“There’s a cultural adjustment coming from the East Coast to the West Coast,” said Cohen, “and it’s even more pronounced when you come from a region with a large Jewish population, and numerous synagogues, to a region that has a smaller Jewish population or is spread out across a larger geographic area” 

When Simon Cohen joined Lawrence Livermore National Lab in 1989 to work with laser systems as an Optical Engineer, he was not only new to the Lab but also to California.

"There’s a common misconception that we need to ‘tough it out’ when facing mental health challenges,” he said. “That doesn’t always work, because strength isn’t just physical."

Scott Scharmann’s definition of strength was forged through significant life changes, through which he learned that mental health is just as important as physical.

“There’s a common misconception that we need to ‘tough it out’ when facing mental health challenges,” he said. “That doesn’t always work, because strength isn’t just physical.”

"Our mission here at LLNL is to serve and protect our country, so what better way than to honor one of our country’s greatest assets: its diversity,” said Nguyen. “It is so important that we do everything in our power to make everyone at the Lab feel included and valued for all that they are and all that they have to offer!”

When Natalie Nguyen was just 11 years old, she and her mother immigrated from Vietnam to the United States. Natalie was the first of her family to attend university and earn a graduate degree.

“The Lab fosters a great environment for women, I can see that people work hard to ensure the workplace maintains a respectful, collaborative atmosphere as well as a genuine work–life balance.”

Growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, Kim Ferrari might not have initially imagined that her career would involve working with the largest players in the aerospace industry and more than 25 years at a national laboratory on the opposite side of the country. 

Ferrari has a flair for software—a befitting strength for her intellectual passions.  

“LLNL is a great place to work because of the unique mission, exciting science and engineering, and fantastic work-life balance.”

For Lynda Tesillo, Women’s History Month means more than reflecting on the past.

Her path to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory started with studying engineering at a university — a decision which put her in a unique position within her family.

“We’ve seen major shifts in some of our demographics since I’ve joined the Lab – we have a lot of newer and younger employees, I’d like to see that same trend when it comes to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and specifically Black communities.” 

Lauren Casonhua’s journey to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory begins with a love of stories. Growing up in Texas, she remembers returning home after each library visit with a stack of fiction books under her arm.