Leadership

Donna Jacobs is the site vice president at the Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Louisiana. Prior, Jacobs was senior vice president of planning, development and oversight, for Entergy Nuclear since March 2008.

Jacobs has more than 22 years of experience in the nuclear profession. Her background includes leadership positions in engineering, operations, work control, project management and a variety of roles in maintenance. Most recently, she was vice president of nuclear services for Pacific Gas and Electric Company in Avila Beach, Calif., where she was responsible for long-term equipment excellence, engineering, large capital projects, technical and support functions, and the seismic performance of all company assets.

Jacobs holds the distinction of being the first woman plant manager of a U.S. nuclear power facility and served as vice president of operations at Wolf Creek Generating Station. Noteworthy was her lead role in significantly improving safety and human performance and attaining top quartile performance in collective radiation dose exposure.

Jacobs was the 2006 recipient of the Women In Nuclear “Global Woman of the Year Award,” the first American to do so, and is a regular speaker at national nuclear venues, mentoring women and young professionals in the field. She serves on the Institute of Nuclear Power Organizations Strategic Advisory Board for the Future of Learning.

The American Nuclear Society honored Jacobs as the 2009 winner of the Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women's Achievement Award for technical leadership, lifetime achievement and outstanding contributions to the field.

She received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Wichita State University; a master’s of business administration at Emporia State University; and has earned senior nuclear reactor operator certification.

A native of Wichita, Kan., she and her husband, Ron, have a daughter and a son and live in Madison, Miss.

Updated 09/2011