New deputy has experience helping to keep nation safe

October 21, 2011

Michael J. Burns has been chosen as deputy principal associate director for Global Security. Burns's appointment was announced this week by Terry Wallace, principal associate director for Global Security.

"Mike has previous experience in this position, where he managed a nearly $750 million annual portfolio of programs that helped keep our nation secure from threats of all types," Wallace said. "Mike has a breadth of experience here at the Laboratory and in Washington, DC, and his knowledge of key players and programs makes him uniquely suited for this position. I'm very pleased to have him as a vital member of our organization."

Prior to the appointment, Burns was deputy principal associate director for Capital Projects. In that role, he helped manage an organization responsible for constructing and maintaining sustainable infrastructure at the Laboratory with a workforce of nearly 550 people and a budget of nearly a half-billion dollars. Prior to his earlier tenure as Deputy PADGS, Burns served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Nuclear Defense Policy on the Homeland Security Council. In that position he led policy development and inter-agency coordination to detect, assess, prevent, and respond to the threat of domestic nuclear terrorism. Burns has also served with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the founding director of the Office of National Laboratories and as director of Stewardship Planning within the department's Science and Technology Directorate.

At LANL, Burns has held a variety of positions, including acting principal deputy associate director of Weapons Physics, and management of counter-terrorism/nonproliferation programs, working with the International Atomic Energy Agency and serving as a nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq. In addition, Burns was project director for construction of the Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamics (DARHT) facility.

He has been recognized for exceptional service with several awards including a DOE/NNSA certificate of recognition, DOE/NNSA Medal of Excellence, and two Los Alamos distinguished performance awards.