2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo

Brandon Williams

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security at the Department of Energy and Administrator

National Nuclear Security Administration

Brandon M. Williams is the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security at the Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. A former U.S. Congressman, Navy veteran, and entrepreneur, Mr. Williams joins NNSA with a distinguished career in national security, technology, and economic development.

In 1989, Williams witnessed the Tiananmen Square student protests firsthand, which inspired his lifetime commitment to service. Fifteen months later, he joined the U.S. Navy and served for six years as a nuclear submarine officer.

Williams is a graduate of Pepperdine University and the Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and completed training at the prestigious Naval Nuclear Power School. During his military service, Williams completed six strategic deterrent patrols in the Pacific aboard the USS Georgia (SSBN 729), where he served as Electrical Officer and Strategic Missile Officer. He qualified on two separate naval reactor designs (S5W and S8G) and was responsible for the safety, security, and operational readiness of 24 Trident I C4 missiles, nuclear weapons security, radiological controls, and command codes.

Following his naval service, Williams earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he double majored in Operations & Information Management and Finance. His career in both the military and private sector has taken him across the country, ultimately settling in Central New York in 2010. He and his wife, Stephanie McRee—daughter of Col. Marshall McRee, a decorated Vietnam War veteran (having earned three Bronze Stars with Valor)—established an agribusiness in the Finger Lakes region, contributing to local economic development and tourism. There, he was elected to represent the people of Central New York in the U.S. House of Representatives and chaired the Energy Subcommittee for the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Williams is also an innovator in industrial technology and cybersecurity. As the founder of a software company, he has led efforts to modernize large-scale manufacturing operations, enhance critical infrastructure security, and advance efficiency through cutting-edge solutions.