Michael Paoli is a veteran of the United States Air Force who now works as chief communication officer and manager of public affairs at Energy Northwest in Washington.
According to Paoli, nuclear energy is a natural choice for veterans looking to find a career after the military. Part of the appeal is the application of familiar skills; Paoli said that the communication styles, procedural discipline, and safety culture he learned in the military have all matched well with his new career. But, to him, it is the nature of the work that strikes an even deeper harmony.
"My decision to work in public power was driven principally by the nobleness of the endeavor," Paoli said. "Our mission in public power is to deliver a crucial quality-of-life product to Americans at the best possible value to them, not us. That has great appeal to the average veteran. That perspective embraces the service-before-self aspect of the military."