Beach drink wizards. Hot air balloons. The legacy of Dion’s Pizza’s famous salads. And surviving the Albuquerque “Ranch Dressing Apocalypse.” Read Kelly R’s Five Questions to learn more.
You’re the Task and Financial lead for a key program within the NNSA. What are your core responsibilities in this role?
In my current role, I wear several hats to keep our federal program running smoothly:
• Financial Stewardship: I support the program by providing budget and contract expertise, helping ensure funding is strategically aligned with and advances the program’s mission.
• Program & Team Coordination: I keep our program goals on track by coordinating tasks, supporting personnel, and solving day-to-day operational challenges.
• Building Partnerships: I serve as a bridge between federal leadership, national laboratories, and program partners to ensure everyone is aligned and working toward the same goals.
Ultimately, my job is to oversee the behind-the-scenes planning and finances so our technical teams can focus on mission priorities.
You’re PMP (Project Management Professional) certified. What is the most important skill or concept that you took away from your PMP certification?
My biggest takeaway is the shift from simply delivering products to focusing on value-driven outcomes. The PMP framework taught me how to define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and success metrics during the planning phase. Having this structured framework allows me to continuously assess our execution, ensuring that allocated funds and completed tasks directly aligns with our strategic goals.
What is something about Albuquerque, New Mexico that would surprise people unfamiliar with the city.
Albuquerque is called the “Hot Air Balloon Capital of the World.” Every October is the International Balloon Fiesta, filling the sky with 500+ balloons. It’s the largest hot-air balloon festival in the world, as well as the largest annual international event in the U.S.
It’s also known as the most photographed event on earth! It all happens thanks to a unique local wind pattern called “the box” that creates the perfect flying conditions.
During MELE’s Wellness Week 2025, you and the Albuquerque team introduced us all to the glories of Dion’s salad. Explain this office obsession so that we might understand.
It comes down to the Ranch dressing. Dion’s Pizza has the freshest salads with the best dressing. To drive the point home, in 2017 Dion’s experienced an unexpected supplier issue and had to temporarily substitute its ranch dressing with a generic alternative.
It caused a massive outrage among us locals, defining it as the “ranch apocalypse.”
You could even find bottles of Dion’s ranch dressing for resale online for exorbitant prices. Next time you’re in Albuquerque, buy yourself a chef salad and a full-sized bottle of ranch at a nearby Dion’s to experience the joy!
Beach, mountains, or lake. Choose one vacation type. Explain your answer.
Definitely the beach. Having lived inland all of my life, the beach remains this mystical and magical place where you can sit in the warm sun with a slight breeze, and have a wizard mysteriously appear to hand you a delicious drink with the sounds of the ocean waves lulling you to sleep.
