Jill Hruby holds first all-hands meeting and outlines initiatives and priorities

August 2, 2021

Jill Hruby, the newly confirmed Department of Energy (DOE) Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and Administrator of NNSA, addressed the Nuclear Security Enterprise workforce for the first time via a virtual all-hands meeting on July 28.

With over 1,200 virtual attendees present, Hruby outlined her two main priorities — mission delivery and partnerships — and shared her five time-sensitive initiatives followed by a Q&A session.

Announcing that the agency has support at the highest level of government for three simultaneous mission priorities: science, product, and infrastructure, the Administrator said she considers the best path forward for on-time and on-budget mission delivery will require the integration of innovative science and technology with best business practices.

“I believe DOE/NNSA, with the unique capabilities and talent across our enterprise, is well positioned to achieve that integration and be the innovative organization that delivers on-time and on-budget while enabling new outcomes,” Hruby said.

Part of those new outcomes entail building stronger internal and external partnerships for NNSA, Hruby’s other top priority for the agency. With a leadership style that promotes a culture of collaboration and inclusion, the Administrator remarked she intends to develop compelling and honest narratives to clearly and consistently communicate with our internal, interagency, national, and international partners.

“Each of our partners depend on NNSA to listen and understand, be transparent and efficient in our interfaces, and deliver on our commitments,” she said.

Aligned closely with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Deputy Secretary David Turk, Hruby also said the three DOE leaders share the view that DOE/NNSA are internal partners with different roles and responsibilities who share common goals. She further emphasized that a strong working relationship between the two partners requires both DOE and the semi-autonomous NNSA to work together to enable mission success.

In the coming months, the new Administrator said she plans to focus on five time-sensitive initiatives that will help lay the groundwork for her top two priorities and enable NNSA to meet its obligations with agility and timeliness. The five initiatives are:

• NNSA Cyber Review
• Return to Workplace Plan
• Two-site Plutonium Pit Strategy
• Nuclear Posture Review
• Governance

With over 30 years working in the DOE enterprise and leading Sandia National Laboratories from 2015 to 2017, Hruby is well versed in the missions of NNSA and said she enjoys managing large organizations that run efficiently and partner well. She thanked Dr. Charles Verdon for his role as Acting Administrator over the past several months and shared her excitement to bring NNSA to the next level.

“The most satisfying part of my job has always been to empower people and teams and watch them deliver,” Hruby said. “I look forward to working with each of you as we advance NNSA’s ability to innovate and deliver our mission on behalf of the American people.”