She beat cancer, now she safeguards isotopes that fight it

At the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where medical isotopes are produced to treat cancers like the one she battled, Missy Baird's leadership has come full circle: the survivor is also the steward, safeguarding the systems supporting the best hope for the cure.

Missy Baird transformed intense personal adversity into a remarkable 32-year career at ORNL, channeling grit, a love of history, and a talent for building community into lasting impact.

Baird's career didn't begin with isotopes. Rather, a U.S. Army military police officer veteran, her civilian career began in 1994 as a security guard navigating temporary roles and pink slips before landing in 1998 at ORNL's Lab Shift Superintendent's office, the lab's 911 hub, as a control center analyst.

In 2003 she joined records management, cross-training in document control for the Nonreactor Nuclear Facilities Division, now part of ORNL's Isotope Science and Enrichment Directorate. For a decade she handled hard-copy documents across the nonreactor nuclear facilities to help ensure operations meet safety and regulatory requirements.

An aggressive cancer met its match

In 2010, Baird faced a significant personal challenge. At age 42, amid a divorce, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease, despite not having the associated predisposing genes.

"I went through chemo, radiation, and decided to go back to school to secure my future," she said.

She finished her associate's degree while class and treatment days overlapped. Three years later she had earned her bachelor's and master's while continuing to work full time. Thanks to new genetic sequencing, Baird learned a few years ago that she has a feeder gene linked to BRCA2. Once again, she chose to be proactive and underwent surgeries in 2023 to mitigate risk factors.

Supported by family, friends and coworkers, Baird lived the motto she often repeats: "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

Discovering historical gold

Her grit propelled her forward. As a records analyst, Baird immersed herself in ORNL's archives, discovering treasures such as a 1940s scrapbook, a document signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and a copy of the lab's original land deed.

"I've always liked history," Baird said, "but when I got to the records department and dug into the boxes, it was like time travel. The lab's past came to life, and now I love history."

Her discoveries, often displayed at her office, now help others connect the lab's Manhattan Project roots to today's isotope innovations.

In April 2023, Baird applied for the group lead position for the ISED Document Control and Records Management Group. Her supervisor, Safety Engineering and Support Section Head Michele Baker, knew Missy had what it takes to oversee procedures under rigorous DOE protocols and the transition to digital records.

Three years into the role, Baker said, "Missy has been instrumental in establishing the process for how we conduct business and for integrating our support into the rest of the directorate," especially as the team incorporated additional procedure writers and expanded support to other ISED divisions.

"She's always open to improving processes," Baker said. "She's always willing to help. She'll dive right in, and she makes sure that everybody gets what they need."

A penchant for fun, food and excellence

Elizabeth Kirby, a procedure writer on Baird's team, said: "Missy is a good manager; she's resilient and full of energy. But what I love most is that she brings fun to the workplace."

Potlucks, chili cook-offs and December-long hot chocolate bars are some of the ways Baird creates joy, connection and camaraderie in a demanding work environment.

"If she's not organizing it, she's the biggest participant," Kirby said. "She decorates and loves to enlist people for fundraisers."

Today Baird leads the transition to digital records. She has innovated electronic forms and created guidance for scanning processes across the ISED divisions that her team supports.

"It's great to be part of the team writing procedures for isotopes and the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) group and know that I'm helping other people."

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science. - Susan McLeod