Syreeta Vaughn
Syreeta Vaughn is a seasoned senior nuclear facility safety analyst with over 19years of experience, currently leading Special Projects in ORNL’s Nuclear Facility Safety Division. Her expertise has been integral to critical programs at prestigious institutions, including the Y-12 National Nuclear Security Complex, Pantex Plant, Savannah River Site, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
With a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Florida State University, dual master’s degrees in Geology and Industrial & Systems Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and as a Ph.D. student in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, Syreeta combines a strong academic foundation with practical expertise to drive innovation and safety in the nuclear sector.
A dedicated member of the American Nuclear Society, Syreeta has also demonstrated exceptional leadership at ORNL, serving in key roles within the Women’s Alliance Council, African American Resource Council, and ORNL Gives 2024 campaign. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and leadership drives her to explore a world of possibilities, continually advancing safety practices and operational standards in the nuclear industry.
Isaac B. Mitchell
Isaac Mitchell is an experienced operations leader and change agent with a career focus in driving change utilizing Lean methodologies in organizations ranging from automotive manufacturing, machining operations, and healthcare systems. He is the Vice President of Enterprise Program Management and Operational Excellence at Ballad Health and a guest lecturer at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from The University of Tennessee.
Additionally, he holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification through the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification through the Project Management Institute, is a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) through the Scrum Alliance, is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)® through the National Association for Healthcare Quality, a Diplomate (DSHS) in the Society for Health Systems, and is a Fellow (FACHE) in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He served as Vice President on the Technical Operations Board for the Institute of Industrial and System Engineers, is the Past President for the Institute of Industrial and System Engineer’s Society for Health Systems, and sits on the Communications Committee for the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) East Tennessee Health Executives Affiliation.
Additionally, Isaac volunteers as a student mentor for the Tennessee Promise College Scholarship. He enjoys building networks and learning collaboratives of Lean professionals through his Lean Book Club and Lean Coffee Club. Through collaborating with all levels of the organization, Isaac works to understand the current condition and develop solutions to complex problems. His passion and focus are implementing Lean techniques combined with technological solutions to improve healthcare processes and outcomes for both patients and providers. For more information on his background, please visit www.IsaacBMitchell.com.
Melvin Kirk
Melvin Kirk is a transcendent award winning business leader that is renown for reengineering or transforming business operations at some of America’s Most Admired Corporations. Mel started his career as an Industrial Engineer at Merck Pharmaceutical Company. Three years into an accelerated engineering progression at Merck, he aspired to understand broader aspects of business management which lead to his decision to pursue an MBA full-time in ‘91. Upon his return to corporate America, he stepped into progressively challenging responsibilities in Operational Excellence, Corporate Strategy, Business Transformation, Services Operations as well as Product and IT Technology Executive Leadership.
Mel’s unique experiences delivering creative solutions and impactful results while harmonizing people, process and technology led to him being tasked to solve difficult first generation problems at companies like General Mills, GE and Ryder. Mel has recently retired as Chief Technology Officer/Senior Vice President at Ryder with responsibilities for developing forward looking product solutions like Transportation Management & Data Analytics Platforms, Electric and Autonomous Trucks, Mobile Maintenance Solutions and AI Based Maintenance Management. Along his journey, Mel has been consistently recognized by his companies, the industry and his peers for the breadth of his accomplishments as highlighted by his being named GE’s Executive ICON for Operations, the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers’ (ISE) Captain Of Industry and being inducted into UTK – Tickle College of Engineering ISE Hall of Honor.