Alumni Feature - Carol Barajas '07

In the most recent Global Energy Talent Index report which surveys the renewable energy and 

nuclear energy fields, it’s estimated that women make up about eight to 14 percent of professionals in these fields. Carol Barajas is one of these women.

For nearly thirty years, Carol has been breaking the mold in the energy and nuclear fields. Carol, who got her start selling electronic panel and test equipment to a variety of nuclear energy companies in Toronto, says the industries always fascinated her. She was later promoted to branch manager and relocated to the Chicago area. Carol was offered a position in Instrument and Control at ComEd's Nuclear Station in Morris, Illinois after landing a major contract with ComEd (now Exelon) to supply panel and test equipment. She became the first licensed nuclear operator during her time at Exelon’s plant in Morris, an achievement she recalls fondly. But she notes the difficulty of excelling in the field as a woman.

“It was a very male-dominated arena and the job had its challenges, including keeping my confidence up. But now, the field has changed so much. I try my best to mentor female in technical roles, talk to them about the importance of a support system at home, and finding that work life balance,” she says.

Carol admits finding that balance can be hard. She knows that process well. She attended night classes to earn her bachelor’s while raising two children with her husband and working rotating shift  schedule at Exelon as a Senior Licensed Reactor Operator. In 2007, she finished her coursework and graduated from Lewis with a bachelor of science in Business Administration.

After finishing her academic and professional career here in Chicago, Carol made the move with her family to Raleigh, North Carolina where she worked at Progress Energy as the Director of Fleet Operations for a little over a year. Then, Carol joined Duke Energy 2012 as the General Manager of Nuclear Operations. From there, she made the climb to Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety Field Support. She was tapped to pursue that new role during a watershed moment for Duke Energy.

“I was given the opportunity to take over this position in 2014 after our company suffered the unthinkable loss of four associates in the field – three employees and one contractor. I was asked to step into the job and to figure out how to make the work environment safer and how we could help our employees to be safer on the job. It was a challenging task.”

After Carol took the position, the company became one of the top safety-compliant organizations of its kind in the nation. Four years later, and her team is still going strong; Duke Energy is one of the safest utilities in the nation.

"We need to work together as one and aim to be the best utility in the industry, by establishing a vision with long and short term goals and getting all team members on board."

Carol uses those same leadership skills and insight to mentor and coach her peers. Carol is a member and panelist speaker of Women in Nuclear, Society of Women Engineers, and North American Young Generation in Nuclear. She stresses the importance of teaching others how to grow in the field, how to become a valuable member of the nuclear community, and how to lift fellow co-workers up. It’s about empowerment.

“I try to walk other professionals through the challenges and the solutions to all kinds of problems they might face, whether it’s in the office or in their home-lives. It’s about cultivating others to grow.”

When Carol isn’t at work or helping others, she’s gardening with her husband, spending time at her son’s track and field meets, and helping her daughter start her environmental science internship at Duke Energy. She chuckles when she describes how she feels about it.

“My daughter is a student at NC State studying environmental science. I am so proud of how she has grown into a smart, caring and professional woman." 

Carol and her family are looking forward to taking family vacations this year, including one to Martha’s Vineyard, where she can relax and reset. She says a clear mind helps her remember what is important both at home and at work.

“At the end of the day, I feel best when I know I am adding value to my organization and my community. It’s not about how big your office is, it’s about what you’re doing to add value in the workplace and at home. Do you walk away feeling confident that you’re doing that? I always ask myself that question.”

As for her time at Lewis? She says Lewis fit her lifestyle perfectly.

“I chose Lewis for its reputation and values. The school was flexible and the instructors have valuable life experiences to share."