Matthew Moury, who has worked on nuclear safety issues for much of his civilian career, took over as director of the Energy Department’s Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security in May 2014.

Moury’s father, Roger, was a naval officer. Moury graduated from Fairfield High School in Lancaster, Ohio, in 1978 and went on to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. He earned his B.S. in ocean engineering in 1982, then served as a nuclear-trained submarine officer.

In 1992, Moury joined the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board as a group lead and served in a number of senior leadership positions at the DNFSB for nearly two decades. That agency is responsible for monitoring and advising the Energy Department’s management of defense nuclear facilities. It is charged with ensuring the implementation of department health and safety standards by energy officials and to issue advisory recommendations regarding work at facilities.

During the early years of his service at the DNFSB, Moury earned two master’s degrees from the University of Maryland—an MBA in 1994 and an M.S. in reliability engineering in 1997.

Moury in 2011 was appointed as deputy assistant secretary for safety, security and quality programs in the Office of Environmental Management. He held that job until being appointed Associate Under Secretary.

In 2014, Moury gave the Energy Department’s response to the firing by a contractor of whistleblower Donna Busche, who reported on unsafe cleanup practices at the Hanford nuclear facility. Moury said the department had nothing to do with the dismissal of Busche by her employer, URS.

Moury remained in the Naval Reserve after leaving active duty and retired with the rank of captain.

Moury’s wife, Jan, came from the same Ohio town of Lancaster. They have a daughter, Kaelynn, and a son, Cameron, who, like his father, is a Naval Academy graduate.

-Steve Straehley

To Learn More:

Official Biography

Nuclear Site Safety Official Fired After Her Repeated Warnings of Safety Problems (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)