Executive Leadership
Lewis Von Thaer
President & CEO
Lewis "Lou" Von Thaer is the President and CEO of Battelle. Lou began his technology career with AT&T Bell Laboratories, spent a number of years at General Dynamics, then joined Leidos, Inc. as President of the company’s National Security Sector. Before joining Battelle, Lou served as CEO of DynCorp International. Lou holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Rutgers University.
Lou serves as board chair of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, UT-Battelle (operator of Oak Ridge National Laboratory), AmplifyBio, and National Veterans Memorial and Museum, and on the boards of Ambri, and American Electric Power. He is a member of The Ohio State University Board of Trustees and serves on the advisory boards of InnovateOhio and the American Council for Capital Formation. Lou also is a member of the Ohio Columbus Partnership Executive Committee.
Kristina Arcara
Chief Audit Executive
Kristina Arcara is the Chief Audit Executive and is responsible for directing internal audit activity to support the organization in achieving its strategic and operational objectives. Kristina assists management in identifying and mitigating risk, promoting continuous improvement initiatives, and by providing risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and insight. Kristina recently served as Associate General Counsel for Applied Science & Technology for Battelle.
Prior to joining Battelle, Kristina worked for Northrop Grumman where her practice centered on contracting with the U.S. and foreign governments, compliance and performance issues, international trade, and intellectual property protection. Kristina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hiram College and a J.D./M.B.A. degree from Cleveland - Marshall College of Law.
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Russell Austin
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Battelle Board of Directors
Russ Austin is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Battelle Board of Directors. Russ, who joined Battelle in 2001, was formerly a partner in the Columbus office of Arter & Hadden, where he was a member of the Corporate and Securities Law Practice Group. Prior to joining Arter & Hadden, Russ was a partner with the Columbus law firm of Schwartz, Kelm, Warren & Rubenstein, where he practiced corporate and securities law. Russ earned a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and a law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law.
Chris Boynton
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Chris Boynton serves as Chief Financial Officer. He came to Battelle from Raytheon, where he served in leadership roles of increasing responsibilities after joining the company in 2003. Most recently, he was Chief Financial Officer in Raytheon's Missiles & Defense division. Prior to that, Chris served as Vice President for Raytheon’s Enterprise Services organization and Senior Director of Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis. He began his tenure at Raytheon as the Senior Financial Analyst for the Integrated Defense Systems division. Chris holds a master’s degree in finance from Suffolk University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire and is a CFA Charterholder.
Wes Hall
Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Education
Wes Hall is Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Education and directs Battelle’s efforts to expand STEM learning opportunities for all students through philanthropy and education initiatives. These efforts include oversight of the partnerships with the Metro Schools, the Ohio STEM Learning Network, the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, and the national STEMx network. Wes joined Battelle in 2012 as director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network and later served as the executive director of STEMx, working with 21 states to advance STEM learning. Wes holds a bachelor’s degree and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He currently serves on the boards of the PAST Foundation, the YMCA of Central Ohio, and the national STEM Education Coalition and in an advisory capacity for the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University and the Board of Advisors for the University of Tennessee’s Master of Public Policy and Administration program.
Mike Haney
Chief Information Officer
Mike Haney is Chief Information Officer and he and his team are responsible for strategically aligning and advancing corporate application development, infrastructure platforms, development initiatives and cyber security across the enterprise. A key component of this position entails leveraging new and emerging trends and concepts to more cost effectively provide business solutions. Mike is a veteran technology leader with over 30 years of experience in the aerospace, defense, and government services industry. Most recently, Mike served as the CIO at SOSi, the largest private, family-owned and operated technology and services integrator in the aerospace, defense and government services industry. Prior to SOSi, Mike was the Senior Director of Enterprise Systems Delivery with Booz Allen Hamilton. He earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems from James Madison University.
Patrick Jarvis
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Patrick Jarvis is Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. He is responsible for setting and implementing a cohesive strategy to drive growth across Battelle’s businesses by earning thought leadership and customer loyalty and engaging Battelle’s 20,000 employees around the world. Prior to joining Battelle, Patrick worked for General Electric where he held a variety of roles with increasing responsibilities at GE Healthcare, GE Transportation and GE Global Research. His team leads Battelle’s marketing communications, branding, employee communications, media relations, and community affairs activities. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Aimee Kennedy
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Aimee Kennedy is Senior Vice President of Human Resources and is responsible for the development of talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, employee and leadership development, succession management, organizational effectiveness and diversity and inclusion.
Prior to this role, Aimee served as the Senior Vice President for Education and Philanthropy at Battelle. Before joining Battelle in 2013, Aimee was the Chief Administrative Officer for Metro Early College. She first joined the school in 2007 as a classroom teacher.
Aimee holds a bachelor’s degree from Malone College in Communications, a master’s degree in Education from the University of Akron, and a PhD in Education Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University. She serves on the boards of Battelle for Kids, KIPP Columbus, COSI (Columbus’s Center of Science and Industry), the Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA), and other National Laboratory Human Resources and compensation committees.
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Mark Peters
Executive Vice President, Laboratory Management &Operations
Mark Peters serves as Executive Vice President of Laboratory Management & Operations and is responsible for governance and oversight of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security national laboratories for which Battelle has a significant lab management role. Prior to joining Battelle, he was the director of Idaho National Laboratory and president of Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, a large, multipurpose laboratory whose mission focuses on nuclear energy, national and homeland security, and energy and environmental science and technology.
Previously, he served as the associate laboratory director for Energy and Global Security at Argonne National Laboratory. In 2021, he was elected as a member of The National Academy of Engineering (NAE), for leadership and contributions to advancing US nuclear energy capabilities and infrastructure. He was honored as a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) in 2015, for outstanding accomplishments in the area of nuclear science and technology. He served on the ANS Public Policy Committee and the executive committee of the ANS Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division. Mark received his doctorate in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in geology from Auburn University.
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Matt Vaughan
President, Applied Science & Technology
Matt Vaughan is President of the Applied Science & Technology Group. Matt came to Battelle from Leidos, Inc. where he served as a Senior Vice President within the Health business, and was responsible for growing the company's health products and solutions. In his six years with Leidos, Matt also held senior management positions with the company’s Integrated Systems Group, the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, and the company’s Government Affairs practice. Prior to Leidos, Matt spent 13 years with BAE (Sanders) Systems in program management, quality and government affairs roles. He began his professional career as a legislative assistant and legislative director for former United States Congressman Charles Bass. Matt holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s degree in technology management from the University of New Hampshire.
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Storm Woods
Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Storm Woods serves as Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). She previously worked with L Brands and Victoria’s Secret/PINK where she led work to drive positive results by engaging diverse customers and associates, ensuring equitable business practices, and fostering a culture of inclusion. Prior to joining L Brands, she worked with Big Lots and Teavana, a subsidiary of Starbucks.
After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the Ohio State University, Storm earned her master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Franklin University where she focused her studies on the strategic implementation of programs targeted to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion.
With experience working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, Storm uses her education, experience, and skills to partner with business leaders to embed DEI concepts and practices, provide guidance and oversight to Employee Resource Groups, develop and deliver compelling learning, and execute events and programs that drive inclusive recruitment, engagement, and retention.
She was raised in a military family and spent most of her childhood in Waterford, Michigan before relocating to Columbus, Ohio to accept a position as a performer with the theatre company, Shadowbox Live.
Storm also serves on the board for Kaleidoscope Youth Center and the Advisory Board of the African American Leadership Academy.
Connect with Storm Woods on LinkedIN
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