Workshop Speakers
As of February 25, 2026
Featured Speakers
Denisa Sakova
Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Economy
Slovak Republic
Denisa Sakova
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Slovak Republic
Denisa Saková studied at the Gymnasium of Eugen Guderna in Nitra. She continued her studies at the Faculty of national Economy of the University of Economics in Bratislava, where she also obtained her doctoral degree.
During her studies, she began working as a consultant at DELTA E. S., a. s. Subsequently, from 2001 to 2003, she worked for Cap Gemini Ernst & Young GmbH in Berlin as a senior consultant. From 2003 to 2007, she worked for E.ON IT Slovakia, s. r. o. as the Director of the Applications Division.
In 2007, she transitioned from the private sector to the public sector, where she worked at the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic until 2010 as the General Director of the Informatics, Telecommunications, and Security Section. She returned to the Ministry of Interior in 2012, initially as the Head of the Service Office, and from 2016, she served as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. In 2018, she was appointed as the Minister of the Interior, becoming the first woman in the department´s history to hold this position. She served also as a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic from 2020 to 2023.
Heather Rogers
U.S. Chargé d'affaires
Slovak Republic
Heather Rogers
U.S. Chargé d'affaires, Slovak Republic
Heather Rogers joined U.S. Embassy Bratislava as the Deputy Chief of Mission in July 2024 and assumed duties as Chargé d’affaires, a.i. on January 16, 2026.
Most recently, Heather served as Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Warsaw (2020–2023), where she led the Embassy’s economic engagement with Poland, advanced energy security through U.S.-supported civil nuclear cooperation, and supported Poland’s response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Previously, she was Deputy Economic Chief at U.S. Embassy Hanoi (2015–2018), helping lead a team that significantly strengthened U.S.-Vietnam economic, trade, and labor relations, including during Vietnam’s chairmanship of APEC.
Heather also served as Senior Burma Desk Officer in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2012–2014), where she was part of an interagency team that won recognition for significantly advancing U.S. interests and peace during a period of unprecedented positive bilateral engagement. As a Watch Officer in the Executive Secretariat’s Operations Center (2011–2012), she supported the Secretary of State and other Department leaders’ global outreach and crisis response. Her consular tour was at U.S. Embassy Bogotá (2009–2011), where she worked during a period of significant internal displacement linked to Colombia’s armed conflict. Heather’s first Foreign Service assignment was as a Human Rights Officer at U.S. Embassy New Delhi (2006–2008).
Heather began her federal career the day before September 11, 2001 – an event that shaped her approach to public service – serving first as a Presidential Management Fellow and later as a civil servant at the Department of State. Her early assignments included serving as Public Diplomacy Desk Officer for India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (2003-2006), working in the political section at U.S. Embassy Skopje (2002-2003) and supporting oversight and accountability efforts with the Office of Inspector General (2001-2002).
Heather holds a BA from the College of Saint Benedict / St. John’s University (CSB/SJU), a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Rutgers University, and a Master of Science (MS) in National Security and resource Strategy from National Defense University (NDU). She has studied Slovak, Polish, Vietnamese and Spanish.
She has been married for more than two decades to a (now retired) American diplomat and together they have three children and a very energetic dog. Outside of work, Heather values time with her family and enjoys discovering cities on foot and long dinners with good conversation.
David Fogel
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the
United States and Foreign Commercial Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
David Fogel
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce
David L. Fogel serves as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service for the International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce. In this role, Mr. Fogel leads ITA’s Global Markets business unit dedicated to commercial diplomacy, commercial advocacy, export promotion, and foreign direct investment, with more than a thousand trade professionals across hundreds of offices globally.
Mr. Fogel’s previous public service includes his 2020 appointment as Senior Advisor and Chief Business Development Officer in the Office of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the U.S. Department of State. He was subsequently nominated by President Donald J. Trump during his first term as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs. Prior to his role at the State Department, Mr. Fogel was appointed as Chief of Staff at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM). At both the State Department and EXIM, Mr. Fogel advocated for U.S. business interests around the world.
In the private sector, Mr. Fogel has built and sold three FinTech companies: NCCS/Coinmint, a crypto mining company, where he served as Chief Executive Officer; IndexIQ, an indexing and ETF company, where he served as Co-Founder and President; and SmartPortfolio.com, where he served as Co-Founder and Vice President. Mr. Fogel began his career as a corporate attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.
Mr. Fogel received a B.S.F.S., summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, a J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University Law Center, and an M.B.A. from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. He also has served as an Adjunct Professor in Entrepreneurship at the Georgetown University Law Center and on the Advisory Board of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown.
Adam O'Malley
Director, Office of Energy and Environmental Industries, International Trade Administration U.S. Department of Commerce
Adam O'Malley
Director, Office of Energy and Environmental Industries
International Trade Administration , U.S. Department of Commerce
Adam O'Malley leads U.S. Department of Commerce efforts to advance the global competitiveness and supply chain resilience of U.S. energy and environmental technologies industries. With extensive leadership in civil nuclear trade policy, he
coordinates whole-of-government strategies to position U.S. nuclear companies
as partners of choice in international markets. Adam's expertise includes
developing market-friendly policies that enable advanced technology deployment,
leading cross-functional teams across federal agencies, and building
multi-stakeholder partnerships that create opportunities for U.S. companies and
level the playing field against international competitors.
The following speakers are listed alphabetically by last name.
Todd Abrajano
President & Chief Executive Officer
United States Nuclear Industry Council
Todd Abrajano
President & Chief Executive Officer, United States Nuclear Industry Council
Todd Abrajano is the President & CEO of the United States Nuclear Industry Council where he serves as USNIC's chief advocate in its mission to advance the development and implementation of new nuclear technology and services to secure the U.S. economic supply chain in America and abroad. Additionally, he leads the promotion of USNIC’s vision to advance nuclear energy to be established, recognized, and accepted world-wide as an essential baseload, emissions-free, reliable, and clean energy source, as well as promoting the expansion of the use of nuclear for space, medical, propulsion and other advanced applications.
Previously, Mr. Abrajano was the Founder and President of Turning Point Public Affairs. For nearly 13 years, the firm assisted corporate, non-profit, and political clients with international markets and business development, government affairs, strategic communications, political strategy, and legislative and regulatory grassroots advocacy.
From 2017- 2021, Mr. Abrajano served as a senior-level presidential appointee in the U.S. Federal Government. He began his federal service at the U.S. Department of Commerce as the Department's White House Liaison and a top advisor to former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. In 2018, he transitioned to the U.S. Trade and Development Agency where he ultimately served as the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency, leading the Agency’s global export promotion efforts supporting U.S. jobs and businesses in priority development projects within emerging markets in the energy, transportation, ICT, healthcare and agribusiness sectors.
Natalia Amosova
Principal Consultant
Apollo + Nuclear
Natalia Amosova
Principal Consultant, Apollo + Nuclear
Natalia Amosova is a mechanical engineer with 15+ years experience in the nuclear industry. During her career Ms. Amosova has worked for major nuclear grade equipment providers in Europe and the United States where she was managing sales activities, project portfolios and business development activities for NPP new-build and long-term
operation initiatives across the globe. As a seasoned senior manager, Ms. Amosova also has experience in organizational aspects and strategic regulatory compliance efficiency. Today she is a principal consultant at Apollo Plus where she supports clients in the area of licensing, qualification, organizational excellence and SMR deployment globally. Ms. Amosova is a board member of Swiss nuclear association and a former board member of the European Nuclear Society.
Rian Bahran
Deputy Assistant Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
Rian Bahran
Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
Dr. Rian Bahran serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors overseeing a comprehensive portfolio that includes research, development, demonstration, and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors as well as cutting-edge technologies that underpin the technical and economic sustainability of the nation’s current commercial nuclear fleet.
A career member of the Senior Executive Service, Dr. Bahran began his career at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he spent over a decade as an experimentalist and as a program manager. Subsequently, he expanded his service through multiple administrations as a senior advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, providing strategic guidance on nuclear issues, energy, homeland defense and resilience, among other critical national security matters. For his exemplary performance, he received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Dr. Bahran also served as the assistant director for nuclear technology and strategy in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, leading policy development on issues related to nuclear fission and fusion energy, national security, and emerging technology to enhance resilience and bolster global competitiveness.
He holds a doctor of philosophy degree in nuclear science and engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, where his doctoral research was funded by the U.S. Naval Reactors in support of the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory Advanced Reactor Program. He also earned a dual B.S. in nuclear engineering and engineering physics from RPI.
Nineta Balas
Licensing and Permitting Director
Ropower
Michal Belianský
Vice-Chairman of the BoD of Newvys and Director of Development Projects Department
JAVYS
John Best
Project Director Nuclear Power Group
Sargent & Lundy/
U.S. Department of State FIRST Program
William Bizollon
Business Development Engineer
Holtec International
Rubén Bravo González
APX Supply Chain EMEA Projects Sr. Manager
Westinghouse Electric Company
Dominic Claudio
Director of Sales
Nuscale
Bertrand Deprez
Head of Policy and Government Afffairs
GE Vernova
Michael Donohue
Vice President of Data Center Solutions
Oklo
Andrei Goicea
Policy Director
Nuclear Europe
Tom Greatrex
Chief Executive Officer
Nuclear Industry Association
Tom Greatrex
Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Industry Association UK
Tom Greatrex has been the Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association on 1 February 2016. In that capacity, he is the leading representative of the UK’s civil nuclear energy sector and has the led the NIA through a time of unprecedented political interest in the deployment of nuclear technology.
Formerly MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, Tom was shadow energy minister from 2011 – 2015 and the opposition’s lead spokesman on nuclear energy, electricity market reform, smart grid and metering, carbon capture and storage, interconnection and both onshore and offshore oil and gas. He also served as a member of the Energy Select Committee from 2010 and from 2007-2010 was a policy adviser in the Scotland Office, including on energy.
In a varied prior career, he was Director of Corporate Affairs for the NHS in Scotland, a chief officer in local government and a GMB trade union official in England. Outside of work his main interests are family, football (Fulham) and film.
Yassin A. Hassan
Director
Center for Advanced Small Modular and Microreactors (CASMR)
Texas A&M University
Benjamin Holtzman
Director of New Nuclear
Nuclear Energy Institute
Michael Jedlička
CEZ, European Industrial Alliance on SMRs
Frédéric Lafosse
APX Supply Chain EMEA Projects Director
Westinghouse Electric Company
Chuck Lease
Program Manager - Nuclear Learning and Development
EPRI, U.S. Department of State FIRST Program
Peter Liška
Government Plenipotentiary for the Development of Nuclear Energy
Ministry of Economy
Slovak Republic
Rastislav Podhorec
Chairman
Slovak EXIM Bank
Robert Rudich
Chief Business Development Officer
Synthos
Tomáš Šimovič
Business Development Manager
Slovenské Elektrárne
Pavol Stuller
European Development Director
Amentum
Harri Varjonen
Executive Director
Finnuclear
Branislav Vrban
Professor
Slovak Technical University