Executive Team

Elizabeth Muller is the Co-Founder, Chair of the Board (Class III), President and Chief Executive Officer of Deep Fission, a role she has held since March 2024. She is also the co-founder of Deep Isolation, a nuclear waste disposal company, and has served as the chair of Deep Isolation’s board of directors since its inception in 2016 and as an executive advisor since June 2024. Previously, Ms. Muller served as the chief executive officer of Deep Isolation from 2016 until June 2024. Ms. Muller was also formerly an Executive Director of Berkeley Earth, a director at Gov3, and a Policy Advisor at the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Ms. Muller is also a co-author of several of Deep Isolation’s patents. Ms. Muller holds a degree in mathematics from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in business from ESCP Business School in Paris.

Dr. Richard A. Muller is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Deep Fission, a role he has held since March 2024. Previously, Dr. Muller served as the chief executive officer of Deep Fission from June 2023 to March 2024. He is also the co-founder of Deep Isolation. Dr. Muller is a Professor of Physics emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a prolific inventor (over 80 patents issued) and has written more than 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Muller’s academic research has led to numerous awards, including a MacArthur Prize, the National Science Foundation Alan T. Waterman Award, the Breakthrough Prize, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Dr. Muller has won numerous awards for excellence in teaching and authored ten books, including Physics for Future Presidents and Energy for Future Presidents. Dr. Muller was a member of JASON, an independent scientific advisory group that provides consulting services to the U.S. government on matters of defense science and technology, for 34 years. Dr. Muller received his A.B. degree from Columbia University and his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley.

William (Mark) Schmitz is the Chief Financial Officer of Deep Fission, a role he has had since August 2025. Mr. Schmitz has over forty years of experience as a finance professional in the energy technology, automotive, life safety, banking, and manufacturing industries. Mr. Schmitz previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Gru Energy Lab, Inc. from May 2021 until April 2024, Chief Financial Officer of Itron, Inc. from September 2014 until April 2017, and Chief Financial Officer of Alghanim Industries from April 2009 until December 2013. He has also served as Chief Financial Officer of Goodyear and Plug Power and has held positions based in China, Brazil, the U.K., and the Middle East. Mr. Schmitz is experienced at scaling growth-oriented companies and preparing them for public company reporting. Mr. Schmitz has undergraduate and M.B.A. degrees from The Ohio State University.

Michael Brasel has served as Chief Operating Officer of Deep Fission since October 2025 and previously served as Vice President of Nuclear Programs from December 2024 to October 2025. Before joining Deep Fission, Mr. Brasel worked at NuScale Power in successive senior operations and supply-chain leadership roles from April 2012 to March 2024, most recently as Senior Director. Prior to NuScale, he served at Dairyland Power Cooperative from February 2002 to March 2012, including as Plant Manager of the La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor from January 2009 to March 2012. Mr. Brasel is a former U.S. Navy Nuclear Operator–Electrician and completed Naval Nuclear Power School. He holds engineering and business degrees from Old Dominion University and the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.

Jon Gordon has served as General Counsel and Secretary of Deep Fission since October 2025. Before joining Deep Fission, he served as General Counsel and Chief Commercial Officer of a hydrogen-electrolyzer company from June 2024 to September 2025. From November 2019 to June 2024, he was Co-Founder, General Counsel and Head of Partnerships and Government Affairs of Universal Hydrogen, a developer of hydrogen-powered aircraft and fueling systems. Prior to that, Mr. Gordon was Deputy General Counsel for Technology and Digital at United Technologies (now Raytheon Technologies), and earlier in his career he practiced M&A and securities law at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Mr. Gordon earned both his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Chicago.