Rebecca Roberts Honored as LM Employee of the Year

On June 2, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) Director Carmelo Melendez presented Site Manager Rebecca Roberts with the Philip C. Leahy Employee of the Year award for her hard work and commitment to the LM mission.

Established in 2017, the award recognizes LM employees who demonstrate qualities of an outstanding team player by being dependable, enthusiastic, prepared, self-improving, and tenacious.

The award is named after U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Philip C. Leahy. During World War II, Leahy arrived in Grand Junction, Colorado, to procure domestic sources of uranium for the Manhattan Project. After the war, he became the first manager of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s Colorado Raw Materials Office, which was headquartered at what is now the LM Legacy Management Field Support Center in Grand Junction.

Nominations for the Leahy award come from peers and supervisors and are judged by the LM deputy director and the two office deputies. 

During the award ceremony, Director Melendez lauded Roberts’ commitment and dedication. During 2025, Roberts was the “quintessential team player whose intangible qualities, like enthusiasm, attention to detail, and selfless drive for the next challenge were admired,” Melendez said. “She consistently demonstrated pride in her work and sought opportunities to help her team and the mission.” 

“I was shocked when I found I won. Speechless in fact,” Roberts said, recalling the moment. “Winning this award is very special. We all work extremely hard and accomplish so much within this organization.”

Roberts couldn’t wait to share the news with her family.

“One of the best parts about winning was sharing the news with my husband and children. They are extremely proud of me. They know I work hard, but getting this award helps them to see and understand that there is value in hard work,” Roberts said. “This did not motivate them to do their chores any faster,” she jokingly added.

Roberts started as contractor to LM in 2016, working as a project manager for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program for five years. In 2021 she became a federal employee, serving as a site manager for the Weldon Spring Site in St. Charles County, Missouri. She also taken on programmatic roles, contributing her skills to a diverse set of responsibilities.

During her time with LM, Roberts has made many contributions, but she recalls her favorite was from this past year.

“I am leading the LM’s ‘Value Analysis and Cost Savings Campaign’ this year. Last year I got my certification as a federal project director for DOE, which allows me to manage DOE capital asset projects,” Roberts said. “It’s rewarding to help ensure responsible stewardship of our federal funding. I feel very passionate about what we do here at LM, and I am lucky to have a job that I enjoy.” 

While Roberts has come into a leadership role at LM, surprisingly, her biggest challenge to overcome through her career has been public speaking.

“Public speaking is not always something I’m comfortable with, but it’s a big part of my job – especially at the Weldon Spring Site where we do a lot of site tours,” Roberts said. “In order to improve, I had to embrace the discomfort that I felt. It’s still not my favorite thing to do, but because I keep doing it, I am getting better all the time.”

Despite this personal challenge, Roberts has excelled in her communication skills. Roberts “is a tenacious site, project and program manager,” Melendez said during the awards ceremony. “This past year, she dependably interacted with more than 300 federal and contractor employees representing various stakeholders, federal and state partners, and functional areas internal and external to LM on several teams.”

Roberts expressed her gratitude for her LM and LM Support Partner (LMSP) teammates and for the challenging mix of work that LM’s mission requires. 

“One of the best things about working here is the people — we have so many knowledgeable people and they are always willing to help when asked,” Roberts said. “Even though I am the one with my name on the award, I realize, and am grateful for, the support I get from my LM and LMSP teams. That support is really what helps me be successful.”

Roberts added, “I really enjoy the variety of work that I get to do here and the variety of people that I get to interact with. I have a lot of work that requires me to be at a desk, but as site manager for the Weldon Spring Site, I love attending and helping with presentations or tours in the Interpretive Center, participating in field activities, and meeting with our stakeholders.”

As for her future goals within LM, Roberts is just getting started.  

“I was recently selected for the CERCLA/RCRA Program Manager role. I’m looking forward to learning more about the CERCLA/RCRA sites and being able to help the team meet their goals.” 

LM’s Site Operations Director Jay Glascock expressed the huge impact Roberts has had on LM’s mission. “She has managed major projects at Weldon, furthering the site’s master plan. She is leading the trustee group, including the Department of the Army and the State of Missouri, through the natural resource damage assessment process at Weldon. The list goes on. She brings her ‘A’ game every day and is very deserving of this prestigious award.”

In addition to Roberts receiving the Employee of the Year award, her LM colleagues Jeff Austin, Kyle Brown, Meghann Hurt, Ken Kreie, and Lisa Saurborn were also recognized with Leahy awards.