Marsha McDaniel serves as the Director of International Engagement at Idaho National Laboratory. In her current role, she is responsible for expanding the lab’s international collaborations and helping to maintain U.S. leadership in the energy sector.

McDaniel previously served as a United States diplomat with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Her diplomatic assignments included the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, China, and the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, India. McDaniel received numerous awards and honors during her diplomatic service, including a Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State.

A longtime advocate for advancing women in the workplace, McDaniel currently serves as Chair of Idaho Women in Nuclear, a nonprofit organization with the goal of positioning the U.S. for the future of nuclear energy through the advancement of women. She is also a 2024-2025 Leadership Fellow with the International Women’s Forum.

McDaniel’s civic leadership includes service on the City of Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Trustees of the Idaho Technology Council.

A first-generation college graduate, McDaniel earned her A.A. at De Anza Community College. She earned her B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and her M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins University. She studied Mandarin Chinese at the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Institute.