With such broad participation, the $6,190 total of all goods and money collected exceeded the campaign goal of $5,000.

The drive, sponsored by Entergy’s Veterans Employee Resource Group and the company’s North American Young Generation in Nuclear and Women in Nuclear chapters, will benefit the U.S. Army 10th Combat Aviation Brigade and other selected units deployed overseas, as well as veterans in the Baton Rouge area.

“We had a great turnout, lots of donations that came from employees in all four states,” said Ashleigh Lyons, nuclear headquarters chairperson for the VERG. “I’m especially grateful for our groups in Entergy Texas, considering it was the first year they participated.”

Between June 10-28, Entergy employees brought their donations to their work locations, and on Oct. 4, Lyons delivered the collection to the Blue Star Mothers of America, Louisiana chapter 1, based in Baton Rouge. The organization packed some of the donations—including 200 handmade goodie bags from the Texas VERG chapter—into drawstring backpacks donated by the nuclear headquarters chapter. BSMA will distribute the backpacks via their homeless backpack program based in Baton Rouge.

The organization will send the remaining supplies to programs that support deployed soldiers, homeless veterans and military families staying in Fisher House while loved ones are treated at the Baton Rouge Veterans Affairs hospital.

Monetary donations will pay for shipping costs for the overseas care packages and to purchase more items that are still needed.

In expressing gratitude on behalf of the BSMA, Chapter President Denise Whitehead said, “We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the employees of Entergy. Your Christmas in July campaign was a huge success. The donations will fill many care packages for our deployed military.”

“We also want you to know that your donations extended beyond care packages,” she continued. “They helped to fill the 60 backpacks that Entergy provided for our campaign to minister to homeless veterans. We were able to include items in an additional 50 backpacks for the Veterans Affairs hospital and Fisher House. You have helped to embrace both active-duty military and veterans, one heart at a time.”

Total Entergy donations are as follows:

• Monetary donations: $3,495.00 
• Amazon gift card total: $625.00 
• Goods: $2,069.68 

“I am beyond words on how thankful I am for all the donations made to this year’s campaign,” said Lyons. “It allowed the Veterans ERG to exceed the $5,000 goal set this year, given we opened it up to the entire company. I look forward to continuing this tradition here at Entergy in the upcoming years to continue to show our active duty and veteran community that we, Entergy, care about them.”

Lyons and her team monitor fleet spending and analyze financial forecasts to ensure they are correctly projected, saving our customers’ dollars.

Lyons began working at nuclear headquarters in January 2023. In��2018, she started a position at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. She began her career in nuclear in 2014 working with Duke ���ϳԹ��� and earned her bio-textile engineering degree at North Carolina State University.

Lyons was born in Melbourne, Florida, where her father was based in the U.S. Air Force. When he retired from the military, she moved to the coast of North Carolina at age four. Lyons has always had strong ties to the military due to her close connections with family and friends who are members or Veterans. She says being the chair for the Echelon VERG comes naturally to her.

“My work ethic is from my father and my grandfather’s military backgrounds,” said Lyons. “My first job was selling tickets for people to tour a battleship. I learned to earn my worth, be honest and work hard through my military connections.”

Recently, Lyons attended and helped plan a flag ceremony in New Orleans before a Saints game for Entergy Veterans.

“I want Veterans to know they’re recognized and appreciated, whether it’s through a lapel pin at Echelon or a flag ceremony at the Superdome,” she said. “When we walked from the tunnel onto the field for the flag ceremony, the looks on their faces were priceless. It’s so important to support and appreciate our military members not only overseas, but also when they come back home.”

For Lyons, the appreciation and gratefulness of active members and Veterans of the military makes her volunteerism worth the hard work.

“We take what we have for granted so easily,” she said. “I received a handwritten thank you letter from one of the soldiers we sent care packages to with board games. She said she could play the games with her family on FaceTime. It meant so much to me.”

Lyons attended the National American Young Generation in Nuclear conference this year, where she represented the fleet for the Best Chapter in Professional Development Award and was also awarded one of the yearly excellence awards. Shortly after the conference, Lyons was elected as the professional development chair of the Echelon chapter and is being nominated again for awards for work done in 2023.

“It was such an eye-opening experience to be recognized for volunteering that I would do whether I was recognized or not,” she said. “Giving back to my community is so important to me, whether it is for children or Veterans or the whole community. At the end of the day, it’s about who you impact that matters the most.”

Outside of work, she enjoys fishing. Saltwater fishing in south Louisiana is her favorite, and she has made some very impressive catches, such as a redfish that was 44 inches long and a snook that was 43 inches long and an impressive 45 pounds that was caught in Stuart, Florida.

Learn more about Entergy Nuclear by visiting����and follow on X/Twitter.

As a senior project manager in the projects department, Morton oversees station projects such as license renewals and machinery and equipment upgrades. She also serves as the chair of Entergy’s Veterans Employee Resource Group.

During her time in the Navy, she became the first woman to earn the title of a SeaBee Combat Warfare Specialist, a title awarded to members after demonstrating, “superior proficiency in naval heritage and doctrine, command and control, hazardous material/hazardous waste, environmental safety, supply & logistics, communications and communications security, weapons, general military tactics, safety, basic first aid, civil engineer support equipment and chemical, biological and radiological warfare,” as stated by the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum’s website. Their motto is a Latin phrase that translates to “Seabees can do—we build, we fight.”

Morton joined the military in 1982 and retired in 2008 with the rate as a Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist Engineering Aide.

“I joined the military to serve my country and do my part,” said Morton. “Being from a small town, I also knew I would be able to expand my travel opportunities and be assisted in my goal of a college degree.”

Since she wanted to become an architect, she chose her branch of service because they had draftsman and civil construction opportunities.

“The phrase ‘can do’ means having resilience, focus and drive while being tough and resourceful,” she said. “Seabees are well known for being resourceful and tenacious. If you want something accomplished, assign a Seabee.”

Morton explained her commitment to supporting Entergy’s Veterans Employee Resource Group as well as her local Veterans.

“I have been serving as my local American Legion Post Commander for three years,” she said. “I am inspired by my local community and Veterans.”

Morton, being a disabled Veteran herself, also advocates for disabled Veterans and has a message she wants to share.

“I work to educate others that not all medical conditions or disabilities can be seen,” she said. “Everyone has their challenges in life.”

Entergy thanks all our Veterans for their service.

Learn more about Entergy Nuclear by visiting����and follow on X/Twitter.

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#MeetThePros

The award, which celebrates organizations that champion diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace, affirms the exceptional work Entergy’s ERGs have been doing and the pivotal role they play in fostering a more inclusive workplace.

This marks the second year in a row that our ERGs achieved this honor and, notably, Entergy is the only utility company in this category. In addition, Entergy’s Leadership ERG was also awarded second place in the Top 25 ERGs, making it the first time an individual Entergy ERG has achieved such recognition.

“We are incredibly proud to be recognized as one of the top ten companies at the Diversity Impact Awards,” said Taiwan Brown, Entergy’s vice president of diversity and workforce strategies. “This award is a testament to our ongoing commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.”

The Diversity Impact Awards are the premier annual awards to recognize, honor and celebrate the outstanding contributions of ERGs, business resource groups, or BRGs, and diversity councils. The Diversity Impact Awards were launched in 2020 – making them the first and longest-running and nationally recognized awards to honor the contributions and achievements of ERGs, BRGs and diversity councils.

Learn more about our journey to embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging here.

JACKSON, Miss. – Entergy’s Women in Nuclear chapter has been recognized by the U.S. WIN organization as the “most reactive” chapter for their educational outreach efforts during 2022’s National Nuclear Science Week.

The annual award recognizes significant achievements in promoting nuclear science in the community. Chapters are judged on the number of activities held during NSW, the number of participating U.S. WIN members, the number of individuals and public sectors reached and the variety of topics covered.

“Earning this recognition took a team effort, everyone pulling in the same direction towards excellence,” said Tamara May, Entergy Nuclear senior project control specialist and fleet president of Entergy’s U.S. WIN chapter. “I am proud of every member of WIN for their engagement and contributions. We have high goals for the future and I’m confident we’ll achieve those working together.”

Entergy has a WIN chapter at each of its four nuclear power plants in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as at its headquarters in Jackson. Chapters from all five sites participated, with some putting on multiple events. Among the outreach efforts were:

• Nuclear and STEM-related activities and giveaways for visitors at the Mississippi Children’s Museum hosted by WIN volunteers from Entergy Nuclear’s Echelon headquarters
• STEM Day and National Science Day events at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss. for girl scouts, gifted students and students ranging from junior high through early college
• A STEM Fair hosted by River Bend Station in St. Francisville, La. in conjunction with the local library and students at West Feliciana High School for students at Bains Lower Elementary
• Nuclear Science Days at Russellville Middle School held by Arkansas Nuclear One power plant WIN members in Russellville, Ark. for hundreds of sixth- and seventh-grade students.
• A STEM Fair hosted by Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La. for K-12 students.
• Nuclear advocacy letters to Mississippi legislators from Entergy Nuclear headquarter employees

In all, their efforts reached nearly 2,000 school children, teachers, parents, legislators and other community members.

“We’re thankful for all of our chapters’ hard work and amazing outreach during the 2022 National Nuclear Science Week,” said Jennifer Watkins, Nuclear Science Week lead for the U.S. WIN communications committee. “Through their efforts, thousands of people experienced various nuclear science topics via discussions, presentations, virtual platforms and on-campus outreach booths.”

U.S. Women in Nuclear (U.S. WIN) is an organization of individuals who work in nuclear energy and technology fields around the United States. Their vision is aimed at positioning the United States for the future of nuclear energy and technology through the advancement of women.

Nuclear Science Week, held the third week in October, is an international, broadly observed, week-long celebration to focus local, regional, national and international attention on all aspects of nuclear science.

About Entergy

Entergy, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, powers life for 3 million customers through its operating companies across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy is creating a cleaner, more resilient energy future for everyone with our diverse power generation portfolio, including increasingly carbon-free energy sources. With roots in the Gulf South region for more than a century, Entergy is a recognized leader in corporate citizenship, delivering more than $100 million in economic benefits to local communities through philanthropy and advocacy efforts annually over the last several years. Our approximately 12,000 employees are dedicated to powering life today and for future generations. Learn more at  and follow  on Twitter. #WePowerLife

JACKSON, Miss. – Entergy Nuclear’s chapter of U.S. Women in Nuclear recently donated more than 500 books to the company’s adopted school, North Jackson Elementary School, for National Read Across America Day, observed March 2.

North Jackson Elementary School was recommended as a partner due to its needs, the potential impact Entergy Nuclear can have on the school and its proximity to company headquarters.

“I’ve seen so many smiles today from our students knowing that we have more than 40 people in this building who took time out of their day to show love to them,” said Jocelyn Smith, school principal. “Letting the students choose their very own book to take home for Read Across America Day is phenomenal.”

Entergy team members set up a table filled with books by grade levels for children to pick their favorite. Meanwhile, other nuclear employees participated in enrichment activities with the students and helped clean and decorate the walls and bulletin boards.

The book drive was held as a competition between each floor of employees at Entergy Nuclear’s headquarters. The drive far exceeded its goal of 382 books—one for each student. The extra 135 books were donated to classrooms and the library.

“We were able to make a big impact at the school by handing out books, refreshing bulletin boards and supporting teachers with reading and educational games, as well as some cleaning,” said Tamara May, Entergy Nuclear U.S. Women in Nuclear president and a project specialist for the fleet. “We look forward to continuing our outreach at the school. I’m proud of my Entergy co-workers and U.S. WIN chapter for supporting this event.¬†We made a difference.”

U.S. Women in Nuclear is a global initiative founded in 1993 to support and encourage women working in nuclear industries. The book drive and volunteering were a part of the Entergy Nuclear chapter’s annual summit held in Jackson this week.

For more than 30 years, Entergy Nuclear headquarters has supported Jackson Public Schools’ Partners in Education Program.

“Partners in Education is grateful to Entergy for their generous support of time and resources to North Jackson Elementary School,” said Thea Faulkner, director of Partners in Education for Jackson Public schools. “Our scholars and team members are encouraged by the consistent engagement of the volunteers who visit the school on a regular basis. It’s also a great example to our young children on the value of community.”

Entergy Nuclear, which owns and operates nuclear plants in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi is headquartered in Jackson.

About Entergy

Entergy, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, powers life for 3 million customers through its operating companies across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy is creating a cleaner, more resilient energy future for everyone with our diverse power generation portfolio, including increasingly carbon-free energy sources. With roots in the Gulf South region for more than a century, Entergy is a recognized leader in corporate citizenship, delivering more than $100 million in economic benefits to local communities through philanthropy and advocacy efforts annually over the last several years. Our approximately 12,000 employees are dedicated to powering life today and for future generations. Learn more at  and follow  on Twitter. #WePowerLife

Tim has an interesting 24-year journey at Entergy. He began by working at Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, Louisiana, where he earned his senior reactor operator license. After 19 years at Waterford 3, he transferred to nuclear headquarters in 2017. There, Tim found a passion for supporting the nuclear fleet. Before working for Entergy, he was in the nuclear Navy for nine years.

“That’s how a nuclear operator became an HR professional. It’s been a unique path to get here,” said Caruthers.

Tim takes great pride in leading his highly talented team in key areas such as the development and management of our nuclear high-potential leadership development programs. The first one created was the VOLT program, which stands for vision, ownership, leadership and transformation. VOLT is now on its fourth cohort, but the first one established the Leadership Employee Resource Group, which is open to all employees.

“Slightly more than 50 percent of those who joined the VOLT program moved into positions of higher responsibility, but it’s certainly not all because of the program,” Caruthers said. “It’s a reflection of our strong nuclear succession planning process and execution. To be a part of a project that’s bigger than myself and to be able to help others while demonstrating selfless leadership and support—that’s what I’m most proud of.”

One of Tim’s greatest talents is recruiting the right people to solve a problem, making��Teamwork��his favorite��value of the Nuclear Excellence Model STAIR, which stands for Safety, Teamwork, Always learning, Integrity and Respect. STAIR is utilized to promote safety and success throughout Entergy Nuclear.

“I’ve been working on cross-functional teams for the last few years,” Caruthers said. ��“What means the most to me is being able to bring some of my experiences and insights from nuclear to help the company along the journey of becoming the premier utility. Entergy is a company that realizes its people are its greatest asset.”

Tim’s other passions are clear by looking around his office. There, he has framed pictures of his family, including his grandson, enjoying the great outdoors.

#MeetThePros

The company’s recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication and passion of our employee resource groups. It also serves as a call to action to keep raising the bar.

“In the future, I see our ERGs as leaders in engaging employees and being partners in continuous improvement efforts as we continue the path of being the premier utility,” said Paula Robinson, manager, IT, and chair of the Women’s ERG.

Our ERG leaders who attended the summit agreed that it was great to collaborate with other professionals in-person to discuss ways ERGs can make an impact.

“One of the breakout sessions talked about ROI, and as an accountant, my first thought went to return on investment, but I was quickly corrected,” said Michelle Sens, manager, FBP, and vice chair of the Generational ERG. “As an ERG, we need to be cognizant of the relationships, opportunities and impact we can create. As ERGs, we need to focus on these ROIs.”

ERG leaders also discussed their outlooks as we head into the new year and how their groups will apply the knowledge gained at the summit.

“I see ERGs continuing to help in fostering a sense of diversity, inclusion and belonging, and community for our employees, both of which are business critical in today’s war for talent environment,” said Raechelle Munna, assistant general counsel and chair of the Leadership ERG. “ERGs can help employees to feel connected, provide career and leadership development, and offer opportunities to learn, share and innovate.”

Hema Gupta, senior capital project procurement specialist and chair of the Multicultural ERG added, “ERGs will be a good tool for elevating future leadership. With so many people retiring, there is an incredible opportunity to diversify leadership. A good future leader will promote cross functional collaboration. Going forward we will be refining metrics to develop an impactful diversity and inclusion strategy.”

The Diversity Impact Awards were launched in 2020 as the next iteration of the ERG & Council Honors Award, the first and longest running, nationally recognized award to honor the outstanding contributions and achievements of ERGs, BRGs and Diversity Councils.

Top photo from left to right: Shelton Hudson, senior manager, region distribution operations; Raechelle Munna, assistant general counsel; Michelle Sens, manager, FBP; Allie Henson, engineer II; Hemalika Gupta, senior capital project procurement specialist; Lance Cagnolatti, analyst II, IT communications.

Top photo from left to right: Bobby Gordon, diversity, equity, and inclusion RVP at Talent Dimensions; Lance Cagnolatti, analyst II, IT communications; April Fournier, senior manager, organizational health and diversity; Allie Henson, engineer II; Farrah Purifoy, manager, diversity and operations; Raechelle Munna, assistant general counsel; Taiwan Brown, Entergy vice president, diversity and workforce strategy; Hemalika Gupta, senior capital project procurement specialist; Paula Robinson, manager, IT; Michelle Sens, manager, Finance Business Partners.

We kicked off the first weekend of Pride Month by sponsoring the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity’s Pride Build – the first of its kind for the organization. We had fifteen Entergy volunteers join other groups, local members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to help build a home for a local family.

One of our volunteers was Courtney Glenn, a nuclear safety analysis engineer at our River Bend Station in Louisiana. She’s been with Entergy for four years, but recently relocated from the Indian Point ���ϳԹ��� Center in New York to join our Southern nuclear fleet. Courtney shared with me, “Volunteering was a rewarding experience. There was a sense of community amongst the volunteers as we worked together putting up the siding of the new home for a wonderful family. Based on the level of visibility of this event to the public, it shows that PRIDE is so much more than big parades and celebrations. It’s family, community and unity.”

Later in the week, the Pride ERG held a fireside chat with Entergy’s senior leaders to discuss issues and concerns affecting ERG members and our communities.

We also had more than 20 Entergy employees and their families participate in the New Orleans Pride Parade on June 11. It was the first parade in two years, and participants were met with smiles and cheers as the Entergy float made its way through the route. Entergy New Orleans sponsored the float and ENO President and CEO Deanna Rodriguez visited with participants at the parade.

It was the third time my husband and I participated in this event, and every year we enjoy getting to meet other employees throughout the company. Before the parade, we had a chance to speak with James “Bubba” Edwards II, who is director of Entergy’s nuclear training. He and his wife drove down from Mississippi to join our crew, and he shared this from his first Pride parade experience, “It was a great to meet people from different parts of the company with such diverse life experiences.��Discussing the parade with my transgender son helped us connect on issues that my son admitted were difficult for him to discuss with me before. Some of the people I met while being part of this event discussed things that helped me strengthen my relationship with my son. I now consider each person in that group a friend that makes my life fuller, and I am grateful for the experience.�� I am glad that Entergy supports these kind of events – it makes me proud to be an Entergy employee!”

As an Employee Resource Group, we’ve worked hard to create opportunities for our employees to connect and provide resources to them. We have updated our employee resource materials to include information about Entergy’s Employee Assistance Program specific to our community and other informational links to external resources. We’ve even had the opportunity to bring awareness about the importance of Pride Month to other employee groups through diversity, inclusion and belonging moments that are used to kick-off company and department meetings.

At Entergy, our leaders talk about the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive culture at work – that it isn’t just the right thing to do; the success of our business depends on it. I’m proud to work for a company that enables its employees and provides the opportunity to contribute to this goal through our activities and community.

��

As the 2021 chair of Entergy Women’s Leadership Advisory Council, I’m excited to share that our work in advancing the company’s diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives has seen great success. The WLAC partnered with our internal Women’s Employee Resource Group to pilot two mentoring programs specifically for female employees because as the world changes, we believe the face of the utility business needs to change as well.

The company continues to invest in programs that introduce girls to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. And we work closely with colleges, universities, vocational, technical and other training programs in our service territory to increase the pipeline of talent – both male and female – into careers at Entergy and other companies.

But we’ve also got to make sure that once women get their feet through the door at Entergy, they remain, and are supported as they develop and grow their careers. At Entergy, we believe that to be truly successful, we must recruit and maintain a diverse workforce that leverages the unique talents and perspectives of each individual. The potential benefits are infinite, but we must also continue developing that workforce so employees feel valued and empowered to grow their skills and further their careers.

We intentionally established two distinct programs in order to meet the needs of the women in our company who are not only in different roles and business functions, but who are also at varying stages of their career.

Working with the WERG, in phase one of our effort, mentors were paired with female high-potential individual contributors, supervisors and managers for one-on-one, yearlong mentoring partnerships that include monthly meetings, job shadowing and coaching focused on personal and career development.

Phase two created pods of four female directors and non-officer vice president mentees who were paired with four executive leaders, both male and female, with a focus on networking and exposure, along with individual development. Individually, each female employee was paired with one of the four leaders, rotating leaders who served as their mentor each quarter. The group also met collectively each quarter to discuss a mentoring topic.

By partnering with individuals with varying perspectives and experiences, participants enhanced their knowledge, skills and understanding of business and cultural issues. Both programs provided opportunities for employees to engage in continuous learning, build meaningful relationships and mentees will be able to identify potential roadblocks and develop attainable career plans that are rooted in advancement.

Mentoring programs like these are a vital component of our DIB initiatives because they create more visibility for women with leaders throughout the organization, thereby expanding their perspectives and increasing their exposure and opportunity to be considered for career advancement.��

While these pilot programs come to an end, I want to let you know that this is just the beginning of our work to further engage women in our business. The WERG will renew the one-on-one mentoring program for individual contributors in January with a new, larger class of mentors and mentees. And the WLAC will continue to collaborate with our human resources organization to maintain intentional focus on the sponsorship and development of emerging female leaders.

Mentorships are critical to women’s professional development, and we are committed to making sure all our female employees have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Laura Landreaux is president and CEO for Entergy Arkansas.​

Participant Experiences

“Working in a collaborative environment is incredibly powerful for women from across all levels to continue to grow professionally. The act of mentoring and the idea of seeking out a mentor looks different to everyone. It’s continually sharing ideas, knowledge and opinions openly to help carry a positive work environment throughout the entire company.” – Entergy New Orleans Vice President of Customer Service Sandra Diggs-Miller, Mentor

“Discussions were candid and built on trust. We had confidence in each other to openly share what was on our collective minds. It was so refreshing, particularly because the program began at the start of the pandemic and during a time of civil unrest in 2020. The mentees shared insights and experiences that will make me a better leader – and someone they can contact at a moment’s notice as an advisor and an advocate.” – Chief Supply Officer Marlon Merritt, Mentor

“I have been fortunate to be part of both programs – one as a mentor and the other as a mentee. For me, it was not relevant which role I portrayed, I learned equally from both opportunities. I find the programs to be successful because there is mutual trust, transparent dialogue and sincere interest.” – Director of Continuous Improvement Strategy & Transformation Amy Amerson, Mentor and Mentee

“Mentorship programs and fostering diverse workgroups are the backbone of our success here at Entergy. Lifting up future generations to prosper is the responsible thing for us to do as leaders at this company. When every voice is heard and supported, we’ll know we’ve truly arrived as a corporation.” – Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May, Mentor

“This program has enabled me to meet, engage with, and learn from senior leadership who I hadn’t previously interacted with, and connect with an employee in a completely different part of the business.�� The conversations have been candid and meaningful, and a great opportunity to learn and grow.” – Director of Utility Initiatives Kristin Dalrymple, Mentor and Mentee