Lab Matters Summer 2025 | Page 23

FEATURE

When Cheryl Achilles joined the Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Laboratory 18 months ago as laboratory director, she was impressed with not only the facility, but also the experienced staff that she would be leading.

“ Most everyone has been here a minimum of 10 years,” she said.“ The assistant laboratory director is approaching 45 years of service, and the inorganic chemistry supervisor has more than 30 years.” With a staff of 15 full-time employees( FTEs), there is not much room for advancement, or having the budget for bringing new staff on board. And once they are there, keeping their expertise and allowing them to grow and acquire new knowledge while satisfying their desires for balance between work and personal lives has grown even more challenging.