Leaning in. The Utah Mountains. Inverted air. And a Star Wars spin off. What do these things have to do with MELE’s Chris B? Well, Chris is the star of this installment of our Five Questions Series—so read on to find out!
What is your role at MELE and where did you work prior to joining the organization?
I am a Budget and Project Analyst for several teams within NNSA. I oversee various project budgets under two different offices and make programmatic and project management recommendations for some of those efforts. I also get to work with a wide array of technical and policy specialists and with other great MELE employees as part of that role.
Prior to this position I was an NGFP (Next Generation Foresight Practitioners) Fellow providing data analysis and project support for a different office in NNSA, and in between my undergrad and grad school I taught German before getting into project management.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in project/program management in the government space?
I would suggest leaning into the spaces you’re not already comfortable with and try embracing as much of the process as possible. I think that a lot of people are intimidated by budgets, specifically by the complexities that come with working in a governmental context, but I’ve found that diving into aspects of the work that don’t have a set private sector equivalent helps you better navigate the space.
Increasing your understanding of the interagency bureaucracy, government finances and budget cycles, appropriation and legislative processes, or whatever you’re less comfortable will help inform your management skills when it comes to decisions on your own schedule, scope, or budgets.
You attended BYU. What’s one thing you love and one thing you could do without when it comes to Utah?
One thing I loved about living in Utah was the mountains and the easy access to hiking, camping, and outdoor recreation. I had the opportunity to take advantage of the natural beauty there, and I really enjoyed that aspect. One downside to the mountains is that the valley air at lower elevations tends to stagnate into what’s called an inversion, so the air quality could get bad at certain times of the year. Living somewhere greener with no inversions is for sure a plus.
What’s the last show you binge watched and why would you recommend it?
I just finished watching Andor. While I’m not as big of a Star Wars guy as some, I do love a political thriller and the writing, design, and production value on this series really made it enjoyable. Would totally recommend it even if you’re not into sci-fi.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
There is a Jordanian restaurant near my parents’ house in Oregon that serves the best gyro, and I get it every time I visit. Maybe the best one-off meal I’ve had was Christmas dinner with some elderly friends in Germany or when I’ve gotten higher-end sushi. Ultimately I think I end up remembering the people I enjoyed it with more than the actual food I ate.
