After 15 years in the Lab’s Finance/Payroll organization, Nicole Santellano changed her career to become a project manager in Computing’s Enterprise Application Services (EAS) division. EAS provides business IT solutions to the rest of LLNL, and the division’s large portfolio includes both commercial and proprietary applications.

Nicole manages several EAS projects related to IT initiatives for the Lab’s business systems. “I’m responsible for the overall schedule, resources, budget, and on-time implementation of these projects, which can span multiple Lab organizations,” she explains.

Nicole enjoys juggling a wide range of projects that impact different areas of the Lab, and the challenge of doing so keeps her motivated. She states, “Every day is different, and the people I work with have different backgrounds and skill sets.”

Staff who stay at LLNL for many years or even decades often find new positions and career paths without looking for another employer. Nicole credits supportive managers with helping make her job transition possible. “I love how EAS treats employees. They are always willing to help you get to levels you never thought you could achieve, and employees have many opportunities for growth and success,” she notes.

Nicole holds a B.A. in Business Management and an M.S. in Business Analytics from St. Mary’s College. She is married with two children—one of whom recently became a Lab employee—and two dogs.

—Holly Auten