Hanford Mission Integration Solutions

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Amy Basche President & General Manager (Key Personnel)		Amy Basche first worked at Hanford as part of the re-start of the 242-A Evaporator Facility. In more than 30 years since, she’s held roles as a training coordinator, manager for Tank Farm contractors and strategic planner. In the last decade, Basche served in a variety of executive management roles. She has an MBA from City University and is a diehard Gonzaga Bulldogs fan. She runs on coffee, enjoys party planning and tracing her ancestry. Basche has been a classroom volunteer for Junior Achievement for more than 20 years and served on the JA Board of Directors for eight years. She also serves on the board for the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.		Tom Fletcher Chief Operations Officer (Key Personnel)		With more than 20 years of government experience, Tom Fletcher has successfully managed and executed innovative and complex construction projects. During his time with DOE, Fletcher served as the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program manager and the federal project director for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. He also led teams in the private sector, delivering strategic solutions for complex challenges. Fletcher holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Washington State University and is a licensed professional engineer. An avid outdoorsman, Tom can often be found boating, exploring the backcountry by foot and 4x4, or snow skiing. He and his wife also enjoy spending time with their two grown daughters.

	Ryan Burdo Chief Financial Officer	Ryan Burdo has over 15 years of experience, and over a decade in management supporting Department of Energy contracts. Burdo spent several years in management positions supporting Hanford’s Mission Support Contract and has extensive knowledge in managing financial compliance, performance and strategy. Burdo holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with majors in accounting and finance, from Washington State University.			Rick Boarder Vice President of Infrastructure and Site Services	In addition to serving as the deputy vice president for I&SS, Rick Boarder has led operational organizations within Electrical Utilities, Water & Sewer Utilities, the Effluent Treatment Facility and the waste retrieval project in his more than 15 years at Hanford. A U.S. Army veteran, Boarder served as both a non-commissioned and commissioned officer. Boarder holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering of technology from Central Washington University. He enjoys spending time with his three daughters, watching his youngest play NCAA Division 1 hockey, and going to concerts.

	Chris Burke Vice President of Business & Prime Contract Administration	Chris Burke has nearly 30 years of experience in leading teams and delivering products, with 25 of those years at Hanford. He has a strong background in project management, prime contract management, cost estimating and implementation of procurement of materials and services requirements. Burke holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. Burke has a love for golf and music, and during football season he’ll be cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers.			Diane Cato Vice President Mission Assurance	After managing engineering activities at both Savannah River and Idaho DOE sites, Diane Cato first worked at Hanford as part of the Tank Farms contract transition. She has more than 35 years of experience in DOE facility engineering and operations and an MBA from NOVA Southeastern University. Cato serves as board president of Safe Harbor Support Center, and she and her husband enjoy traveling in their free time.


	Todd Eckman Senior Vice President of Information Management Services	Todd Eckman has spent three decades in the information technology field and “lives, breathes and dreams about IT.” Eckman is a graduate of Perry Technical Institute and supports a number of local non-profits, including Second Harvest, United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties and the Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities. He enjoys spending time with his family (including grandchildren and pets), hiking, watching sports and playing pool volleyball.			David Chase Senior Vice President of Safeguards, Security and Emergency Response (Key Personnel)	David Chase is a decorated Army veteran who has served in numerous domestic postings as well as in Germany, Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq. Chase has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nevada at Reno. This experience assists in his role overseeing Hanford Patrol, the Hanford Fire Department and Emergency Operations Center. Chase is a history buff and has visited most Civil War battlefields and made many trips to Little Bighorn. He and his wife have five children and one grandchild.

	Carrie Meyer Chief of Staff	Carrie Meyer has more than 30 years of experience in communications, policy development, marketing and public affairs in the government, engineering and nuclear power industries. Meyer has been a strategic partner in many of her leadership roles supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management and the Secretary of Energy. She has served as the director of communications for the Hanford Site as well as DOE’s Office of Environmental Management, leading strategic communications to educate, inform and engage various audiences on DOE’s cleanup mission. Meyer has a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in English and psychology.			Jason Gessner Chief of Patrol, Hanford Patrol	Chief Jason Gessner joined Hanford Patrol after serving in the U.S. Navy for eight years. He has been with Patrol for 20 years, working his way through the ranks. Jason spent most of his career within the Special Response Team (SRT) program, starting as a team member, before earning promotions to SRT supervisor and SRT Commander. Most recently, Jason has served as the Deputy Chief of Patrol Operations. Jason has a Master’s degree in Psychology, with specialization in conflict resolution and crisis management. Jason enjoys spending time with his family, along with backpacking and riding his motorcycles.


	Julie Lindstrom Vice President of Workforce Solutions	Julie Lindstrom first started on the Hanford Site more than 25 years ago, beginning as a co-op intern. Her passion is in human resources, where she has served since 2007 in various roles. Julie’s most proud of the diversity and inclusion initiatives she’s helped implement in recent years including the launch of a women’s network intended to empower employees and provide avenues for professional growth. Julie’s mentored many employees through the STEPS program and volunteers her time to job seekers through WorkSource Columbia Basin and Delta High School. Away from work, Julie has coached youth soccer, enjoys snowmobiling, and spending time at their family’s cabin with her husband and two kids. Julie cherishes her role on the board for the Children’s Developmental Center and also enjoys fundraising opportunities for Junior Achievement.			Nickolus (Nick) Thomas Fire Chief, Hanford Fire Department	Chief Nick Thomas has been on the Hanford Site for more than 12 years, working as the assistant chief of training and the deputy chief of fire operations. Chief Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Waldorf University and an associate degree of fire science from Columbia Southern University. He is among 1,875 worldwide credentialed through the Center of Public Safety and Excellence as a chief fire officer. Chief Thomas started his fire service career in the United States Air Force. Chief Thomas and his wife Cassandra have five children, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. He coaches the Kamiakin High School Girls basketball team and actively volunteers his time to mentor future firefighters through participation in Chiawana High School Career Days.


		A North Carolina native, Daryl Witherspoon earned his juris doctorate from Valparaiso and served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Army, with duty stations in the U.S. and abroad, including Germany, Kuwait and Afghanistan. It’s a far cry from Witherspoon’s first job as a school bus driver at age 16! Daryl and his wife have three grown daughters who live on the east coast, and in his free time, Daryl can be found skateboarding or flying drones.				Grant Ryan has more than 30 years of engineering and project management experience at the Hanford Site. He specializes in engineering, regulatory program management and field implementation, nuclear facility licensing and risk analysis at Department of Energy facilities. Grant holds two bachelor’s degrees (in physics and nuclear engineering), a master’s degree in engineering management from WSU and is certified as both a project management professional and a professional engineer. He enjoys spending time with his family and attending concerts. Grant is an active volunteer with Junior Achievement, Hanford Engineers Week, the Boys & Girls Clubs and has donated more than 24 gallons of platelets to the American Red Cross.
	Daryl Witherspoon Chief Counsel				Grant Ryan Senior Vice President of Engineering & Projects (Key Personnel)


			....		Daniel Sauceda Vice President of Interface & Integration Services	Daniel Sauceda has more than 30 years of experience in Department of Energy environmental cleanup work across the full spectrum of the One Hanford mission. With a strong operations background, Daniel works with multiple stakeholders to ensure safe and reliable services at Hanford. He holds an associate degree in Hazardous Materials Technology and a bachelor’s in environmental management with an emphasis in business. Daniel also proudly serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin counties and is involved in numerous other volunteer efforts and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Last Updated 06/13/2025 2:02 PM