LIVERMORE - Director Parney Albright has announced a reorganization of leadership for some of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's national security programs. Effective May 1, Bruce Goodwin will serve as associate director at large for National Security Policy & Research, while Charlie Verdon will take on the position of acting principal associate director for Weapons & Complex Integration (WCI). Ron Lehman will serve as a counselor to the Laboratory director.
Goodwin is the current principal associate director for WCI, while Verdon has been serving as the principal deputy of WCI and Lehman serves as director of the Center for Global Security Research (CGSR).
In his new role Goodwin will lead CGSR as well as oversee the National Security Office (NSO). Coordinating with the Laboratory's senior management team, Goodwin also will take on high-focus key initiatives and special assignments.
"This new role will allow us to strategically coordinate broad national security policy engagement at the international level," Albright said. "Bruce will lead a proactive and revitalized effort across the Laboratory in developing a national security policy engagement portfolio.
"This role is ideally suited for Bruce, who is an extremely well respected national security leader across the DOE complex and with international partners," Albright added.
Since joining the Laboratory in 1985, Goodwin has established a diverse and accomplished background, and has been a steadfast champion in ensuring the safety, security, reliability and effectiveness of the nation's stockpile. He has served as leader of the Lab's nuclear weapons program, known as Defense and Nuclear Technologies before it was changed to WCI, since 2001. Verdon will take over the leadership of WCI in an acting capacity while the position is posted and a screening committee works to select a permanent replacement for this key role.
"Charlie brings an extraordinarily broad national security technical leadership background and expertise to this position. I am extremely impressed with his ability to successfully oversee scientific and technical teams in support of the Laboratory's national security mission, in broad terms and on a personal level, and I look forward to having him on the senior management team in this acting capacity," Albright said.
Verdon joined the Laboratory in 1998 and has held a variety of scientific and leadership roles in the WCI organization, most recently serving as the principal deputy.
To further support the Lab's presence on the national security scene, Albright appointed Lehman to serve as counselor to the director. Lehman has served as director of CGSR since 1996 and is recognized internationally and within the U.S. government for his broad expertise. Prior to joining the Laboratory in 1993, Lehman served as director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, assistant secretary of the Department of Defense, and Chief START I negotiator. He currently serves as board chair of the International Science and Technology Center and as vice chair of the DOD Threat Reduction Advisory Committee.
"I look forward to having Ron's assistance in addressing the Laboratory's strategic challenges," Albright said.
"I am confident that these organizational changes and new assignments will help position us to meet our current mission deliverables and help us achieve key Laboratory priorities to enhance and expand our mission in the broad national security space."
