The Westinghouse’s Women in Nuclear (WIN) Pittsburgh chapter received U.S. WIN’s Chapter Excellence Award for Large Chapter-Culture of Inclusion and Belonging at the 2025 U.S WIN Conference in New Orleans.
The award highlights the chapter's commitment to fostering a motivated community within the nuclear sector. This marks the third consecutive year the WIN Pittsburgh chapter has been celebrated with an Excellence Award at the U.S. WIN Conference, previously winning the Community Outreach award in 2023 and 2024.
Our global footprint comes with a responsibility to foster positive change wherever we operate. This commitment is exemplified by the WIN Pittsburgh chapter, which leads public outreach in western Pennsylvania, home to our global headquarters and more than 2,000 of our 11,000 employees. By focusing locally, we leverage our resources and influence to drive meaningful change that starts at home and extends across the global industry.
Founded in 1993, Women in Nuclear Global was created to support women working in various roles across the nuclear industry – operating in over 109 countries with approximately 35,000 members.
Looking back: The Westinghouse WIN Pittsburgh chapter is one of the earliest in U.S. WIN history, dating back more than 20 years, and continues to be a leader in public outreach. In fact, a Westinghouse employee attended the first-ever U.S. WIN conference back in 1999! This very meeting is where U.S. WIN was established, and it has now expanded to over 65 chapters across the United States.
This year, our chapter was recognized for their community work and collaboration with other Employee Resource Groups, such as Westinghouse’s North American Young Generation in Nuclear and the Pittsburgh American Nuclear Society.
“Winning this award means a lot to the chapter,” shared Ashley McKendry, Vice Chair of Westinghouse WIN’s Pittsburgh Chapter. “It’s a recognition of our efforts to create a welcoming environment across numerous Pittsburgh Westinghouse sites.”
Along with winning the national award, Westinghouse took center stage on panels during this year’s conference, including Lou Martinez Sancho, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Vice President of R&D and Innovation, speaking on the opening plenary panel, America's Nuclear Moment: Lead at Home, Win Abroad, and Jorie Walters, an Acting Manager for Westinghouse Product Engineering, speaking on the Future of Fuel technical panel.
Left: Lou Martinez Sancho speaking on the opening plenary panel; Right: Jorie Walters speaking on a fuel technical panel.
Westinghouse also takes part in WIN’s year-long Executive Leadership Program: Nuclear Executives of Tomorrow (NEXT).
The NEXT program empowers executive-level leaders in the nuclear industry by offering experiential learning opportunities and fostering strong professional networks. Participants gain executive leadership skills, broaden their strategic perspectives and play active roles in fostering a sustainable future.
Westinghouse has had regular participation in the NEXT program since its inception. This year, Laura Goossen, a Westinghouse Customer Account Executive, joined her NEXT25 cohort to present their capstone project – Nuclear Connect – and commemorated the program with the WIN NEXT25 graduation.
Left: WIN NEXT25 graduation; Right: Laura Goossen and her NEXT25 cohort presenting their capstone; Bottom: NEXT25 after their capstone.
Join a Westinghouse U.S. WIN chapter in your region to connect with the nuclear community and access professional development and networking.
For all the details, visit our website.
Header photo: Westinghouse WIN Pittsburgh members holding their Chapter Excellence award at the 2025 U.S WIN Conference