Ms. Lersten is the Director of NNSA’s Office of Policy and Strategic Planning which serves as a central resource to the Under Secretary of Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator, as well as NNSA senior leadership, on strategic planning, governance and management, and crosscutting policy issues.

​Most recently, Ms. Lersten served as the DOE’s Faculty Chair at the National Defense University where she was responsible for developing and executing curricula in the areas of the nuclear triad, energy, and strategic leadership. She joined DOE in 1995 and held numerous positions in both the U.S. and overseas, including Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Nicaragua. Ms. Lersten has served in key NNSA program leadership positions, including the Associate Administrator for Management and Budget and Associate Deputy Administrator for the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. 

Ms. Lersten was awarded the OPM Presidential Meritorious Rank Award for her work in globally reducing weapons of mass destruction and her achievements in mentoring and training across government, and more recently, the Department of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff, Civilian Service Commendation Award.

Ms. Lersten graduated from University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and minor in economics, studied abroad in Malta and obtained her master’s degree from George Washington University in Security Policy Studies.