Institutional Planning and Evaluation Office to focus on the future

Contact: Kevin Roark, knroark@lanl.gov, (505) 665-0582 (03-094)

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Ping Lee named Office Director

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 17, 2003 -- In order to improve Los Alamos National Laboratory's institutional planning, analysis of corporate strategy and goals, and evaluation and assessment of programmatic performance director G. Peter Nanos is establishing an Institutional Planning and Evaluation Office and has named Ping Lee office director.

"This position and its efforts are key for the Laboratory not only over the next 18 months; they also will provide the framework for the next three to five years," Nanos said. "The importance of a customer-focused strategic plan for the Laboratory from which the directorates, divisions and groups can take their cue cannot be overstated."

Nanos' vision of strategic planning for the Laboratory is a continuous process, not a point-in-time document that, once produced, is never looked at again. The directorates' and divisions' business plans will become an integral part of the strategic planning process.

Lee has already assumed his new duties and assisted with a retreat for the Senior Executive Team (SET) held in early July to be followed in early August by a strategic planning retreat for the SET and the Division Leaders. During the July retreat, the group examined the Laboratory's mission, vision, values, and goals. The August retreat will develop corporate strategy that will integrate issues that must be addressed as the Laboratory moves to a stronger project orientation.

"I am honored to be entrusted with this role, and I look forward to continuing to work with Director Nanos as he brings the Laboratory to new levels of achievement and accountability," Lee said.

Lee received his doctorate in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a staff member at the Laboratory from Feb. 1977 until March 1982, working in fusion research. He subsequently worked with Ball Aerospace and General Atomics, rejoining the Laboratory in 1990 as principal investigator in the Nonproliferation and International Security division. From 1994 until 1997 he served as scientific advisor for arms control in the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology.

In July 1997, he was named special assistant to the associate laboratory director for nuclear weapons and subsequently served as military applications and weapons study leader and chief of staff in that office. Since Sept. 2001, he served as special assistant to the Director.

The Institutional Planning and Evaluation Office will have a small core staff, and will draw upon subject matter experts from throughout the Laboratory as required. The office will work closely with the Senior Executive Team and with Lab managers to develop a planning process and a corporate strategy for the Laboratory.

The establishment of this office is one element of reconfiguring the Director's Office to provide for more effectively assisting the Director in integrating his vision and direction for the Laboratory, execution of that vision, and communication of the vision, internally and externally. Lee and his staff will work closely with the Senior Executive Team, the newly established Policy Office, the quality Improvement Office, Audits & Assessment, the Community and External Relations Division and other equity owners to ensure timely coordination of strategy, execution and communication.

Janet Harry, who has served as an institutional and economic analyst in the Decision Applications Division's Energy and Infrastructure Analysis group, has joined the team as an analyst. Additional staff members will be added as needed.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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