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Meg’s Power Principle

My power principle is “Life is short. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.” The life we live is very short and uncertain, so we should make each day the best that it can be. Work hard, do the best you can with everything you do, cherish your friends and loved ones, and make a difference in the lives of others.

The best work-related advice she’s received

The best work-related advice that I have received came recently from my supervisor when discussing my future work aspirations. He simply said, “Do whatever gets you out of bed in the morning. Do something you enjoy.” I really took this advice to heart and am looking forward to a long, rewarding career with Entergy.

Her favorite work project

I am still fairly new to Grand Gulf but, in the short time that I have been here, I’ve had the great opportunity of working with several different projects such as Behavior-Based Safety tracking, management observations tracking and the new Good Catch/Close Call safety program entries. The project I have found the most interesting was learning how to process a condition review group package through the use of the condition review group utility and paperless condition reporting system programs. I have learned so many new skills and have a deeper understanding about how the plant runs through reading condition reports and learning about classifications of different issues. I am now being reassigned to help finance keep the asset management plan up to date, which I am truly looking forward to.

Growing up In Iowa

I was born and raised in Wilton, Iowa and lived there until I moved to Mississippi. Wilton was a very quiet, calm, small, country town where everyone knew everyone, and you never had to lock your door. There is very little to do in Wilton, with a population of roughly 2800 people, so I kept busy through work, swimming, family and friends. I grew up working for a personal construction company with my dad and brother, taking cooking lessons from my mother and grandmother, learning the finer techniques of woodworking from my grandfather and spending the rest of my time swimming competitively or doing schoolwork. Through my upbringing, I learned what really matters in life and that you can do anything you want as long as you’re willing to put in the effort to get there.

Her grandparents are her heroes

My grandparents are the most amazing people I have ever known. They grew up in the Great Depression, have been married for almost 70 years, struggled – and continue to struggle with the loss of a 12-year-old child – raised five other children, and, to this day, continue to instill love and their faith into each one of their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and each other. At 90-years-old, they are still living 90 percent on their own, in their own home, with only a small amount of assistance from my parents. They are the most kind-hearted, hardworking people one could ever meet and are still crazy in love with each other. I continually aspire to be as kind, loving, hardworking and tough as they’ve taught all of us to be.

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As low as reasonably achievable
All U.S. nuclear power facilities carefully monitor radiation all day, every day. Each facility has a radiation protection program that is responsible for not only protecting the health and safety of the public, but for minimizing employees’ exposure when working in radiological controlled areas. This is called ALARA – it means as low as reasonably achievable exposure to radiation. Our focus is to constantly find better and safer ways to operate and maintain the plant.��

His proudest moment at Entergy
I am most proud of having been given the entrustment to aid in the planning of three Grand Gulf Nuclear Station refueling outages. At the time, I was an ALARA technician. I worked with the outage team to choreograph work activities in radiological controlled areas to ensure workers received as low dose as possible. ��

How he balances work and family��
I always try to be available for my family because they deserve all I can give them, but I struggled with this at times because I am a perfectionist. My faith helped me realize my journey for perfection was not attainable and my family deserves more of my time.��

The best work-related advice he received
“Give them what they want before they ask.”

I’ve used this advice for decades, even when I was a dishwasher and cook. I constantly anticipate what my leaders want and need, and then complete the task before they have a chance to ask.��

His mother, his hero
My mother is my hero because she raised three boys and a girl as a single parent for most of the time. She took her responsibility seriously, and it made me who I am today.

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She had a military upbringing
I grew up as a Navy brat, so we moved a few times throughout my childhood. We lived in San Diego, California until I was 12, and then moved to upstate New York. I feel that my upbringing gave me the best of both worlds; I was exposed to cultural diversity by growing up in a melting pot of people from all backgrounds and learned how to adapt well to different situations.

Her proudest moment
My proudest moment on a professional level was completing my military service. I was excited to begin my life after the military and very proud of the fact that I had served my country honorably. If I had to go back and do it all over again, even knowing how hard it was at times, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Personally, my proudest moment was when I rescued my dog, Simba. She needed a home, and I had one. It was a bumpy transition for both of us but she has taught me patience, acceptance and understanding. In the beginning, I expected her to behave like my other dog, Gracie. She is definitely NOT Gracie! After some obedience training (more for me than for her), we have come to understand each other better and our expectations of each other are much clearer.

The best work advice she’s received
The only way to ensure you don’t make a mistake is to not do anything. And doing nothing isn’t an option if you want to be successful.

You have to understand that we all make mistakes; we’re imperfect by design. But don’t let it get you down. Instead, own up to the mistake, figure out how it occurred and ensure it won’t happen again.

Her Father, her hero
My father is my hero. He raised me by himself and taught me to do a good job, put forth my best effort, and that if I fall, I should get back up and try again. He instilled in me a wonderful work ethic, while also helping me learn not to take myself too seriously.

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Being a positive person is powerful
I believe that some people do not realize the power and impact their attitude and expressions can have on the people around them. I choose to greet the people I see daily with a smile and lively hello. This seemingly small gesture is something that I hope has a positive impact on the people around me.

Her favorite project at Palisades
I really enjoyed owning the flow accelerated program. The program requires you to use a mix of project management and technical skills and, as an added bonus, I was given the opportunity to see what the inside of our turbine exhaust piping looks like.

Sarah loves being a mother
My proudest moment is the birth of my daughter. She’s a 19-month-old spunky little girl who pushes the boundaries. I love watching her learn, explore and discover new things. Although it’s challenging now to deal with a headstrong almost two-year-old, I look forward to seeing the young lady she will become. She could be an engineer like her father and me, or an art major. I just hope she stays true to herself and grows up to be a good and honest person.

Sarah is an active member of the community
I volunteer through Women in Nuclear and North American Young Generation in Nuclear. Most recently, I volunteered for Girls on the Run of Berrien County. Girls on the Run is a nonprofit program that inspires young girls to be confident while creatively integrating running. I have also helped pack backpacks with school supplies to give to children within our local community.

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She was born and raised in Mississippi
I was born and mostly raised in Sumrall – a relatively small city just northwest of Hattiesburg. It’s the type of community where your neighbors are friends and/or family. I have a pretty large immediate and extended family, and our home seemed to always be filled with family and friends. Growing up was quite an exciting adventure, and there was something interesting going on all of the time. I still visit often because my mother still lives in the home we lived in from the time I was a teenager.��

The best work related advice she’s received
Every day, I live by three professional rules I was taught over the years:

1. Take your time to do it right the first time.
2. Never submit work that you are not satisfied with and proud to call your own.
3. Change is inevitable, so continue to grow personally, educationally and professionally.

Her proudest moment
There are two things in my life that make me the proudest:��

1. Hearing my parents brag about me; it shows me that I have made them proud.
2. When my daughter tells me she loves me and that I’ve helped her shape what she wants to accomplish in life.��

They make me feel bigger than life sometimes, yet ground me at the same time.��

Counting her blessings has changed her life��
When I began counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. When I look back over my live, I don’t want to say, “I could have, should have, would have.” I want to say, “I did!”

Her parents are her heroes
My parents are my heroes because they, through the commitment to each other and their children, planted the idea of “possibility” in each of us.��

My mom and dad raised eight children to be intelligent, hard-working individuals. They laid foundations for each of us to find our own individual paths in life and to be the best of ourselves; not to compare ourselves to the next person, but to compare ourselves to whom we were yesterday and strive each hour, each day to be better. These are the ideals that I continue to carry with me today and have instilled in my daughter.

Pictured: Gwendolynn Harris-Cocroft (sister), Vicki Harris, Gloria Garner (sister), Julius Harris (brother), mother Erma and Beverly Harris-Edmon (sister).��

He resides in Plymouth, Massachusetts with his wife Denise. He has four daughters – Emily (27), Katherine (24), Christina (22) and Abigail (17).

Volunteering is important to me because I believe it is vital to help meet the ever-changing needs of our communities. Serving also helps me appreciate all that I have and keeps me balanced – it reminds me that something I may consider a significant issue affecting my life is oftentimes inconsequential.��

The best thing about my family’s volunteer efforts is seeing each of my four daughters learn that we are all just people who need help in different ways.��

I volunteer at my church’s (St. Peter Parish) soup kitchen with my daughter Abigail. Our ministry serves a free hot meal every Sunday afternoon to anyone who needs it – we typically have 25 to 40 diners each week. My time��spent preparing and serving meals is frequently the most rewarding experience of my week because I know that we providing nourishment and the opportunity for fellowship.��

My family also supports a holiday giving tree program every Christmas that��coordinates toy and clothes donations for distribution through the St. Vincent DePaul Society.

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To make the biggest impact, I’ve focused my attention on organizations that truly benefit from my skill set.��The two organizations I’m very involved in at the moment allow me to make a significant impact locally and a nationally.

I am a founding member and first chair of the Capital Area United Way Emerging Leaders.��Volunteering as a member of the Emerging Leaders group provides the opportunity to not only serve, but also connect with other young professionals who are passionate about improving our community.��

Our group focuses on improving childhood literacy to positively impact several big issues like high school dropout rates and incarceration rates.��These seem like impossible problems to tackle and yet studies have shown that children who are ready for kindergarten and are reading on level by third grade are less likely to drop out of school or to end up in prison.��We started our efforts by adopting a preschool class at DuFroq Elementary. We have also installed our first Little Free Library in the Baton Rouge City Park to help place books in children’s hands by increasing accessibility.��

On April 15, we, along with help from Entergy River Bend Station employees, installed a Born Learning Trail at the West Feliciana Parish Library. The concept behind the trail is to provide tips and tools to help parents and caregivers play an active role in preparing their children for kindergarten.��

Another volunteer effort I am involved in and very passionate about is actually tied to my career in nuclear power.��The country’s energy future is a major problem that needs a viable solution, and nuclear power is definitely a part of it. In 2008, I helped start the North American Young Generation in Nuclear chapter at River Bend to help develop the next generation of leaders in nuclear and advocates for nuclear power.��Since 2008, our chapter has won Best Chapter in the Southeast, Best Chapter in North America and has logged more than 9,000 hours of professional development, public outreach and community service.��Our chapter has created and implemented some truly inventive and amazing activities and I am very proud to be a part of this amazing group.��

A few of these innovative activities include a recycled fashion show for local elementary through high school students.��The show is in its fourth year and acts as a catalyst to inspire others to preserve and protect the environment by rethinking recycling.

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The chapter also renovated and reopened the River Bend ���ϳԹ��� Center, which has been closed to the public for over a decade.��The ���ϳԹ��� Center educates the community on how power is produced using different forms of energy and also provides an in-depth look at nuclear power.��

With such an amazing experience with NAYGN on a local level, I saw an opportunity to evolve my role. Last year, I became the organization’s vice president on a national level, serving more than 100 chapters across the U.S. NAYGN has become a strong voice for young professionals in the nuclear industry since its inception in 1999 and has grown to over 10,000 members. The nuclear industry faces regulatory, economic and knowledge retention challenges and I believe NAYGN can contribute sound solutions. As vice president, my goal is to position NAYGN as part of the solution.��One specific project we’ve implemented is The Hub –�� an industry-wide knowledge transfer platform that provides video tutorials, message forums, interactive operating experience and image galleries to help fill the knowledge, skill and experience gap of new nuclear industry employees.��This initiative was the 2014 NAYGN Innovation Competition winner and an idea generated by the River Bend chapter.��

Since volunteering is an integral part of my life, it probably isn’t a surprise that my children have participated every step of the way. They have taken part in the recycled fashion shows, played with the ���ϳԹ��� Center new exhibits and helped me select books to read to children.��I feel confident that the legacy I leave for my children is that everyone can make a difference and it’s easy to make volunteering an everyday part of life.

I believe that volunteering is the ultimate expression of the goodness in human relationships. As a volunteer, I am filled with a sense of joy and happiness��to see my community grow around me. I know that, ultimately, my time and efforts allow others to foster empathy and philanthropy, passing on their desire to contribute and help.

And now I stand on the shoulders of giants, with the means and resources to help those as I have been helped. I do this through organizations that offer aid to communities including Entergy, STEM NOLA, Habitat For Humanity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Greater Philadelphia Baptist Church Food Bank, Rotary Club Intl. and Boys & Girls Club of America.

All of the organizations I have joined and work through offer great opportunities for growth and change, and I’m proud to be a part of each and every one. But I have to say that the one volunteer effort that affected me the most was while volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club of America.

The children who attend the organization’s programs, along with their parents, asked me to help them form a tee-ball team. I spent time writing letters, petitioning and making calls to not only form a team but to secure sponsorship for the team. Our efforts paid off and the team was formed – but we were missing one thing – a coach. I did the only thing I could do. I filled the position.

I’m proud to say that after a lot of hard work and effort, we were rewarded by taking home first place in our division. You can’t take that moment away from my team or me. I will never forget the impact it had on me, and neither will they.

He resides in Vicksburg, Mississippi with his wife, Luanne, who is active in local quilting guilds and a winner of quilting awards at the state level. When he isn’t working, you can find Salgado either hosting or participating in karaoke events around town.

The first time he learned about nuclear power…
I wasn’t familiar with nuclear power until I joined the U.S. Navy 1981. In the eight and half years I served in the nuclear program, my respect for the technology grew. It also prepared and afforded me the opportunity to work in a unique and rewarding industry. I’m proud to be a nuclear professional who helps produce safe, secure, reliable and affordable clean air energy for almost 20 percent of the nation.

Being a nuclear professional runs in the family…
My son is a non-licensed nuclear operator and his wife is the daughter of a nuclear operator, so our family understands what it means to work in the industry. My wife spent many hours keeping dinner warm or celebrating holidays on alternate days because I was on shift. Our families support and lift us up even during long hours away from home.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I start work around 6:30 a.m. every morning to review any plant changes that have occurred over the last 24 hours. I then work with our plant management team to screen issues and validate all issues are understood and addressed appropriately. I reserve my afternoons for helping and coaching peers and other employees on performance improvement matters. My day typically ends around 5:30 p.m.

What has been your favorite project at work?
The Grand Gulf extended power uprate was by far the most interesting and rewarding project I’ve worked on to date. We were the first plant in the industry to complete such a large power increase – 200 MWe – in just one outage. Thousands of nuclear professionals worked towards a common goal, using problem solving and innovative thinking to accomplish this effort. It was awesome to be a part of history.

What he wants others to know about Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station…
Grand Gulf employees are some of the best people you will ever meet. Our employees work hard every day to ensure the health and safety of the public and each other is always at the forefront of our minds.

She’s a problem solver
I became an engineer because I enjoy problem solving.��Being a member of a team that effectively works together to troubleshoot and resolve a problem is very rewarding to me, and whether you are an industry expert or an engineer fresh out of college, your ideas and perspective are valuable.

She began her engineering career as an environmental engineer
As an environmental engineer, I was responsible for remediating sites that were contaminated by gasoline from leaking underground storage tanks. It was a very rewarding position because I truly felt like I was making a positive impact for the environment.

Being a nuke runs in the family
Both Williams and her husband work in nuclear power – he’s actually the reason why she became interested in the industry. He works in the safety analysis group at Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, about 40 miles south of Palisades.

Engineers are vital to the nuclear industry
Engineers play a vital role to the safe, secure and efficient operation of a nuclear power plant. We wear many different hats and have numerous responsibilities that include plant design, procurement, nuclear oversight, system monitoring and trending. We also provide technical expertise to resolve plant issues.��