Joel C. Spangenberg is a 2025-2026 Veterans Advanced Energy fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and is the US country head and vice president of US operations and government affairs at CORE POWER. A former member of the senior executive service, he served in senior roles in the federal government including as acting director of the US Selective Service System (SSS), 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, chief of staff of SSS, and special assistant to the deputy secretary of veterans affairs.
Spangenberg also led legislative and oversight efforts as a subcommittee deputy staff director and professional staff member on the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Early in his career, he served as a surface warfare officer (nuclear) in the US Navy, which included deployments aboard the USS Ross (DDG 71) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
Spangenberg holds a bachelor of science degree in systems engineering and was a member of the men’s heavyweight rowing team from the US Naval Academy. He earned master’s degrees from the US Naval War College, the University of Oklahoma, and Old Dominion University. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a member of the American Nuclear Society, a certified defense financial manager, and a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
