Deep Fission Names ShawnTrell Scales as Its First Chief People Officer

Key Terms

small modular pressurized water reactors technical

Small modular pressurized water reactors (SM-PWRs) are compact nuclear power units that use pressurized water to transfer heat from a uranium-fueled core to a turbine system; they are designed as factory-built, standardized modules that can be combined or scaled on site. They matter to investors because the smaller, repeatable design aims to reduce upfront construction time and capital intensity—like buying prebuilt rooms instead of custom-building a house—affecting project costs, financing needs, and the revenue and risk profile of developers and suppliers.

nuclear safety design agreement regulatory

A nuclear safety design agreement is a formal contract that spells out how a nuclear facility’s design will meet safety rules, testing, and regulatory checks before it is built or operated. Investors care because the agreement is like a project’s safety blueprint and inspection plan: it reduces the chance of costly redesigns, regulatory delays, fines or shutdowns, and helps predict timelines, insurance needs and long‑term liability.

nrc-licensed regulatory

A facility, company, or activity described as "NRC-licensed" holds a formal permit issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to possess, use, transport, or operate nuclear materials or reactors. The license signals regulatory oversight, required safety controls, inspections, and conditions for operation—similar to a driver's license for handling radioactive materials—and affects operational costs, legal compliance, and risk profiles that matter to investors evaluating regulatory exposure.

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-- Veteran HR executive joins nuclear energy company to build the people function behind its mission to power humanity from a mile underground --

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Deep Fission, Inc. (Nasdaq: FISN) (“Deep Fission” or the “Company”), an advanced nuclear energy company developing small modular pressurized water reactors installed one mile underground, today announced the appointment of ShawnTrell Scales as Chief People Officer. She will lead the company's people strategy as Deep Fission aims to advance from first-of-a-kind demonstration to commercial deployment.

ShawnTrell brings more than 20 years of leadership across the energy, manufacturing, and agricultural technology sectors, with a track record of building people functions and driving culture in complex, global organizations. Most recently, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Farmer's Business Network, where she advanced through progressive leadership roles before taking on the enterprise-wide People function. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at Matthews International, LINN Energy, and QEP Resources, partnering directly with boards and executive teams to strengthen organizational performance in high-growth environments. She holds a degree in Business Management, with a concentration in Human Resources, from Southern Nazarene University.

“ShawnTrell has built HR functions from the ground up in fast-growing, highly regulated organizations, and she knows how to create structure while maintaining agility,” said Liz Muller, CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Fission. “We are still early in our journey, and the decisions we make about how we hire, develop, and support our people now will shape the company for decades. ShawnTrell is exactly the kind of leader we need as Deep Fission enters this next chapter.”

“Deep Fission is doing something genuinely new and exciting,” said ShawnTrell Scales, Chief People Officer at Deep Fission. “What drew me here is the mission and the culture behind it – a team that believes in transparency and boldness and in leaving things better than they found them. I’m looking forward to building the structure and support this team will need as we grow.”

The appointment reflects Deep Fission's continued growth as the company works toward delivering its first full-power reactor in 2027. The Company recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Energy for its Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for its Gravity™ Nuclear Reactor, a step forward as it advances its deployment program as part of the Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Program. It intends to convert the demonstration reactor to an NRC-licensed commercial system.

As Chief People Officer, ShawnTrell will be responsible for talent strategy, organizational design, employee relations, and culture as the Company scales its workforce to meet that growth.

About Deep Fission

Deep Fission is developing technology that places a small modular pressurized water reactor in a borehole approximately one mile underground. The Company’s Gravity Nuclear Reactor™ approach combines established pressurized water reactor technology with a novel underground deployment model designed to simplify construction, enhance safety, and support scalable commercial deployment. Deep Fission is focused on delivering reliable, low-carbon baseload power to meet growing electricity demand from utilities, industrial customers, and data centers. The Company is currently advancing the development of its first reactor project in Parsons, Kansas, and was selected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Deep Fission’s business strategy, technology development plans, potential commercial deployments, potential demand represented by non-binding LOIs, expected regulatory activities, planned project milestones, potential commercialization, potential revenue recognition, and the timing, feasibility, scalability, safety, and performance of the Company’s technology. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.

Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, risks related to the Company’s early stage of development; the non-binding nature of the LOIs; the Company’s ability to negotiate and enter into definitive commercial agreements; technical, engineering, drilling, construction, regulatory, licensing, financing, supply chain, and deployment risks; the Company’s ability to obtain required approvals from the NRC, DOE, and other governmental authorities; market adoption of the Company’s technology; and the other risks described under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in Deep Fission’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Deep Fission undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260825759037/en/

Media Contact
Chloe Frader
media@deepfission.com

Investor Relations Contact
Bob Prag
IR@deepfission.com
(858) 794-9500
Elevate IR
(720) 330-2829

Source: Deep Fission, Inc.