At Amentum, we celebrate our people, our cultures, and we recognize the value of diversity and inclusion. In March, we’ll focus on Women’s History Month while shining a light on one employee at a time. Today’s Q&A is with Sarah LeDuc, Director, Data Analytics & Integration, Engineering, Science & Technology.
How did you come to join Amentum?
I joined Amentum through the PAE acquisition.
What is your professional and personal background?
I started in retail out of college and then made a significant leap into defense contracting by supporting United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). After enjoying many years with them, I began to branch out to other areas of the Department of Defense (DoD). For my personal background, sports such as triathlons and golf, have been a major part of my life, as well as coaching people to financial freedom – a huge passion of mine!
Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.
My job is really about empowering my team – ensuring they have the resources and tools they need to be successful and to provide excellent service to our clients.
What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?
Being asked to support our Women in Search of Excellence (WISE) Employee Resource Network (ERN) was, and is, such an honor. We were the first ERN established at Amentum, so it was important to us that we had a successful start. We currently have over 400 members and we look forward to growing our membership and the amount of events and offerings we provide to our community.
What do you enjoy about working for Amentum?
I enjoy the people I work with. While we’ve been through a lot of change in the past year, the talent and passion we have in Amentum is inspiring!
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about building a strong team that is as passionate as I am about our people, our clients and their mission.
What’s your career advice?
Your career and your growth are up to you! First, figure out what you want to do, look to see what degrees and certifications you may need, make a plan and go for it. I’ve heard people say they don’t want to get a degree because it takes too long, but time is going to pass you by anyways, so why not let it pass while you are pursuing your dreams! Second, I recommend seeking out additional tasks and responsibilities that would help give you experience and grow you in the direction you want to go. Last, seek out at least one if not a couple mentors – build your own personal “Board of Directors” to help act as a sounding board and help guide you along your way.
What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?
There are so many great safety tips out there, but recently I have been focusing on slowing down. We are always so busy and rushing through things can cause mistakes and accidents. No matter how busy we get, we need to remember to take a deep breath and slow down!
What’s the best invention in the world and why?
This is a tough question, but I would say the cell phone. To be able to reach out to my family scattered across the US at any moment of the day, no matter where I am, is truly a blessing!
What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
Women’s History Month provides a focused opportunity to remember all those who came before us – the trail blazers, the explorers, the inventors, the peacemakers! From Marie Curie to Amelia Earhart to Mother Teresa, Women’s History Month encourages us to look to all of them and share their stories with each other and the generations of younger women around us.
