Meet LLNL: Travel Accounting Auditor Angie Denton-Silva

Angie Denton-Silva, a travel accounting auditor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), has spent nearly 11 years contributing to the Lab’s financial operations. Her primary responsibilities include auditing international travel expense reports, managing extended travel reports and processing living expenses for offsite fellows — employees who take assignments at other National Nuclear Security Administration sites, such as the Pentagon or the White House.

“I’ve worked with the Lab’s Offsite Fellow Program for the last seven years,” Denton-Silva said. “It’s a big responsibility, but I enjoy the challenge.”

Denton-Silva joined LLNL in 2014 as a temporary employee through Akima, a sub-contractor for the Lab at the time, before becoming a full-time LLNL employee in 2016. Her career path reflects a deep passion for accounting, a field she describes as her calling.

“I speak numbers,” she said. “If I could write a letter in Excel, I would. Numbers just make sense to me.”

Before joining LLNL, Denton-Silva built her accounting expertise over 28 years in the private and public sectors, including an eight-year tenure at a small manufacturing company where she learned a variety of skills. She also worked for the City of San Leandro, where she held a floating position that included payroll, accounts receivable and help desk duties.

In 2013, Denton-Silva experienced the unimaginable loss of her 15-year-old son, who had battled significant health issues throughout his life. Born with severe heart conditions, her son underwent eight open-heart surgeries before the age of 10. Despite these challenges, her son remained resilient, even overcoming a cancer diagnosis. However, after a sudden and devastating relapse two weeks into remission, he passed away after 10 more months of intense treatment.

“You never know when your entire life is going to be ripped out from under you,” Denton-Silva said. “I try to stay positive and encourage others to do the same. I want to be someone who’s good to be around and make that contagious.”

This difficult experience made the supportive environment at LLNL stand out even more. Denton-Silva described her role at the Lab as a “godsend” and credits her team and management for helping her rebuild her life.

“When I came to work here, I probably wasn’t ready to come back to work yet,” she said. “But even though they didn’t go through what I had, they were still supportive. I never, ever felt out of place. I have a great, great team, and my management is the best. This place is my home. I’m a lifer here — I will work here till the day I die.”

Denton-Silva’s resilience and positive outlook have been shaped by her personal challenges. She has learned to find blessings in even the most difficult situations. She has two goals she would like to achieve in the near future.

First, she would like to pursue a role as an ombuds at LLNL, driven by her desire to use her personal and professional experiences to support and advocate for others. She believes her broad background equips her to provide guidance and empathy in resolving workplace challenges and fostering a positive environment for her colleagues.

Second, she would like to pursue a master’s degree in data analysis, a step she hopes will prepare her for future opportunities in analyst roles. She credits LLNL’s supportive environment and leadership for inspiring her ambitions.

Her advice to others considering a career at LLNL? “Be patient and be confident,” she said. “This is a great place to work, and there’s so much support here. I’ve never felt unsupported, and that’s what makes all the difference.”

Outside of work, Denton-Silva enjoys spending time with her family, including her granddaughter, and caring for her dogs. She finds joy in gardening, traveling and simple pleasures like watching TV and going for walks. She also recently began to rekindle her relationship with her faith after years of struggle following the loss of her son. This renewed connection has provided her with additional strength and perspective as she continues to navigate life’s challenges and find gratitude in everyday moments.