Sandians reflect on decades of Family Day

Sandia has benefited from 75 years of a diverse workforce and their families, whose support has been important part of Sandians delivering exceptional service in the national interest. Family Day, one of Sandia’s oldest traditions, is an opportunity for staff to invite families and friends on-site to tour their workplaces and deepen their understanding of the impactful work they do.

The first Family Day was held in Albuquerque on Feb. 14, 1959, and in California on April 18, 1959. Since then, these events have become celebrations that offer a variety of activities for all ages. This year’s Family Day honors the Labs’ 75th anniversary and is an opportunity to reflect on Sandia’s rich history.

In an interview with retired engineer Larry Moya, he reflected on attending Family Day as a child. His father Manuel Moya started at the Labs in 1947, when it was Z Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Larry recalled visiting the machine shop on Family Day, a memory that sparked his interest in working at Sandia. Larry’s son Steve, now an engineer and manager, toured the Labs on Family Day in the ’90s and remembered learning about the computer-aided design systems and feeling the cool air in the server rooms during his visits.

Rates analyst Scott Newberry, inspired by his grandfather’s 36 years at Sandia, joined the Labs in 2016. A few years later, He brought his wife and 5-year-old son to their first Family Day. They created memories that included roasting marshmallows at the solar tower and donning firefighting gear from Emergency Operations.

The Bell family: Generations of excellence

For Shavawn Bell-Jenkins, a research and development science and engineering manager, the road to Sandia began during her first experience at Family Day.

Shavawn’s mother Gina Bell started at Sandia as a division secretary in 1980, when she met Carmen Ward, who would later become Shavawn’s godmother.

“I remember thinking, ‘My mom works here, so I want to work here too!’” she said.

In 1996, Bell retired from her role as a computer analyst programmer, but she still enjoys returning on Family Day with Shavawn to see what has remained the same and what has changed.

Shavawn’s godmother later became Shavawn’s first manager, hiring her in 2005 as a high school clerical intern. Reflecting on her early days, she remembers feeling intimidated by not knowing what she wanted to do. However, the mentorship and guidance she has received through the years helped immensely.

Now, Shavawn is determined to plant roots in her current area, managing the nuclear verification department in the Center for Global Security and Cooperation.

Family Day played a pivotal role in Shavawn’s decision to pursue a career at Sandia, and she’s excited that her daughter shares the same enthusiasm.

When she was young, Family Day offered Shavawn a glimpse into a world that can’t always be shared, which influenced her future. Her hope is that Sandia’s culture of mentorship and her own family’s dedication to the mission continues.

“It’s great to see that in my daughter. She doesn’t know what she wants to do yet, but she knows she wants to work at Sandia,” Shavawn said.

Family Day wrapped

The past, present and the future of Sandia can be mapped by families who work at the Labs. Although generational hiring hasn’t happened intentionally, it has contributed to a strong culture at Sandia, blending old and new perspectives to drive future innovation.

This year, more than 15,000 people were registered for Sandia New Mexico’s 14th Family Day and more than 2,200 in California. This was also the first time that remote sites such as those in Kauai, Hawaii; Carlsbad, New Mexico; Shoreview, Minnesota; Washington, D.C.; and Amarillo, Texas, have participated and hosted events for their employees.

Over a century of exceptional service
in the national interest

I’ve had many relatives who worked at Sandia, so I learned about its work environment at a young age. As a child, visiting Sandia during Family Day made the Labs real to me.

My grandfather, Jose Manuel Romero, was the first Sandian in our family. He started his career in 1957 and retired in 1986, dedicating over 29 years to the Labs supporting Facilities. My father Michael Orlando Romero followed in his footsteps and joined the Labs in 1979. He worked in various areas and contributed to many programs as a skilled machinist until he retired in 2019, after 40 years of service. Jerry Romero, my uncle, began his career at Sandia in 1985 as a custodian and worked his way up to records management before he retired in 2010.

“The legacy my dad started is great,” my father said. “Between my dad, brother, myself and now my daughter, we have over 100 years at Sandia. All the different possibilities for development gave me the opportunity to provide for my family and then allowed my daughter to grow in her own career later. I hope the strong work ethic that my dad instilled in us continues to live on through future generations.”

In 2015, when I began at Sandia as a clerical intern, my father and I carpooled to work together. As I reflect on that time, I realize just how special it was. I’m very proud to continue our family tradition at Sandia and am equally proud that the legacy has grown through my marriage into another generation of Sandians.

— Krystal Romero-Martinez