Meet the Team Keeping the Lab Moving: Paul Williams, Lori Colton

Q. How long have you been with the Lab, and what brought you to this position?

Paul Williams: I’m the new Transportation Supervisor here at the Lab. I’ve been in this position for approximately two years, and with the Lab overall for about 23 years. I started as a driver and advanced to the lead position, which I found fulfilling because I enjoyed the face-to-face interaction with customers, drivers, and the entire Lab community. As a personable person, this role was perfect for me, and the transition to the supervisor role is a natural fit. The new role as the Supervisor has allowed me to help the Lab community to a greater extent.

Lori Colton: I have been at the Lab for seven years, and have been in the lead role since January 16, 2025. I came to the Lab because I wanted to be part of something bigger. I have a diverse transportation background, including driving school buses, corporate limousines and shuttles, and over-the-road trucking in an 18-wheeler. In all of these roles, I focused on safety and working for change. I believed that I had something to contribute to the safety culture here, something I thought a national laboratory would be interested in.

I started at the Lab as a contract driver and, four months later, I was hired as a career employee. The stability here allowed me to go back to school, which was impossible while driving on the road. I graduated with an Associate of Science in Business Management, which helped me take the next step from driver to lead, leading to my current role.

Q. What does your role as a transportation supervisor involve day-to-day?

Paul: In this role, my primary responsibilities include ensuring my team’s safety and providing them with the equipment and support needed to do their job. I do a lot of behind-the-scenes work, such as making sure they have access to areas of need. Through the many emails and phone calls, I can answer any technical questions presented. For example, I recently requested access to Sandia National Lab so my drivers could make any scheduled pick-ups or deliveries upon request. Essentially, I act as a facilitator, helping the drivers complete their work safely and efficiently. Also, as a subject matter expert when our customers have questions regarding specific logistical questions.

Lori: My primary role is to make sure that our group has the training, tools, and support to do their work safely. I also assign the liftgate and package van routes, check the freight load, organize work orders for scheduling, do job walk-throughs, and help out the teams when anyone needs it.

I’m also a point of contact for our clients to ensure their needs are met. The first thing I say when I talk to a stakeholder is, “How can I help you?” Furthermore, I act as a staff liaison and bring safety and other concerns to my supervisors, Paul and Heather Pinto, and Hoanhni Nguyen in EHS, who works closely with us on safety.

Q. How does Transportation Services support the Lab’s mission?

Paul: We help facilitate science through safe and efficient deliveries of equipment needed to keep the Lab working. By making these deliveries safely and on time, it allows the other areas of the operation to remain on time with their busy work schedules.

Lori: I truly believe in our mission of bringing science solutions to the world. Transportation is a big part of that process. We deliver almost everything to our customers. Equipment, chemicals, office supplies — anything they need to work and create, we bring. We also remove salvage and excess, making room for new science and discovery.

Q. What are some key challenges that you and or your team face at the Lab?

Paul: I would say two of the biggest challenges are the size of the roads and parking. This Lab was not constructed with the bigger vehicles in mind or with the thought of having to park the larger trucks. We all know the Lab is spatially challenged, and it can be difficult to find parking to service the customers.

Lori: Some challenges we face are balancing our clients’ needs and expectations with the reality of transportation work itself. Simple-looking tasks are often complicated by factors such as constant construction, adverse weather, and road conditions. There is sometimes a disconnect because clients may not realize the work involves more than just a quick pickup or drop off. We have thousands of people working at the Lab, and making sure all their transportation needs are met can sometimes be a challenge. Another logistical challenge is storage space. It’s a constant balancing act to manage freight and still have enough room to operate safely and effectively.

Q. Are there any specific accomplishments or progress that you and your team are most proud of in recent years?

Paul: I’m extremely proud of the improvements we’ve made to safety over the last two years, which have led to a decrease in accidents and injuries. Lori has been instrumental to this success, acting as a great change agent and our safety liaison. Ultimately, I’m proud of the advancements we’ve achieved across safety, efficiency, and teamwork.

Lori: On a personal note, I’m proud that I graduated. And that I’m in my fourth year with the Lab’s mentorship program, which has given me the professional support and development I needed to navigate the Lab culture. I had the technical skills, but to be able to take what I learned from school and my mentors and then apply it to my role at the Lab is a significant accomplishment.

As for our team, I’m going to echo what Paul said. I am very proud of the changes in the mindset concerning safety. Communication has been a big part of the change for us. The team is learning to listen to each other, which is something that I’m really proud of.

Q. How can people get in touch with your team?

Paul: For questions or concerns, please email us at Transportation@lbl.gov. You can also visit our website for more information at facilities.lbl.gov/service/transportation.

Q. Any fun fact you’d like to share?

Paul: I helped develop the food pantry at my church, where we’ve been feeding over 150 people a week. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of: feeding my community and helping them prosper and eat.

Lori: I lived in Chiapas, located in southern Mexico, to help rebuild a house that was damaged in a storm with a family member.