COLUMBUS, Ohio– Battelle announced that Deborah (Deb) Gracio has been appointed director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), effective October 1. She succeeds Steven Ashby, who earlier this year said he would step down. Battelle operates PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Gracio, a 35-year veteran of PNNL, was chosen following a competitive national search. She currently serves as associate laboratory director for national security, where she oversees a broad portfolio advancing national and global security missions.
“Deb is a visionary leader with deep scientific roots and a steadfast commitment to mission,” said Lou Von Thaer, president and CEO of Battelle. “Her insight, experience, and dedication to advancing science in service to the nation make her the ideal leader for PNNL’s future.”
Gracio is widely recognized for pioneering research in computational science, including the development of instrumentation, models and software that shaped two DOE Office of Science national user facilities. She also played a central role in advancing programs that leverage computation for scientific discovery and helped drive adoption of big data methodologies across multiple fields.
“I am honored to lead PNNL as we build on 60 years of scientific achievement,” Gracio said. “Our mission has never been more urgent or more inspiring. I’m committed to fostering the collaboration, innovation, and clarity needed to help our teams deliver meaningful impact for the Department of Energy and the nation as we look to the future.”
Gracio holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Washington State University. She is a Fellow of the Washington State Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and serves on the boards of several academic, business, and community organizations.
