Career

Well, my career is incredibly long with a just under two years spent working full time as a nuclear engineer following college. (This is sarcasm for those of you that take things literally)

Currently, I work as a Nuclear Fuels Engineer & Clean Energy Advocate with Constellation. You may think to yourself, that’s a mighty long job title. And you’re right - it is long, and I am actively seeking ideas for a shorter one.

For the engineering portion of my role, I work within the Pressurized Water Reactor Core Design group in Nuclear Fuels. I currently work on cycle management for Braidwood Unit 2 near Joliet, IL, and on the Crane Restart in Harrisburg, PA. I help prepare reload products, hold reload meetings, and overall help make sure the site has everything they need relating to the nuclear fuel when it comes time to reload.

On the advocacy side of my role, I help lead the company’s advocacy initiative, Constellation Nation, in conjunction with my colleagues. I collaborate with advocacy, federal government affairs, state government affairs, marketing, and pretty much any other company department that does anything even remotely external facing.

Throughout college, I did have a few unique opportunities that I’m thankful for. Here’s the bullet point analysis:

• Undergraduate Research Assistant - Helically Symmetric Experiment (HSX) Stellarator

• Nuclear Fuels Co-op - Constellation, Nuclear Fuels

• Undergraduate Research Assistant - Reactor Technology and Integration (ReTI) Lab

• Miss Wisconsin 2022

• Miss America 2023

I never thought the my first jobs as a waitress at IHOP and as a dockhand at a boat rental place would lead me to my first college job working at a nuclear fusion lab - but it only went up from there. Every job I had taught me some pretty awesome lessons and helped me find my passion. I’m looking forward to continuing working full time and to never stop learning.