Rachel Sowell
Mountain House,CA
Summary
Dynamic professional with a strong background in engaging with community resources, including local Bay Area military installations. Actively collaborates with colleagues at Sandia New Mexico and various contacts at LLNL while providing high-level executive support. Proficient in managing complex schedules, coordinating meetings, and handling confidential information. Highly skilled in communication, organization, and problem-solving, ensuring seamless office operations. Committed to team collaboration and achieving results, with the ability to adapt flexibly to changing needs and priorities. Dependable and resourceful, consistently delivering high-quality outcomes.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
11.2015 - Current
- Lead organizer and coordinator of the Division and CA site hosted philanthropic activities; Operation Backpack and Veterans Day
- Host and event coordinator for annual CA & D8K Winter Team Celebration
- Lead coordinator for quarterly DLT Offsite meetings and annual G8scape
- Supports site-wide events; 75th Anniversary Celebration, Family Day, Kids Day, ERAs, CA Sandia Managers Meetings
- Provides back-up support to Executive CA Protocol
- Interacts with internal and external executive personnel on significant matters requiring coordination of activities across organizational lines
- Exercises considerable regard for deadlines, accountability, and impact on business operations; makes recommendations, as needed, based on analysis; and provides consultation and advice based on experience and broad knowledge base
- Manages Associate Lab Director time and calendar by delegating where appropriate; planning and scheduling meetings, conferences, teleconferences; and coordinating travel and visits
- Organizes, prioritizes, and follows through on multiple tasks, under strict deadlines and changing priorities, and independently evaluates possible courses of resolution
- Maintains customer confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
- Provides leadership and mentoring to support staff at the division level
- Recommends, interprets, and implements SNL and US Government hospitality & administrative policies and procedures
- Supports organizational objectives with autonomy and authority
- Oversees processes and procedures in the executive office, including maintaining equipment; maintaining office supplies inventory, defining procedures for records management, and maintaining confidential files and records
Senior Management Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
12.2007 - 11.2015
- Provide professional administrative support to the Center Director and Senior Scientist
- Manage Director’s and Senior Scientist’s time and calendars effectively
- Review and respond to Director’s & Sr. Scientist’s emails; fielding any actions that can be addressed
- Delegate meetings/actions to 8200 Sr. Managers and ML1s on behalf of the Director
- Assist Director with drafting letters, formal NW processes, email responses as well as preparation of presentation materials and agendas
- Lead team of 15 Office Management Assistants in support of Center 8200 consisting of 5 Senior Managers, 20 Managers, and approximately 300 members of the workforce
- Manage all aspects and the logistics of domestic & foreign travel for the Director and Senior Scientist (outgoing classified visit requests, programs/agendas)
- Work independently to assist the Director with the various NW deadlines/actions; making sure to keep him on task/aware of various actions that need to be addressed
- Exercise discretion and judgment when dealing with internal and external contacts
- Knowledge of SNL business roles, policies and practices
- Effectively interact with a variety of people and take the initiative to seek answers or solution that may arise
- Have built a strong and positive working relationship with EAs, SMAs, OAAs and OMAs at SNL/NM; while maintaining a strong relationship with the SNL/CA EA, SMAs and OMAs
- Primary CAS for the WEAPONS classified work station
- SNL/CA admin lead responsible for any/all Special Programs request for the Livermore Projects Committee
- Schedule and organize all logistics of the 8200 Bi-Monthly Management Meetings, and quarterly Center All Hands
- Facilitate, prepare and implement large critical meetings; both classified & unclassified; support various meetings for visiting NM VPs and Directors, including Annual Assessment Reviews (2008 – present)
- Support VIP & Protocol visits (US Generals, Colonels and foreign visitors)
- Organize and coordinate all aspects of the annual Center Summer and Winter Team Celebrations; arrange the venues, catering, and manage the budget effectively
- Lead organizer and coordinator of the Center hosted philanthropic activities; working with the OMA team to successfully achieve our charity goals
- Operation Backpack
- Operation CAWSE for Our Military Families (2013)
- 8200 Care Package Competition for Blue Star Moms (2010 & 2011)
Office Management Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
07.2003 - 12.2007
- Administrative duties included managing Senior Managers’, Managers’, Senior Scientists’, and some staff calendars, general support, timecards, ordering general office supplies, setting up new hires, distributing mail, tracking department training records, updated web page, arranged domestic and foreign travel, organized and facilitated monthly department meetings and quarterly Lab Users meetings, maintained applicable security plans for buildings
- Organized Homeland Security Seminar Series on monthly basis
- Organized monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly program reviews for two programs; Borders/Maritime and Chem/Bio
- Provided back up support to Center Director, Center SMA, and other Senior Managers
- Primary CAS for various departments/back-up CAS for various departments
- Maintained Share Point for the Borders/Maritime Program; organized and distributed the Borders/Maritime monthly Newsletters
- Arranged and coordinated meetings and conferences; locally, nationally and internationally
- Obtained DOE clearances for domestic and foreign travel
- Organized agendas, schedules and travel for visiting dignitaries
- Provided support for eight labs within 8125, managed SOPs/PHs for each lab, created and maintained lab contact list
- Organized and arranged travel and daily schedules for a variety of project deployments
- Organized, arranged and scheduled interview candidates; including foreign nationals
- Organized and arranged agendas, schedules and travel for visiting dignitaries
- Provided support during (3) re-orgs between different Centers and within Centers, coordinated office and lab moves
- Scheduled, organized and arranged weekly and monthly CRADA meetings, and CRADA events
- Jointly arranged office/lab moves between Center 8100, department 8755 and Center 8300 upon the completion of building 929
- Assisted in arranging, scheduling and managing the Sandia booths at (2) Global Demil Conferences and the 2003 uTAS Conference
Skills
- Planning and coordination for SNL/CA site-wide special events
- Community engagement
- Proficiency in high-pressure situations
- Effective independent decision-making skills
- Collaboration with diverse stakeholders
- Proficient in managing multiple tasks with precision
- Proficient in computer applications
- Aptitude for learning new computer programs quickly and efficiently
- Effective written and verbal communication
- Excellent organizational/time-management skills
- Internet proofing/editing skills
- Strong problem solver
Accomplishments
Founder and Organizer, Operation Backpack
California Site, 2014 - Present
- Established an annual employee-supported fundraiser to benefit local military families at Bay Area installations.
- Successfully expanded the initiative to the New Mexico site, enhancing community support.
- Coordinated the collection and distribution of 1,505 backpacks to military families, providing essential school supplies and resources.
- Fostered partnerships with local organizations to maximize outreach and impact.
Awards
ERA Team Awards
- 2022: Military Support Committee
- 2023: Accurate Email Distribution Lists
- 2024: 75th Anniversary Planning and Deployment Team -1
Timeline
Executive Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
11.2015 - Current
Senior Management Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
12.2007 - 11.2015
Office Management Assistant
Sandia National Laboratories
07.2003 - 12.2007
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