Loren Friedel is the Nuclear Energy Liaison to the U.S. Department of Energy, Arctic Energy Office (AE). In this role she will coordinate engagement around nuclear energy, civil nuclear power, technology development, workforce training, and the Alaska Nuclear Working Group. Loren is on loan from January 2025-January 2026 from the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), where she is the Chief of Staff, supporting the Office of the Manager for the implementation of NE’s strategic goals in research, development, demonstration, and deployment of modern innovations in civil nuclear energy for NE and at the Idaho National Laboratory and the administration of approximately $425 million of annual nuclear energy related acquisitions and financial assistance awards. At DOE-ID, Loren was involved in the Portable Energy for Lasting Effect (PELE) project for the Department of Defense, Strategic Capabilities Office, with a goal to design, build, and demonstrate a mobile microreactor. She also supported the Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) project, with a goal to develop a small-scale microreactor that provides a platform to test unique operational aspects and application of microreactors.
Loren has been with the Department of Energy since 2016 and served in avariety of capacities, including as a Program Manager for the DOE-ID Reactor Programs & Space Power and Fuel Cycle Technologies, Attorney Advisor at the Office of the Chief Counsel, providing legal support for fiscal law issues and nuclear energy related procurements, acquisitions, and financial assistance awards, Energy Justice Advisor, and has played a major role in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation, Civil Nuclear Credit Program, supporting the Grid Deployment Office. Prior to Idaho, Loren worked at the NE, Office of International Energy Policy and Cooperation, Office of Bilateral, Multilateral and Commercial Cooperation in Washington D.C. as a Foreign Affairs Specialist, where she managed civil nuclear activities for portfolio countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Taiwan. Before entering the Department of Energy, Loren was a stockbroker in the private sector for Merrill Lynch and served on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard as an Attorney-Advisor at the Office of General Counsel, Offices of Environmental Law and Claims and Litigation.
Loren earned her Bachelor of Arts from The University of the South, her Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, her Juris Doctorate from the Roger Williams University School of Law, her Master of Laws in Admiralty from Tulane University Law School, and her Master of Laws in National Security (with distinction) from Georgetown University Law Center. Loren is admitted to practice law by the Maryland State Court of Appeals and holds Contracting Officer’s Representative Level 3 and Technical Project Officer Level 2 certifications.