Mr. Joel Spangenberg

Joel C. Spangenberg is a former federal agency head and member of the Senior Executive Service who has led organizations and advised senior decision-makers across the fields of national security, nuclear energy, advanced energy technologies, and infrastructure. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of Severn Readiness, a strategic advisory firm that helps organizations navigate the intersection of technology, government, and strategic investment.

Throughout his career, Mr. Spangenberg has focused on strengthening national readiness by connecting public institutions, industry, and emerging technologies to address complex strategic challenges. His work has consistently centered on helping organizations translate innovative ideas into practical, durable capabilities that advance the nation’s long-term security and resilience.

Most recently, Mr. Spangenberg served in the assistant secretary-level role of Acting Director of the U.S. Selective Service System. Earlier in his federal career, he served as the inaugural Executive Director of Operations at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Deputy Associate Administrator for External Affairs at the National Nuclear Security Administration, Associate Director of Governmental Affairs at Naval Reactors, and Deputy Staff Director and Professional Staff Member for a United States Senate subcommittee, where he led legislative and congressional oversight initiatives.

In the private sector, Mr. Spangenberg served as U.S. Country Head and Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs for CORE POWER, where he helped shape the emerging U.S. maritime nuclear sector and advanced national strategy and policy related to advanced nuclear technologies and maritime industrial capacity.

Mr. Spangenberg is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as a Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear). He graduated With Distinction from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering and earned master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Administrative Leadership, and National Security and Strategic Studies.

He currently serves as Senior Fellow for Nuclear Energy and Strategic Infrastructure at the American Council for Capital Formation and is a Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow with the Atlantic Council. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society, Senior Executives Association, and American Legion, and is a former Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Selected NAPA Thought Leadership

• Innovation through Agile Government at the Selective Service System
• How Intergovernmental Partnerships Advance Defense Readiness through the Selective Service System