The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation honored six employees during the Administrative Professional of the Year awards, held June 27.
Elizabeth Albertsen, Bureau of Reclamation security assistant, was named the 2021 Reclamation Administrative Professional of the Year, according to a June 30 news release. Albertsen is a security assistant in the Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region's Grand Coulee Power Office.
"Congratulations to Elizabeth and each of the finalists," Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in the news release. "These Reclamation professionals have demonstrated how their work ethic – how going the extra mile – and the passion for their jobs makes them, their teams and Reclamation better. That's embodied in Elizabeth's focus on ensuring that Reclamation security forces are trained with the highest level of accreditation," Touton said. "Her tireless efforts help Reclamation deliver water and power in the safest environment possible."
"Because of Liz's tremendous effort, the Security Response Force Basic Training Program achieved initial Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation," Joseph Felgenhauer, a Reclamation security specialist/security instructor who nominated Albertsen, said in the news release. He also referred to Albertsen learning the accreditation process and, with the team, preparing and conducting remote assessments, in addition to other efforts.
"She is a superhero,” Felgenhauer added, according to the release. "Her benefit to Reclamation year after year is momentous. I cannot believe she has never won this award before."
Albertsen's accomplishments also were noted in a bureau Facebook post.
"Albertsen took on several additional duties this past year requiring her to learn in a very short timeframe several new programs, policies, rules and business practices," the Facebook post noted.
The other five regional nominees are Valerie Rodriguez, secretary for the California Great Basin Region Office of Public Affairs; Kathy Carson, secretary for the Technical Services Center Water, Environment and Ecosystems division; Brenda Binstock, secretary for the Missouri Basin Region Acquisition and Financial Assistance Support Services; Chuk Bench, secretary for the Upper Colorado Basin Region Power Office; and Kathleen Stewart, program support assistant for the Lower Colorado Basin Region Engineering Services Office. All were winners in their regions and then advanced to the bureau-wide competition, the release reported.
