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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
Empowering the next generation: ANS’s newest book focuses on careers in nuclear energy
A new career guide for the nuclear energy industry is now available: The Nuclear Empowered Workforce by Earnestine Johnson. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience across 16 nuclear facilities, Johnson offers a practical, insightful look into some of the many career paths available in commercial nuclear power. To mark the release, Johnson sat down with Nuclear News for a wide-ranging conversation about her career, her motivation for writing the book, and her advice for the next generation of nuclear professionals.
When Johnson began her career at engineering services company Stone & Webster, she entered a field still reeling from the effects of the Three Mile Island incident in 1979, nearly 15 years earlier. Her hiring cohort was the first group of new engineering graduates the company had brought on since TMI, a reflection of the industry-wide pause in nuclear construction. Her first long-term assignment—at the Millstone site in Waterford, Conn., helping resolve design issues stemming from TMI—marked the beginning of a long and varied career that spanned positions across the country.
UWC Opening Plenary: Driving Transformational Change Keynote SPeaker
Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear OfficerPalo Verde Generating StationArizona Public Service Company
Maria Lacal is Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer for Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Arizona’s largest electric company. Based in Phoenix, APS serves more than 1.2 million customers and is one of the fastest-growing investor-owned electric utilities in the United States.
Lacal is responsible for all nuclear-related activities associated with the Palo Verde Generating Station, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy. She is also responsible for the nuclear assurance division and employee concerns and safety culture programs.
Prior to joining APS in 2007, Lacal previously served as Director of Operations Support for the Nuclear Division of Florida Power and Light Company. In this capacity Lacal’s responsibilities included the Corporate Functional Area Manager and Accredited Training programs across the fleet. She has held other management positions including Training Manager and Operations Manager at Turkey Point Nuclear Plant. As the Operations Manager, Lacal was responsible for site operations, radiation protection, chemistry programs and associated organizations.
Prior to being appointed Chief Nuclear Officer for APS in January 2020, Lacal served as the Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Oversight. In this role Lacal was responsible for regulatory and oversight areas including, the nuclear assurance division, regulatory affairs and environmental, organizational effectiveness, leadership development and the employee concerns and safety culture programs. Lacal also served as the Vice President of Operations Support from 2011 to 2016 and was responsible for emergency preparedness, nuclear security, fire protection, supply chain, records management, information services programs, and associated organizations at the plant.
Lacal obtained a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Senior Reactor Operator License in 1996. She has also served as Chairman of the Academy Council for the National Academy for Nuclear Training. Lacal is a member of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Executive Advisory Group; STARS Nuclear Alliance Board of Directors; Nuclear Strategic Issues Advisory Committee (NSIAC); Chairman of the Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group (PWROG) Executive Committee; Chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Risk Informed Steering Committee; Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Nuclear Power Council Executive Committee; CNO liaison for EPRI Fuel & Chemistry Executive Committee; executive sponsor of EPRI Fuels Research Integration Committee. She also currently serves as a member of the University of Arizona, Eller School of Business National Board of Advisors, the U.S. Women in Nuclear Executive Advisory Committee and the North American Young Generation in Nuclear Executive Advisory Committee.
Lacal earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Miami. She also completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in May 2015.
Last modified July 15, 2020, 11:33am EDT
