NucleCast

Juan Vitali is the Assistant Director Nuclear Energy Innovation at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, The White House. Previously, he was the Army’s Nuclear Engineer and Chief of the Nuclear Power Branch where he led a team of engineers to shape conditions for the adoption of nuclear power by the Army. He was the chief concept architect for the development of mobile nuclear power plant for ground operations. He was the Senior Advisor to the Chief of Engineers on Nuclear Power Matters. Juan was Principal Research Faculty for eight years at Georgia Tech Research Institute and was Director of the Washington Office for the Electro-Optics Environment and Materials Laboratory.

Throughout his career, Juan has maintained a dedication to excellence not only in science and technology but, in general, quietly effecting change through increasing leadership roles. In 2000, his work in halon replacements earned him the International US-EPA Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award. Juan completed studies at National Defense University/Eisenhower Schooland obtained a master’s degree in National Security Studies and Resource Strategy in 2013. Juan is a Harvard University Senior Executive Fellow. Juan holds a Doctorate in Engineering Physics/Nuclear Engineering(1992), a Master of Engineering (1987) and a bachelor’s degree Cum Laude in Engineering Physics/Nuclear Engineering (1984), all from the University of Florida. Juan is married to the former Kathryn Bowler of Needham, MA.

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Major Frank W. Perry, Jr. is the Chief, Helicopter Operations Division, Twentieth Air Force. In this position Major Perry advises the Commander, Twentieth Air Force on operational and administrative issues for the Air Force’s sole Helicopter Group. He leads planning, coordination, and Operational Plan support for three operational helicopter squadrons, integrating USSTRATCOM and USNORTHCOM missions for over 400 personnel.

Prior to this assignment, Major Perry was a student at Air Command and Staff College in Air University. There he performed studies as part of the Russia Research Task Force, garnering the Thomas “Dutch” Miller Award for most relevant research in his field.

Major Perry enlisted in the Air Force as a Ground Radio Technician in 2004, receiving his commission through Officer Training School in 2009. Following graduation, he has served in a variety of operational assignments as a UH-1N instructor pilot, and subsequently as a Mi-17 instructor and evaluator pilot. Major Perry has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.

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The ANWA Deterrence Center wishes you a safe and happy 4th of July.

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Thomas Karako is a senior fellow with the International Security Program and the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he arrived in 2014. His research focuses on national security, missile defense, nuclear deterrence, and public law. In 2010–2011, he was an American Political Science Association congressional fellow, working with the professional staff of the House Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on U.S. strategic forces policy, nonproliferation, and NATO. Dr. Karako is also currently a fellow with the Institute for Politics and Strategy of Carnegie Mellon University. He received his PhD from Claremont Graduate University and his BA from the University of Dallas.

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Ambassador Eric S. Edelman is Counselor at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. He retired as a career minister from the U.S. Foreign Service on May 1, 2009. He has served in senior positions at the Departments of State and Defense as well as the White House, where he led organizations providing analysis, strategy, policy development, security services, trade advocacy, public outreach, citizen services, and congressional relations. As undersecretary of defense for policy (August 2005-January 2009), he was DoD's senior policy official, overseeing strategy development with global responsibility for bilateral defense relations, war plans, special operations forces, homeland defense, missile defense, nuclear weapons and arms control policies, counterproliferation, counternarcotics, counterterrorism, arms sales, and defense trade controls.

He served as U.S. ambassador to Finland in the Clinton administration and Turkey in the Bush administration and was Vice President Cheney's principal deputy assistant for national security affairs. He was chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, special assistant to Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Robert Kimmitt, and special assistant to Secretary of State George Shultz.

His other assignments included the State Department Operations Center, Prague, Moscow, and Tel Aviv, where he was a member of the U.S. Middle East delegation to the West Bank/Gaza autonomy talks.

Ambassador Edelman has been awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, and several Department of State Superior Honor Awards. In 2010, he was named a knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honor.

Ambassador Edelman serves as the Chair of the National Defense Strategy Commission and on the bipartisan board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace.

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David Campbell is the Executive Vice President, EnergySolutions and previously served as the Associate Administrator, Office of Congressional, Intergovernmental & Public Affairs at the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

As the Executive Vice President at EnergySolutions, Mr. Campbell is responsible for all aspects of business development and implementing the company’s growth strategies across the utility, commercial, federal, and international sectors. In addition to his experience as a senior executive in private industry as well as within the US government, he brings a unique experience of over thirty years across the nuclear, defense and environmental markets helping companies break into and grow in existing and new markets. David’s expertise in managing and implementing government, corporate, and commercial business development, marketing, and communications programs across North America and internationally is a key factor in EnergySolutions push to grow across all our sectors. David resides in the Washington DC area and holds a BS in Political Science and Economics from James Madison University and a MA in International Relations and National Security from George Washington University.

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Dr. Carl Rehberg is a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Carl was founder and director of the Headquarters Air Force Asia-Pacific Cell, which played a pivotal role in the development of Air Force strategy, force development, planning, analysis and warfighting concepts supporting initiatives related to Asia-Pacific and the DoD Third Offset Strategy.

Carl spearheaded the establishment of the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI) and led the development of innovative concepts and capability proposals to improve DoD’s joint resiliency and integrated air and missile defenses. Prior to this assignment, he was the Assistant Associate Director for AF Strategic Planning and Director, Analysis Division in the AF QDR organization, leading multiple assessments of future capabilities and force structure.

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Dr. Lani Kass is Strategic Advisor for Cyber Reliant Corporation, focused on advancing Cyber Reliant’s National Security & Justice presence and stature in the U.S. national security sector, as well as enhancing and expanding key client and industry relationships. From December 2011 to January 2021, Dr. Kass served the CEO and Executive Chairman of the Board at CACI, as the Senior Vice President and Corporate Strategic Advisor for a $5.7B mission and enterprise technology company whose expertise plays a vital role in national security, safeguarding US troops, and enabling the federal government to deliver cost-effective, high-quality support for all Americans.

Prior to 2012, Dr. Kass served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). She was responsible for the high-level assessments and analyses necessary to render the best military advice and execute the integrated strategies, programs, and plans essential to America’s security. Her contributions were recognized by both the Secretary of Defense and CJCS. She received the Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award – the highest award granted to U.S. Government civilian employees.

Dr. Kass also served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force (CSAF), Senior Mentor to USAF Project CHECKMATE, and Director of the Cyber Task Force. She developed the intellectual concepts that led to the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command and continue to underpin U.S. cyber strategy. She was awarded the prestigious Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service by both the Secretary of the Air Force and CSAF.

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Michael R. Shoults, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Acting Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Shoults assists in the oversight of the Air Force’s Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction efforts, Nuclear Command Control and Communication portfolios and international treaties and arms control agreements.

Mr. Shoults was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation from Parks College of St. Louis University in 1982. He has an extensive background in Air Force operations, amassing more than 3,000 hours in the B-52H Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer. In addition, he has held several key operational and staff positions at the squadron, wing, numbered Air Force and Headquarters, U.S. Air Force levels. After more than 27 years of active-duty service in the Air Force, Mr. Shoults retired as a colonel and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2013.

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David S. Jonas is a partner at the law firm of Fluet, Huber & Hoang (FH+H). His practice includes corporate transactions, employment law, government contracts, trial and appellate litigation, international law, administrative/regulatory compliance and investigations. He has extensive experience in national security issues and is recognized as one of a handful of experts worldwide in nuclear nonproliferation law. He was a career member of the Senior Executive Service and served as General Counsel of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) where he negotiated numerous multilateral and bilateral international agreements to include the U.S. – India Civil Nuclear Agreement. He also served as General Counsel of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

Prior to his civilian service, he was a career Marine Corps officer where he held a wide variety of command and staff billets. He served as nuclear nonproliferation planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff negotiating multiple international agreements and has worked extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Conference on Disarmament, and the United Nations. He is one of the only judge advocates to have commanded two units, including a company in an infantry regiment, the 5th Marines.

He argued the case of Davis v. United States, 512, U.S. 452 (1994) at the U.S. Supreme Court becoming the first judge advocate in the history of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to do so. He received the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces Award for Excellence in Legal Writing and was selected as the Outstanding Career Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. He concluded his military service as a lieutenant colonel. He is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and George Washington (GW) University Law School and has also taught at the U.S. Naval War College.

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