Behind the scenes at the Nuclear Waste Program

In this edition of Behind the Scenes at the Nuclear Waste Program, we hear from Daina McFadden, our permit communications specialist.

What's the fuss with comment periods?

Daina McFadden is part of our communications section. She is the person who makes sure that all the required documents to notify the public of a comment period are available on time and meet Ecology standards.

This work includes helping permit staff write focus sheets, writing newspaper ads, and keeping the Nuclear Waste Program's (NWP) public comment period page up to date.

So, what are comment periods?

A comment period is when there is a modification to a permit or a permit renewal with requirements to provide the public an opportunity to review the changes and submit input. Daina makes sure members of the public have all the information they need to comment.

Once a comment period is over, Daina makes sure comments are considered and responded to. She helps the permit staff craft and publish a response to comments document.

Daina is also the program's publication coordinator, ensuring that all documents published by the program meet Ecology's guidance and requirements.

"The wealth of information we get from the public involvement permitting process helps us make decisions that will determine the future of the Hanford Site," Daina said.

She also feels a great responsibility by being part of the team that will oversee and work on the newest iteration of the Hanford Sitewide Permit, Revision 9A.

A day in the life

"Asking a lot of questions, making checklists, tracking dates and piecing processes together are just some of the things that makes my job fun," Daina said.

Daina has been with the NWP for 17 years. She began her work in a Secretary Senior position for the Program Administration Section which later morphed into the Tri Party Agreement Section. In 2012, she moved to a Technical Editor position. Finally, in 2017, she joined the Communications Section.

Daina enjoys the interactions with her peers at work, the public, and the communities and groups that we interact with.

"I get to work with a variety of people - permit writers, managers, and the equivalent positions at Department of Energy, and that makes my days busy. Most of the time I am checking on comment periods coming up, tracking documents, emailing back and forth, and hashing out details," she said.

Her day is sometimes filled with meetings and different projects.

Daina also supports the Hanford Advisory Board by keeping the board updated on current comment periods and giving presentations and workshops. She is an accessibility super-user and a graphic designer for publications and social media!

Despite her busy role, she still finds time for things that bring her joy. "At lunch time I make a coffee run with my dog Fiona. She likes to say it's for my coffee, but it really is for her biscuit," she said.

Background and current job

Daina is a classical studies major in ancient civilizations. She took Latin, ancient Greek and wanted to teach ancient history and literature to high school students.

While her initial dream job was to be a teacher, she's come to realize that she has opportunities to educate regardless of what role she's in.

The military has impacted a lot of Daina's life. As a young kid she moved quite a bit. Later in life she married someone serving in the military. As a result, Daina has a lot of unique lived experience that have shaped who she is.

Some of her previous job experiences included working at a food court mall, movie theatre, car dealership, bank, hospitals, and other state and federal agencies.

One draw to Ecology for Daina is the work-life balance.

"Ecology cares for their workers as people not just as workers. I found that throughout my career at Ecology, the work is important but if you have something going on in your personal life they support you, and if you have accomplishments in your personal life they celebrate with you," she said.

Fun galore & accomplishments

In her free time, Daina enjoys making jewelry, playing video games, reading, and spending time with her Schipperke, Fiona.

As a young kid Daina and her dad volunteered as amateur clowns at hospitals and cheered up patients. Sparky and Sparklette were a real dynamic duo! This is when she found her interest in special effect makeup.

Daina also has an extraordinary ability to make people feel at home with her warm personality and fun humor.

At work, Daina has been recognized and awarded certificates for various accomplishments throughout her years at Ecology.

When her ex-husband was in the Coast Guard, she got recognized for her role as Ombudsman for the USCGC Healy. Daina was responsible for letting family members at home know the status of their loved ones on the ship.

"They needed someone who could contact the families when updates needed to be provided. I maintained a website, schedules, and post pictures on the web page." Daina said.

For the future generations

As many of the NWP employees, Daina is grateful for the opportunities she's had through her career.

"Get as many job experiences in as many disciplines as you can. Don't be afraid to be in a job and find a better one, or a completely different job later." Daina said.

She also said volunteering opportunities can offer experience and professional opportunities down the road.

Her growth within Ecology has been one that didn't go unnoticed.

By gaining experience in different areas, Daina is now a key member of the team. The permitting work at Hanford is complex and requires patience and the right personality to overcome challenges.

"I am familiar with what we are doing to make sure that the cleanup process continues. I have lots of faith in my coworkers. Over time I have worked with all sorts of experts, and I know what they do and how thorough they are," Daina said. "At the end of the day, everybody is doing the best that they can do."

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