Adams has shaped her career in project management, inspired by a family legacy of first responders. Growing up surrounded by retired rangers, mail carriers, railroad nurses, police officers and military personnel, she learned the value of service and resilience early on. For Adams, the noble cause of making power was a calling, and she found her niche in the technical and team-oriented environment of the nuclear industry.����
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Starting her career in operations, Adams quickly knew she wanted to learn every aspect of��operating��a plant. After years as a plant operator, her passion for cross-functional teamwork led her to move into project management within the engineering sector. She recognized that building connections and strong relationships was key to success in project management, enabling effective communication and progress in complex projects.����

Trust is essential in project management, and Adams has fostered this trust with her colleagues throughout her career at Entergy. This trust is��evident��in the successful outcome of her projects. Her efforts created a supportive environment where every team member thrived and effectively addressed the challenges that arose.����

As Adams reflects on her development over the years, she credits her mother with instilling the importance of paving the way for future generations of women, teaching her that every action she takes impacts those who will follow. “The women who come today set the stage for those who come tomorrow,” Adams said.����

Committed to recognizing the��hard work��of her team, Adams strives to ensure that strong contributions do not go unnoticed. She��demonstrates��that leadership is not just about authority but also about empowering others.����
Adam’s ability to build trust and support within her team has been a crucial factor in her success. By creating an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered, she has not only contributed to multiple project achievements but has also strengthened the foundation for future collaboration within the organization.��

In 2016, Parks started her Entergy career as a decontamination technician at New York’s Indian Point ���ϳԹ��� Center, which closed in 2021. But quickly she realized she wanted more. ������

“I knew I didn’t want to stop there,” Parks recalls. “I looked into radiation protection, took the test, earned my quals, and became an RP technician. It’s something I love doing and I’m very passionate about it.”������

Parks’s journey led her to Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Kilona, La., where she has spent the past three years expanding her expertise in a fast-paced environment, monitoring contamination and radiation levels while ensuring the safety of the public and plant personnel. “It’s fun to me,” she said. “I feel like you never work a day in your life if you enjoy what you are doing.” ����

Mentorship played a critical role in Park’s development. She credits retired RP Tech��Duane��Miller��as a key figure in her career, as well as��Brittany Scott, a former Arkansas Nuclear One technician who inspired her. “I remember my second planned maintenance and refueling outage, seeing Scott at the desk, confidently explaining nuclear concepts like it was her first language. I told myself, ‘I want that to be me one day.’” ����

Years later Parks found herself in that very position, knowledgeable, respected and helping guide work crews through RP procedures. “I looked back and realized that I had achieved my goal.”��������

Leadership and the power of representation������

Parks isn’t the only woman making strides at Waterford 3. She highlights the impact of��Melody (Mel) Gibson,��RP��manager, as a trailblazer. “Mel started in housekeeping and is now the radiation protection manager. That is major. She came in dominating, bringing new ideas and pushing our program forward.” ����

Beyond her leadership role, Gibson serves as a mentor and advocate. “She pushes you to be the best version of yourself,” Parks said. “She’s paving the way for future women in the industry.” ����

Advice for women and the next generation of female nuclear professionals������

For young women considering careers in STEM and nuclear, Park’s message is clear: never stop learning.������

“Use your resources and learn as much as you can. If you want to get a degree in nuclear, go for it. Find a mentor, that’s one of the biggest things. There are people willing to teach,��and that’s a good thing.”��������

Lisa also encourages women to push past limitations. “When they tell you what you can’t do, show them what you can do.”������

Her final advice to the future generation of female nuclear professionals? “Never limit yourself.”��

I am an Engineering Instructor/Program Lead at Arkansas Nuclear One. I manage the accredited engineering training program at ANO. This involves not only overseeing the curriculum and delivery of the training at ANO, but also collaborating closely with engineering leadership across our fleet to identify and address any training needs at the fleet level.

Tell me about how your job impacts plant reliability? 

The engineering training program at ANO is designed to ensure our engineers are fully equipped with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively support the plant’s operations. Training is provided for initial orientation to introduce engineers to the intricate details and systems of the plant, recurring refresher training to keep skills and knowledge up-to-date, targeted trainings to address any performance gaps or areas requiring improvement and additional specialized trainings as needed. These trainings reinforce the importance of advocacy and technical conscience to improve plant reliability and protect the health and safety of the public.

Tell me about the importance your department has in keeping the plant online? �į

The training department is critical to keeping the plant online. We train operations, technicians, engineers and craft to safely run ANO.

Why do you love ANO?

I love the strong sense of community we have here, it’s easy to make friendships with those we work with. I also love the positive influence ANO has on the local River Valley area – ANO truly helps make this a great place to live.

What is a fun fact about you?

My husband is a pilot, and I love to go fly in our plane with him! I’ve started flight training – with him as my instructor.

What is your why?

My family – I want ANO to continue producing clean carbon-free energy to support the needs of our lifestyles and local communities. I am proud to contribute to that.

Scott was elected to the GGNS chapter’s board this year as president and has taken her role seriously. At the 2024 U.S. WIN conference, Scott was interviewed for an “I am a nuclear professional” social media campaign and represented Entergy with��passion. This year, Entergy was presented with the Chapter Excellence Overall Large Chapter award and was also named Most Reactive Chapter for Entergy’s advocacy for Nuclear Science Week.

Scott is continuing to drive the excellence of the GGNS WIN chapter by inspiring advocacy and public support for the advancement of nuclear energy and technology in the community and schools. In October, the GGNS WIN chapter hosted approximately 300 students over the course of Nuclear Science Week. Scott also spearheaded a professional development session in which the GGNS chapter hosted a panel discussion with Grand Gulf female managers.

Scott does all this for the site’s WIN chapter while supporting the CDO and site engineering with high quality. Co-workers say she is a joy to work with and fosters creative ideas in the engineering department. She is a valued member of the engineering team.

This week we celebrate achievements across the nuclear energy industry and at Entergy, as we recognize the vital role nuclear professionals play in powering our communities with clean, carbon-free electricity. This is only achieved because of their relentless focus on operating our plants safely, securely and reliably.����

Our customers count on us to keep the lights on, and we do so with clean, reliable energy, 24/7, 365. Our Entergy fleet of five nuclear reactors at four sites in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana prevents nearly 23 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the environment each year. That is about the same as taking nearly five million passenger vehicles off the road.��

This is an exciting time to be working in nuclear. As the Nuclear ���ϳԹ��� Institute reported last year about the , from 2016 to 2020, support held steady at 45% and then jumped to nearly 60% this year. People are seeing the value of nuclear as a clean, reliable energy source, as well as a powerful economic force—driving opportunities in business, employment and volunteerism.������

In celebration of Nuclear Science Week, Entergy’s fleetwide chapters of Women in Nuclear and North American Young Generation in Nuclear will be expanding outreach, educating our customers and other stakeholders about the benefits of nuclear energy.

Engage with Entergy Nuclear on , and Entergy on or to learn more about our industry, our commitment to our customers and communities, and rewarding in this exciting and growing field.

“I handle, store and issue nuclear parts to various departments to ensure the safe day-to-day operation of the plant.” The warehouse is essential at River Bend Station. It stores and manages critical spare parts, materials and equipment necessary for maintenance, repairs and emergency response.

Viola has been an integral part of the River Bend team for seven years. She spent her first five years with the security force and has been with the supply chain department for the past two years.

In her role, Viola directly contributes to River Bend’s success by ensuring efficient material flow through the supply chain. “By meticulously managing inventory and performing tasks safely, I help prevent delays in production, ultimately boosting productivity.”

Outside of work, Viola enjoys exploring new destinations and diverse culinary experiences. She cherishes moments with her children and two grandsons. Additionally, she is an active member of WIN and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.

Viola values the strong bonds within the RBS warehouse and procurement teams, as well as with upper management. “We work like a family, ensuring the plant has all the necessary materials. When one succeeds, we all succeed.”

Viola’s dedication, attention to detail and commitment to excellence embody the teamwork and success at River Bend. Thank you, Viola, for your valuable contributions and positive impact on our safe and reliable operation.

#MeetThePros

Driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the environment and her community, Andrea was inspired to pursue a career in the nuclear power industry. Her technical skill set is dedicated to providing clean electricity and investing in a sustainable future.

“I believe we should recruit at the college level when young adults are soaking up information and deciding what they want to do with their lives,” she said.

She emphasizes the nuclear power industry’s diverse career opportunities, growth potential and positive influence. By introducing more women to the benefits of nuclear power, she aims to bridge the gender gap and foster inclusivity in engineering.

According to Andrea, critical skills essential for success in engineering, regardless of gender, include thinking outside the box, prioritization and effective communication. These qualities empower engineers to solve complex problems, focus on critical tasks and convey ideas clearly to drive progress and innovation.

Brezelle White is the reactor engineering supervisor at Grand Gulf, and has worked at the site for three years.

As part of her role, she provides oversight and support to the reactor engineers when developing plans to safely operate and maintain the reactor.

“I like being an engineer because I am always learning something new. The job is never boring,” said White. “My group is welcoming, supportive and particularly likes my positive energy. Grand Gulf specifically has a wonderful family culture. Everyone is always willing to help out.”

White is also passionate about encouraging other women to get into the STEM field.

“To all the women pursuing STEM, I would encourage you to know that you can use your degree in a multitude of ways,” she noted. “Even if your degree is in a specialized topic, you have the tools to take advantage of unique opportunities beyond your field. I would tell any little girl, teen or woman that ‘you can do anything you want to do as long as you work hard and maintain your drive’.”

Fun fact:

White loves to travel. She has been to three continents, but her favorite place is the Caribbean because the water is so blue and perfect for surfing.

JACKSON, Miss. – Entergy’s Women in Nuclear chapter has been recognized again by the U.S. WIN organization as the “most reactive” chapter. It is the second time in as many years the chapter has gained national recognition for their educational outreach efforts, this time for their work during 2023’s National Nuclear Science Week.

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.

“It was the dedication, hard work and leadership our team demonstrated last year that allowed us to be awarded, for the second year in a row, the Most Reactive Chapter for 2023’s Nuclear Science Week,” said Danielle Andreozzi, Entergy Nuclear design engineer and fleet president of Entergy’s U.S. WIN chapter. “I am so proud to be a part of this organization and company. I have personally seen the effects advocating for nuclear and STEM careers has on students and the local community.”

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, boy scouts, a local youth council and students ranging from middle school to high school
• A STEM Fair hosted by River Bend Station in St. Francisville, La. for Bains Elementary fifth grade students
• Nuclear Science Days at Russellville Middle School held by Arkansas Nuclear One WIN members in Russellville, Ark. for hundreds of sixth- and seventh-grade students
• A nuclear and STEM-related activities event hosted by Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La. for K-12 students at the Killona Community Center in the after-school program
• Nuclear advocacy letters to Mississippi legislators from Entergy Nuclear headquarter employees

In all, their efforts reached more than 1,500 school children, teachers, parents, legislators and other community members.

“This year’s competition for the Most Reactive Chapter was fierce,” said Jennifer Watkins, Nuclear Science Week lead for the U.S. WIN communications committee. “We had submissions from 10 chapters who all did an amazing job with their outreach efforts. The creativity and diversity in events were fantastic. Approximately 3,000 individuals of all ages were able to explore nuclear science topics—and that doesn’t even cover those who were reached via social media! We love seeing how our chapters promote and support nuclear energy as a carbon-free energy source in our communities.”

U.S. Women in Nuclear 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.

Cook-Nelson spoke about the momentum currently behind nuclear power and salient support for the clean environment initiative. She relayed Entergy’s commitment to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and talked about the need to understand how to keep a diverse energy portfolio, citing nuclear energy’s fuel security, reliability and safety as chief reasons it will be key to helping create a carbon-free future. Cook-Nelson also noted some of the challenges of advanced nuclear, such as financial gaps, technical readiness, and regulatory and project risks.

She was one of several nationally-acclaimed speakers at the annual event, which began in 2000 to provide learning and networking opportunities across the broad range of engineering disciplines and topics.

The Tulane Engineering Forum is organized by the engineering alumni of Tulane University and the Tulane School of Science and Engineering.