job goes that I perform.”
Take 5 minutes to learn about Christian G., of Production Integration. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Christian G. came to Tennessee in 2023 with his family and little more than “hopes and dreams.”
That’s how he describes his family’s decision to travel halfway around the world for his internship at Y‑12.
While finishing a tour in Japan in 2023, Christian and his wife decided it was time to separate from military life and start the next phase of their lives. That began by connecting to the U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge Program, which provides internships for transitioning military personnel.
When he received approval to start reaching out to companies, he knew what he wanted to do. “I wanted to remain in, or adjacent to, the nuclear power industry,” he said.
A native of Florida, Christian joined the Navy out of high school as a machinist mate in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. “Thanks for the fuel, Y‑12,” he said, chuckling. Y‑12 provides feedstock for the Nuclear Navy’s reactors.
Now at the other end of his Navy career, his knowledge of nuclear energy caught the attention of Steve P., Y‑12 Quality Modernization Program manager. At the time, the Analytical Chemistry Organization (ACO) was in the midst of a modernization. Steve wanted Christian to help with that transition.
It turned out to be a great decision.
“Christian’s dedication and results‑oriented actions, have been impressive,” said Steve.
Others noticed his skills and professionalism.
“Keep in mind, this was a new program being stood up at a time when ACO was having difficulty keeping the facility up to support mission,” said Hollie L., director of the Depleted Uranium, Manufacturing, and Quality Modernization Program. “It was a chaotic time, but Christian walked right into the fire, drinking from a fire hose, and was an immense help to Steve,” she said.
Amy W., senior director of Analytical Chemistry, added, “His Navy background certainly gives him a perspective on the high‑level mission of Y‑12; he is already leading discussions on mission needs for ACO. His most‑often used words, no matter who he is talking to, are ‘What can I do?’, ‘How can I help?’, ‘Would you like me to handle that?’”
Christian’s SkillBridge internship ended in August 2023. The following month, he left the Navy and accepted a job in Production Integration at Y‑12. “It’s been an extremely enriching opportunity as I’ve transitioned from military life into the civilian sector,” he said. “It’s also exciting to be able to continue serving my country through a new arm of our nation’s defense.”
Why are you mission success?
I have a results‑oriented mind‑set of get the job done right. This is in part from my upbringing and also my time in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. I immerse myself in the mission of my group and look for ways to make it better, faster, and more effective.
What is the greatest strength you bring to your organization?
I ask why we do things the way we do and where can we improve. What will make my organization’s mission easier to accomplish? With that questioning attitude, I push to overcome the inevitable unfavorable answers. I encourage those around me to continue moving through the challenges we face.
As an employee, how do you want to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as someone who helped Y‑12 transition into the next phase of production capabilities.
Why is teamwork an important aspect when working at Y‑12?
The combined efforts of all groups within Y‑12 propel us to mission success. Combining the ingenuity and passion from each individual ensures every activity is executed to the highest level of quality.
Take 5 minutes to learn about Brandi Reagan, recruiter for Mission Engineering. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Brandi Reagan has an eye for future talent. As a recruiter for CNS Mission Engineering, Reagan is responsible for the recruitment and placement of top engineering talent — which she does through developing recruitment strategies based on programs’ needs. She also works with program leaders to forecast and plan for the engineering pipeline.
Recruiting in the engineering field is highly competitive, and open positions often require unique skills and experience, often making finding the right recruit challenging. Reagan attributes her success in fueling the engineering pipeline with top talent to the overall team mentality in the Mission Engineering organization. She explained that managers in Mission Engineering often look out for each other, and if one hiring manager sees a top candidate that isn’t a fit for their open role, they proactively alert other hiring managers of the candidate’s availability. Ultimately, Recruiting and Mission Engineering work together to ensure CNS will not fail in delivering the mission, and mission success begins with finding and hiring the best people.
Due to her continued success, Reagan was recently awarded the title “Recruiter of the Year” by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration. Nominated by the University of Tennessee, Regan worked closely with UT’s Employer Advisory Board and continues to advocate for CNS as an employer of choice as well as engage with future talent to enable pipeline development.
Reagan links her success in recruitment to her previous sales leadership experience and sales knowledge. “Recruiting is sales, full stop,” she explained. “Knowing where to find candidates, introducing them to an opportunity, and then sharing my excitement about the company and overcoming any initial concerns, that is where I thrive.”
Why are you mission success?
I feel this mission in my bones. I want to find the best and help them understand why CNS is the place to be to make a difference. I think I can speak for all Pantex and Y‑12 recruiters when I say we appreciate our role in the mission. We understand that our hiring managers’ time is valuable, so anything we can do to decrease our time to hire, find the right talent, and support the organization, we will do it.
What has surprised you the most since joining CNS?
The comradery from everyone in various departments at all levels. Everyone I’ve encountered is always willing to jump in and help. There’s definitely a “Goonies never say die” attitude, and we pull together to make things happen. The appreciation I’m shown for what I consider is just doing my job still takes me by surprise.
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?
The people I get to work with in both HR and Mission Engineering are why I wake up excited to go to work. We help each other, show grace when needed, and pitch in to ensure we do not fail. We meet the mission because there are no other options.
How have your problem‑solving skills grown as you’ve developed as an employee?
Staying creative and using critical thinking skills to see the problem as a whole and not just the portion I’m addressing, that has definitely sharpened while I’ve been here. Also, I think having a questioning attitude helps.
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
That has to be my nannie, aka grandmother. She was a homemaker, but she still kept herself educated with politics, sports, the economy. She didn’t let her circumstances limit her to what she wanted to learn. She was a strong Appalachian woman, and no one was going to tell her how to think.