Manager of LM’s site in Rifle, Colorado, wins Philip C. Leahy Award
July 24, 2025To those who know her best, Mary Young fully embodies the qualities of a team player.
The terms her teammates use to describe her: Mission-conscious. Tenacious. Committed. Enthusiastic. Disciplined.
With so many accolades coming from her peers, it’s easy to understand why she was named the Office of Legacy Management (LM) 2025 Employee of the Year and a Philip C. Leahy Award winner.
But because of her humble nature, Young said she never thought she’d receive such an honor.
“Honestly, I was shocked when they called my name,” she said, “because there are so many top performers and team players that were also nominated, and any of my other peers would deserve this distinguished honor.”
The Leahy award, which was established in 2017, recognizes LM employees who demonstrate the qualities of an outstanding team player as described by John C. Maxwell’s The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player. According to Maxwell, a few of the qualities that define a team player are dependable, enthusiastic, prepared, self-improving, and tenacious.
Young manages multiple sites for LM under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) regulatory driver. She’s the site manager for LM’s disposal cell in Rifle, Colorado, and for the past year, she has been part of the integrated project team (IPT) for a major pore-water extraction project at the site.
Young’s commitment to her teams went well beyond the site, project, and program duties assigned to her, according to the nomination letter written by her colleagues.
“She quickly volunteered her expertise and was the quintessential team player whose intangible qualities, like enthusiasm, attention to detail, and drive for the next new challenge were admired,” the letter read. “She made every person she worked with, every team she was on, that much better. She brought her ‘A’ game every day and inspired those around her to do likewise.”
Her supervisor, Wil Burns, approved Young’s nomination for the Philip C. Leahy Award.
“Mary’s exceptional management of the Rifle pore water extraction project is a testament to her technical expertise and leadership,” Burns said. “She successfully delivered a complex, high-priority project under a compressed timeline while overseeing every phase with precision and care.”
LM’s Paul Kerl, office manager for the LM Field Support Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, nominated Young for the award.
“While the spotlight was on her as part of the awards ceremony, she made it clear she’s extremely grateful for the full support of her exceptional team, demonstrating modesty and gratitude for the high-performing team she assisted in creating,” Kerl said.
The team’s mission at Rifle was to mitigate the infiltration of pore water at the disposal cell. Pore water accumulates in the small spaces in a confined area. At Rifle, the team found a way to reduce water accumulation and improve stability of the cell.
Young’s teammates said that under her leadership, the project team successfully executed the project and achieved the water extraction technical performance parameter. Her collaborative efforts on the IPT mitigated the risks associated with high pore water levels, which would have otherwise saturated the cell’s side slope and reduced structural integrity.
Young’s IPT also compiled lessons learned and an overarching project video, which will further benefit LM’s future major projects. In the end, her teamwork ensured the disposal cell remained protective of human health and the environment.
“To be honored this year in particular feels even more special because we’ve had to come together to support each other, not only to execute the mission, but also to take care of our LM family,” Young said.
In her humble fashion, Young was quick to share credit with her teammates with LM and LM Support Partners (LMSP).
“Thank you to all my teammates for this amazing honor. It is a pleasure to work with everyone in LM and LMSP,” she said. “I am a stronger employee, teammate, and person because of all of your support.”
In addition to Young, Philip C. Leahy Awards were presented to the five other nominees for Employee of the Year. The winners, announced Wednesday, July 16, were:
- Mary Young, Employee of the Year.
- Tiffany Drake.
- Michelle Franke.
- Nicole Olin.
- LaTerri Paulino.
- Rebecca Roberts.