The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) hosted the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty Jan. 15 and 16.
Her visit, which included an all-hands briefing with employees and a tour of locations of high importance to national security, marks Gordon-Hagerty’s second visit to the NNSS as Administrator in 11 months.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” she said. “We have a strategic roadmap of where we’re going to be in the next 20 to 50 years, and it’s dependent on places like NNSS to get the work done.”
Gordon-Hagerty emphasized the teamwork that spans headquarters, field offices, laboratories, plants and sites.
“We’re 44,000 people strong in our workforce,” she said. “Everyone contributes to the mission of NNSA.”
Gordon-Hagerty is no stranger to the NNSS, having previously served in the Department of Energy’s Defense Programs as the Director of the Office of Emergency Response, which had oversight of the NNSS’ Remote Sensing Laboratories’ (RSL) emergency response programs.
She brings more than 30 years of national security experience to her roles as NNSA administrator and advisor to Energy Secretary Rick Perry. In addition to her work in the Office of Emergency Response, she has served on the National Security Council staff as the Director of Combating Terrorism; at DOE as Acting Director, Office of Weapons Surety; and was a professional staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. She has also held significant leadership positions in national security in the private sector.
“Our Nation depends on us,” Gordon-Hagerty said. “We’re the only ones who can do what we do at NNSA.”