Kimberly S. Budil sets the strategic vision for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and exercises broad delegated powers to ensure successful execution of programs and operations to advance science and technology for the nation and to maintain an outstanding and diverse workforce. She leads the development and implementation of the Laboratory’s scientific vision, goals and objectives and serves as the Laboratory’s highest-level liaison with DOE, NNSA, the LLNS Board of Governors, the University of California and other government, public and private organizations.).
Budil leads a workforce of approximately 8,000 employees and manages an annual operating budget of approximately $2.7 billion. Along with the directors of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, she shares the responsibility of providing the United States government with an annual institutional assessment of the state of the nuclear weapons stockpile in terms of safety, security and effectiveness. She is the 13th director in the history of the Laboratory, and she also serves as president of Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC.
Budil has held roles of increasing management responsibility at the Laboratory, most recently serving as principal associate director of Weapons and Complex Integration. Budil served as a detailee twice in Washington, D.C and was executive committee governor on the Los Alamos National Security (LANS) and LLNS Boards of Governors. She currently serves as a Hertz Foundation fellow and board member and participates in numerous professional and community outreach activities.
Budil holds a Ph.D. in engineering and applied science from the University of California, Davis, and a B.S. in physics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Carolyn Zerkle is deputy director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and vice president of Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC. Zerkle participates in the day-to-day management of the Laboratory and works closely with the Livermore Field Office (LFO), the LLNS Board of Governors, the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), other national laboratories, industry and the local community.
She oversees key institutional priorities, including safe and successful operations and vital infrastructure to support program deliverables; recruitment and retention of a quality operations workforce; and efficient business and operational approaches.
Previously, Zerkle was senior director for Project Execution in the Plutonium Infrastructure Directorate in Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) Weapons Program, overseeing an $8 billion portfolio of nuclear construction and equipment installation in support of LANL’s pit manufacturing mission.
Zerkle earned an undergraduate degree in architecture and civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and graduate degrees in architecture and business, focusing on nuclear construction project management, from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign.
Patricia Falcone is the Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). She is the principal advocate for the Lab’s science and technology base and oversees the strategic development of the Lab's capabilities. She is responsible for LLNL’s collaborative research with academia and the private sector, as well as its internal investment portfolio.
Falcone joined LLNL in 2015 after six years at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), where she served as the Senate-confirmed Associate Director of OSTP for National Security and International Affairs. In that capacity, she led a team that advised on the science and technology dimensions of national security policy deliberations and on federal support of national security research and development.
Earlier, Falcone held technical and management positions at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California, including Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff and senior manager for Systems Analysis and Engineering.
Falcone chairs the advisory committee for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. She is a member of the State Department’s International Security Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. She is a member of the Leadership Council of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and a commissioner on the National Commission on Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers led by the Council on Competitiveness.
Falcone earned a B.S.E. in aerospace and mechanical sciences at Princeton University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University
Ashley Bahney is the acting chief of staff to the Director. She is responsible for a wide variety of Director’s Office functions, including senior management team coordination, supporting the Lab director in strategic initiative development and facilitating enhanced interactions with DOE/NNSA, its labs, plants and sites and other government agencies, as well as academia and the private sector.
Previously, she served as chief of staff for Weapons and Complex Integration (WCI), where she held responsibility for enhancing coordination across the WCI Senior Leadership Team as well as the development of organizational strategies and priorities within WCI programs.
Prior to this position, she spent nine years in Global Security as an analyst, associate program leader for Counterterrorism and Foreign Nuclear Weapons Intelligence Initiative (FNWII) Tri-Lab Coordinator. Bahney also brings with her experience from working at the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Defense.
Bahney holds an M.A. in international affairs from the University of California, San Diego, a B.A. in international relations from the University of California, Davis and a certificate in national security affairs from Texas A&M University.
Breanna Bishop leads the planning and execution of an integrated internal and external communications program that effectively informs and engages employees, increases awareness and understanding of the Laboratory, its programs and its missions and ensures the Lab’s image and reputation are upheld. She works to align communications efforts with LLNL strategy and collaborates with senior leadership and teams of communicators across the Lab to define communication priorities and initiatives.
In partnership with Government Relations and External Affairs, she coordinates with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, the State of California, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and others. Bishop joined LLNL in 2011 and has led a wide array of communications efforts, serving as the acting director and deputy director of the Public Affairs Office. Previously, she served as the public relations manager for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She holds a B.S. in mass communication from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an M.A. in higher education administration from the University of South Dakota.
Steven Bohlen serves as senior director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) Office of Governmental and External Affairs.
In this role, Bohlen partners with the senior management team to develop and manage strong and productive relationships between the Laboratory and various governmental stakeholders. He is responsible for planning and guiding the Laboratory’s governmental relations program and advocacy efforts, as well as building a strategy for engagement with the local community, various boards and councils and partners such as the Livermore Lab Foundation.
Bohlen recently returned from assignment in Sacramento as the acting state geologist and head of the California Geological Survey within the California Department of Conservation (DOC). Previously, he served the DOC as state oil and gas supervisor, laying the foundation for a modern, science-based program to regulate oil and gas under the guiding principle of public and environmental safety. Prior to his assignment with the state of California, Steve served as the program manager for the Lab’s Energy and Homeland Security Program (E-Program) in the Global Security Directorate.
Bohlen holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in geology and geochemistry from the University of Michigan and an A.B. in liberal arts and geology from Dartmouth College.
Sandra Brereton serves as associate deputy director, operations (ADDO) for the Laboratory, acting as a senior adviser to the Deputy Director and Laboratory staff and working on activities and initiatives impacting the efficient and effective operation of the Laboratory.
She manages operations aspects of the Director’s Office (DO), collaborating with stakeholders across all parts of the Laboratory and the DOE/NNSA enterprise and representing the DO in the areas of operational requirements, safety, security, human resources and budget.
Brereton’s operational and scientific/technical expertise and broad experience provide valuable guidance and strategic direction for the DO and the institution. She has been heavily involved in managing the Laboratory through the pandemic.
During her over 30-year Laboratory career, Brereton has served in key operational leadership positions, including Hazards Control/ES&H, Engineering (supporting Superblock and NIF & PS), readiness manager for start-up of the National Ignition Facility and as the deputy principal associate director for operations in the NIF & PS Directorate.
She has a Bachelor’s of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and an S.M. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from MIT.
As chief human resources officer, Durham has responsibility for the development of human resources strategies, programs and initiatives, including Lab Culture and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. As HR associate director, he leads the HR organization and manages a team of ~100 personnel and a budget of ~$15M with responsibility for Compensation and Benefits, Human Resources Operations, Talent Acquisition, Workforce and Organization Development, Training, Military and Veterans Programs and the Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association. Durham also serves on key institutional and external committees, and interface extensively with the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Durham has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, including working as the Human Resources business unit manager at Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin, Tennessee; supporting Duke Energy’s Nuclear Generation Department, operating out of the Oconee Nuclear Station; and helping to lead the Duke Energy enterprise diversity and inclusion function.
Durham holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from Gardner-Webb University and a Certified Labor Relations Leader certificate from Michigan State University.
Paul Ehlenbach serves as legal advisor to the Laboratory Director and Laboratory management and to the Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC, Board of Governors. He leads a staff of nine lawyers and six other legal professionals.
Prior to joining the Laboratory, Ehlenbach served as vice president and assistant general counsel for litigation and investigations for The Boeing Company. Earlier, he was a partner with a practice focusing on complex litigation and dispute resolution relating to government contracts and intellectual property for the international law firm of Perkins Coie. Ehlenbach began his legal career as a law clerk for the Hon. John C. Shabaz, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, followed by service as a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Attorney General’s Honors Program.
Ehlenbach holds a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin and a B.S. in political science from Santa Clara University.
Glenn Fox oversees the Physical and Life Science Directorate’s multidisciplinary teams as they solve complex national security challenges and advance the Laboratory’s scientific foundations. He is also a champion of the directorate’s efforts to build a diverse and talented group of scientists and support staff through new recruitment guidelines, a reinvigorated employee mentoring program and a partnership with the African-American Body of Laboratory Employees.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience in physical, chemical and life sciences, Fox has held a variety of key positions at the Laboratory, including deputy associate director of Science and Technology and leader of the directorate’s Chemical Sciences Division. As director of the Forensic Science Center, he helped position the center at the forefront of forensic science and attribution of weapons of mass destruction.
Fox has a Ph.D. and a M.S. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a B.S. in chemistry from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon.
Benjy Grover is the Laboratory transformation officer and deputy principal associate director for program enablement for Weapons and Complex Integration (WCI).
As Laboratory transformation officer, Grover helps to drive, coordinate and enable many of the Lab’s transformation efforts in culture, people management, policy, business systems and transformation-related strategic planning.
In his role as deputy for program enablement, Grover provides leadership and management of the Design Physics Division, Office of Classification and Export Control, the Weapons Business Operations Division and WCI Information Technology (IT). His role is the focal point for strategic staffing, working in partnership with all elements of WCI and partner organizations to ensure a coordinated approach to recruiting, hiring, development and support of WCI staff.
Grover previously served as a division leader in the Computing Directorate at LLNL and the director of IT for the Weapons Program. There, he led a diverse staff of 150 computing professionals as and championed initiatives in recruiting and retention.
He holds a U.S. Patent (#7,339,584) for a 2D finite-element mesh generation algorithm and an M.S. and B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Brigham Young University.
Huban A. Gowadia leads the Global Security Directorate, managing a workforce responsible for building and executing intelligence, nonproliferation, counterproliferation and counterterrorism programs. She heads incident response to threats across the spectrum of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive sources and oversees programs critical to global security in energy technologies, infrastructure protection and cyber and space security.
For more than 20 years, Gowadia has supported national security and served at the highest levels of government, including multiple organizations in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Aviation Administration. As acting administrator at the Transportation Security Administration, she led more than 60,000 employees charged with protecting critical transportation systems and the traveling public. She also served as the presidentially appointed Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office at DHS.
Gowadia joined the Laboratory as the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science deputy principal associate director for programs. Gowadia has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Penn State University and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Alabama.
Bruce Hendrickson leads the Computing Directorate, which is responsible for the full breadth of the Laboratory’s computational needs including research, platforms and services. Hendrickson sets strategic directions for the directorate, emphasizing mathematics, algorithms, systems software and platforms for advanced modeling and simulation as well as the development and deployment of data science technologies to address the Laboratory’s complex applications. He is also an advocate for providing world-class IT support for the Laboratory’s diverse mission and business needs.
Before joining the Laboratory, Hendrickson led the Center for Computational Research at Sandia National Laboratories and managed Sandia’s Advanced Simulation and Computing program. His research has garnered international awards, and he is a frequently invited contributor to national computing initiatives.
Hendrickson has a Ph.D. in computer science from Cornell University and degrees in physics and mathematics from Brown University. He is a former Hertz Fellow and a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Rachelle Jeppson serves as the Laboratory chief financial officer and the treasurer of Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC. In this role, she leads the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) which is comprised of a wide variety of mission-enabling financial functions including the Laboratory’s accounting, budgeting, financial compliance, disbursement, planning and resource management functions. Jeppson has more than 30 years of experience in financial discipline areas including financial accounting, analysis, policy and process development and compliance. She has held a variety of leadership roles including deputy CFO/controller at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), controller at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and director of ethics and compliance at the University of California Office of the President. Prior to her UC assignment she held various positions within the OCFO Directorate at LLNL.
Jeppson holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Sue Marlais is the chief information officer (CIO) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In this role, Marlais executes all institutional information technology (IT) efforts, including business application development and support, institutional data center management, networking and telecommunications infrastructure, institutional services, customer service desk, cyber security and engagement with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of the CIO.
Marlais partners with the Lab’s senior management team and functional business customers to understand requirements and deliver IT solutions that enable the mission and operations functions. She works with Livermore Information Technology’s leadership, programs and functional business leaders to identify priorities and develop a technical roadmap that delivers technologies and services to the Laboratory to support a modernized workplace environment.
Most recently, Marlais served as LLNL’s principal deputy CIO since 2011. Previously, she served as the IT manager for Weapons and Complex Integration and the division leader for Computation’s Applications, Simulations and Quality Division. Her education includes a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Chico.
Des Pilkington is the acting director for Strategy and Planning. In this role, Pilkington is responsible for a wide variety of Director’s Office functions, including the Laboratory’s strategy and annual Lab plans, budget and analysis planning, systems analysis and coordination of the mission focus areas (MFAs) and objectives and key results (OKRs).
Previously, Pilkington served as principal deputy principal associate director for Weapons and Complex Integration (WCI). He holds more than 40 years of experience in the nuclear weapon design field — serving in previous leadership roles in both primary and secondary design programs. He also held roles as the program director for WCI’s Weapon Physics and Design Program and division leader for WCI’s Design Physics Division. Pilkington served on assignment to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in England, where he served as head of the High-Performance Computing (HPC) Department and was responsible for their HPC strategy, development and delivery.
Pilkington received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and his master’s degree in astrophysics, both from London University. He served more than 20 years in various code development and management roles at AWE before joining LLNL in 2001.
Michael J. Pivovaroff is the associate deputy director for Science and Technology (S&T). His core duties include collaborating with principal deputies across the Laboratory and communicating key insights, products and recommendations to the senior management team to ensure Livermore’s world-renowned S&T research balances innovation with disciplined execution.
Pivovaroff has more than 25 years of experience working in the Department of Energy (DOE) complex serving in a variety of scientific and management roles. He has conducted research and developed capabilities for a broad range of U.S. government sponsors including the National Nuclear Safety Administration, U.S. Air Force, NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Net Assessments and the National Intelligence Council. Pivovaroff remains active in the science and academic communities through authorship of refereed articles and conference proceedings, manuscript editing and serving on review panels for DOE/Office of Science, the National Science Foundation and NASA. Pivovaroff holds a B.A. in physics from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in physics from MIT.
Cynthia Rivera leads the organizations of the Operations and Business Directorate and engages collaboratively across the directorate’s diverse teams, enabling the Laboratory’s efficient operation in hiring, operations, maintenance and communications. She represents the Laboratory externally to the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration, peer organizations and laboratories, private industry and the local community.
With more than 28 years of leadership experience at DOE and Department of Defense facilities, her background includes support and technical operations, as well as project management. Before joining the Laboratory, Cynthia served as manager of functional resources at Bechtel Power Company’s Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 construction project.
Rivera holds a M.S. in communication studies and a certificate in business management, both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Cliff Shang is currently program director for Weapons Infrastructure concurrently serving as director for the Office of Laboratory Infrastructure where he leads an integrated organization responsible for the planning, sustainment and modernization of LLNL’s capital infrastructure base.
Shang has 33 years at the Laboratory, with 30 years in the weapons program with specialty in quantum devices and numerical methods in nonlinear systems. His research focus has been simulation and design of space-charge dominated beam sources, numerical methods to solution of hyperbolic and parabolic systems, analysis and design of high-power components for fusion plasma heating and nuclear weapons enterprise modeling.
Shang has received five Defense Program Awards of Excellence (2004 Individual Award for Enterprise Modeling, 2005 for Nuclear Weapons Hydrotest Program, 2016 for Capabilities Based Infrastructure Program Team, 2017 for Tri-Lab Support of Nuclear Posture Review, 2018 for SSMP NSE Team), three NNSA Safety, Infrastructure and Operations Excellence Awards (2015 Mission Dependency Index, 2016 Deep Dive Process, 2020 Infrastructure Stewardship) and a 2017 Secretary’s Achievement Award.
Anup Singh manages the teams and facilities of the Engineering Directorate, overseeing the full range of the Laboratory’s world-class engineering expertise, manufacturing capabilities and research to ensure the long-term success of its programs. In addition to leading mission-focused activities, he champions the directorate’s workforce development programs including the Engineering Mentoring Program, the Engineering Leadership Development Program and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council along with strategic university partnerships for diverse talent recruitment.
Singh joined the Laboratory after serving as director of the Center for Biological and Engineering Sciences at Sandia National Laboratories, managing critical capabilities in support of energy and homeland security, global security, nuclear deterrence and advanced science and technology portfolios. He is recognized internationally as a leader in microfluidics and holds 40 patents.
Singh has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and a B.Tech. in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.
Bill Stern heads the Office of Laboratory Oversight (OLO) and serves as LLNL’s chief audit executive and chief ethics officer, reporting administratively to the Laboratory Deputy Director and functionally to the Board of Governors through the Audit, Ethics and Assurance Committee.
In this role, Stern leads OLO efforts which include Mission Assurance and Mission Integrity responsibilities for LLNL, encompassing Quality Assurance, Performance Assurance, Enterprise Risk, Audit and Ethics functions. This work helps ensure the integrity, efficiency and effectiveness of LLNL through the performance of integrity and assurance services.
Prior to joining the Lab, Stern amassed 30 years of experience in Audits and Investigations, serving as a senior auditor for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and one term as inspector general for the Los Angeles Unified School District. While with the FBI, Stern served in a diplomatic capacity as a counterterrorism attaché to the United Kingdom, and later as the legal attaché to The Netherlands & Europol.
Stern holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California.
Bradley Wallin leads the Weapons and Complex Integration Directorate in its mission to ensure the safety, security and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and to support the transformation of the stockpile and the nuclear weapons enterprise for the future. He also stewards the broad range of science, technology and engineering capabilities and infrastructure that underpin the Stockpile Stewardship Program and lay the foundation for the long-term health and vitality of the Laboratory.
Wallin has more than 24 years of experience in nuclear security and has served as program director for Weapon Physics and Design, as program manager for Nuclear Threat Reduction and as a technical advisor to the Office of Defense Science at the National Nuclear Security Administration. His technical career spans the many disciplines of weapon physics, including design, code development and management of nuclear and high energy density facilities and experiments.
Wallin holds a Ph.D. in physics and M.S. in computer science and physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as a B.S. in engineering physics from the Colorado School of Mines.
Peter J. K. (Jeff) Wisoff oversees a focused, multidisciplinary team charged not only for safely operating the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration's stockpile stewardship mission but also for developing advanced lasers and related optical, target and diagnostic systems to provide national security solutions.
Earlier in his career, Wisoff served on the Rice University faculty and was selected by NASA to be an astronaut. A veteran of four space shuttle flights, Wisoff conducted three spacewalks, totaling almost 20 hours, to evaluate tools for the first Hubble Telescope repair mission, construct the International Space Station and test fly an astronaut jet pack. He received the 2001 NASA Distinguished Service Medal and four NASA Space Flight Medals. As a National Science Foundation graduate fellow at the University of Virginia, Wisoff worked on the development of short wavelength lasers. Prior to leading NIF and Photon Science, Wisoff held other leadership roles within the directorate.
Wisoff has a Ph.D. and M.S. in applied physics from Stanford University and a B.S. in physics from the University of Virginia.
