IET New Employee Spotlights

We recently brought on two new full-time members to our team, Justin Owen and J. Braden Traw.

Justin Owen, IET Career and Technical Education Coordinator

Justin joined the NOVA IET team in late 2023. A Danville native, Justin has over 17 years of experience in the manufacturing sector and higher education. His most significant industrial experience came from Babcock and Wilcox Technologies, a manufacturer of Naval nuclear components. In addition, he has also served as an Instructor of Precision Machining Technology for Pittsylvania County Schools and most recently Danville Community College. In these positions, Justin cultivated dual enrollment pipelines, led career and technical student organizations, developed credential-based accelerated training for the defense industry, and set goals of helping students find their careers in the skilled workforce. Justin holds multiple industry certifications, an Associate of Applied Science in Integrated Machining Technology from Danville Community College, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration from Averett University. In his spare time, Justin enjoys his family, outdoor activities, and looks forward to exploring all that Northern Virginia has to offer.

Justin can be reached at jlowen@nvcc.edu


J. Braden Traw, IET Recruitment and Engagement Specialist

Braden is excited to support NOVA’S IET department’s goals of increasing student recruitment and engagement. He is particularly excited to support underrepresented groups that have historically experienced barriers in engaging with STEM fields. Previously he has worked with special needs children in a variety of educational and supportive capacities. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Video Studies from George Mason University with a minor in Creative Writing. In his free time he likes reading books, writing poetry, and learning about history.

Contact Braden at jtraw@nvcc.edu