For Immediate Release
Contact: Sonya Johnson
Sonya.Johnson@orcc.doe.gov
(702) 219-1073
UCOR Chief of Staff named as UT Chancellor’s Associate
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, July 22, 2019 – UCOR is proud to announce that Chief of Staff Ashley Hartman Saunders has been named to the 2020 class of the University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Associates. Saunders, a 2010 graduate of UT’s College of Communication and Information, will serve a three-year term in the program.
Formed in 1972, the Chancellor’s Associates are a cadre of East Tennessee leaders who work to cultivate and enhance greater public understanding and support between the university and the greater Knoxville community. They meet regularly with Chancellor Donde Plowman as well as vice chancellors, deans, students, and administrators.
Upon receiving the invitation to join the class, Saunders said, “I am honored and excited to be named to this important program. As a UT graduate, I fully support the University’s mission and look forward to being able to share UT’s value throughout East Tennessee.”
Saunders serves as chief of staff for more than 1,800 workers at UCOR. The Amentum-led partnership with Jacobs is the lead cleanup contractor for the DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. In her role, Saunders is responsible for coordinating the resources required to deliver the President’s vision. She oversees the External Affairs, Communications and Community Affairs Office; Administrative Professional Services; and Government and Stakeholder Interface. Prior to joining UCOR in 2015, Saunders was Program Director for the East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC),
UCOR president Ken Rueter said Saunders will be a valuable asset to the UT program. “Ashley will bring with her the same commitment to excellence that she displays daily at UCOR. She is a vital member of our senior management team and a critical part of our success.”
UCOR, an Amentum-led partnership with Jacobs, is the DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management’s lead environmental cleanup partner. Since August 2011, UCOR has worked to reduce environmental risk by
cleaning up legacy facilities from the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, allowing DOE to repurpose the
land and buildings for use as a multi-purpose industrial park, national park, and conservation area. The
company is also cleaning up contaminated facilities that are no longer in use at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex, reducing environmental risk and helping the DOE Office of Science and the National Nuclear Security Administration to continue their missions.
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