Pam McKeever Reflects on Decades at Sandia National Laboratories

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May 7, 2024, marked 50 years of employment for Pam McKeever. Her son and daughter, both in their 20s now, think their mother is “a little nuts.” But the director of facilities at Sandia National Laboratories has been working since she was in high school and hasn’t stopped. Professionally, though, she’s only called three different employers home, and at Sandia Labs where she’s been for decades, McKeever has had the opportunity to take on some truly Herculean tasks.

McKeever’s most transformational role came when she was promoted to the director of Sandia’s California operations in Livermore, California. In that role, McKeever directed all physical operations on site, including facilities management; environment, safety, and health; safeguards and security; emergency management; logistics; information and communications services; manufacturing and engineering services; the machine shop; and medical operations.

“Within three months, the pandemic started,” McKeever remembers. “It was the first time the site had been completely shut down since it opened in the 1950s. We reopened the campus a few weeks later but not without challenges. Over the next few years, we had numerous projects under construction while wildfires broke out, torrential rains uprooted more than a dozen trees, and even some rogue bulls wandered onto our property.”

This is all discussed matter-of-factly. McKeever has long been told that she is a person who can hear just about any kind of news and respond in a measured and thoughtful way. The director may not always feel that way on the inside, but she believes that steady and patient leadership is the best way to serve her organization.

McKeever, unsurprisingly, succeeded over three years in California despite the challenges thrown at her and her team. She was called home to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to oversee a new center for facilities, a role she’s been in for the past year. But those years in California, even late in the director’s career, had an undeniable impact.

“Going to California was one of the biggest leaps I’ve made in my career,” McKeever says. “Do you know what made that job work out so well? I had incredible people working under me who were so knowledgeable in their areas. That’s one thing I love about Sandia. There are always people around you that help make you more successful than you could ever be on your own.”

Success isn’t a new phenomenon for McKeever. She was the first woman to serve as a manager in facilities at the Sandia New Mexico site. The volume of capital project work was also the highest it had ever been in the lab’s history. Her department performed work on 13 line-item projects with congressional oversight, 15 general plant projects and three major renovations simultaneously. It was the late 1990s, and McKeever was managing $25 to 75 million annually on these projects.

Given the increased visibility of projects that required congressional oversight, the process could be exhausting and unpredictable. Before starting one project, the site discovered a nest of Burrowing Owls that had to be caught and transported to a new habitat.

“The impact that SNL has extends beyond science and national security. Their contribution to the local economy and community is something to be proud of as a New Mexican,” says Anthony Duran, principal at Albuquerque EEA and consulting engineer. “EEA has a long-standing successful partnership with SNL and truly appreciates the opportunity to be a part of their mission.”

But it’s not just the labs’ work where McKeever has made a difference. Early on, McKeever got involved with the New Mexico Society of Professional Engineers where she acted in virtually every role, including president. That role took her to the National Society of Professional Engineers where she eventually served as vice president of the construction division, as well as on the board of directors.

McKeever also served on the board for Campfire Boys and Girls and eventually became president of that organization. At her church, the director also taught Sunday school to two and three-year-olds for 15 years. “That’s maybe the truest test of maintaining control of a group,” McKeever jokes.

Inside Sandia, McKeever has championed a few employee resource groups. She was the California champion for the Abilities Champions of Sandia group, which provides leadership for recruitment, growth, development, and full integration of people with disabilities. It’s a group she’s still close with today.

Since coming back to Albuquerque, she’s supported veterans’ transition programs and worked as an advisor for a group that provides assistance and resources to those interested in adoption and foster care. During the pandemic, McKeever recognized a pattern of loneliness and isolation among singles living alone. She connected with two women who seemed interested in this situation and encouraged them to establish a group now called Living Alone and Thriving.

“I reached out to these people who had been willing to share their experiences and encouraged them to start a group for people who live alone,” McKeever explains. “The group just took off. They meet to go hiking, biking and other fun activities. Everyone is welcome. All of these groups feel like such prime examples of the connectedness we encourage through our corporate behaviors. It is an honor to be a part of.”

McKeever quickly grew used to being the only woman in meetings, but she says the only significant burden she’s felt in her career is not wanting to mess up the path for the women who follow in her footsteps. Her graduating class of engineers included 13 women, and that was double the number of female engineers her university had ever graduated in that discipline.

“My grandmother always told us to not be easily offended,” the director explains. “I think it’s important to give each other grace and not assign intent that may not actually be there. I’ve had to have some tough conversations, I’ve had to work twice as hard for half the credit at times, and my ideas have been attributed to the louder person in the room. These things have happened. But there were also men and women who helped me advance my career and looked out for me. I try not to sweat the small stuff.”

Maybe McKeever doesn’t sweat the small stuff because there are so many big things on her plate. But the director just continues to find new ways to grow and elevate the organization that has played such an integral part in her career. Who knows if McKeever will ever stop working, but one thing is for certain. Her growth continues.

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