The mission matters

General Article

Solutions-oriented Lawrie Robertson receives special Farwell award for 18 years of contributions to Public Health Sciences Division's growth and success

Public Health Sciences veteran Lawrie Robertson is in the business of addressing every issue connected with the smooth functioning of the division and, within the boundaries of good public stewardship, finding solutions for every scientific need. Photo by Todd McNaught

Lawrie Robertson likes to get to work early and devote the first hour of his day to one specific task. "After that, it's open season on me," he said.

As division administrator for Public Health Sciences, Robertson is the first point of contact for a vast constituency with a multitude of needs, concerns and questions involving everything from personnel to facilities to funding. "I have 1,236 items in my e-mail box right now," he said.

If it all sounds like too much for one person's plate, it is, Robertson said. "The hardest part is to not get caught up in too much detail. There is only so much you can do when you've got 800 employees to help. My job is to make sure the best person to deal with an issue gets it."

Robertson has been doing that job — and doing it well — for 18 years. Last month, during a PHS all-staff meeting, Robertson received a special 10th anniversary version of the division's annual Margaret T. Farwell Award recognizing his many contributions to the division's growth and success.

"He's very dedicated," said Dr. Ross Prentice, former division director and current faculty member who hired Robertson. "And he's very proactive. He doesn't require a lot of direction or pats on the back. He just goes about doing things and doing them well."

As a support service, the mission of division administration is clear, Robertson said. "We're in the solutions business. Our job is to find solutions within the rules and boundaries of good public stewardship so the scientists can do their jobs."

That means addressing everything that has anything to do with the smooth functioning of the division. For example, after a contractor accidentally set off a fire alarm, Robertson quickly went to work evaluating how to improve the way employees responded. "It was a good learning experience," he said.

PHS Division growth

Robertson came to Fred Hutchinson after careers in government, where he planned and developed services for senior citizens, and consulting, where he specialized in organizing public involvement activities for large public works projects.

Guy Ott, former vice president for facilities and operations, pointed Robertson in Fred Hutchinson's direction. "My wife and Guy Ott's wife were college roommates and close friends," Robertson said. "We went to dinner with the Otts, and Guy said there was this great job at the center. I applied for it and got it."

The year was 1986. At that time, the division's budget was $7.6 million and it employed 220 faculty and staff. Today, the PHS budget is $73 million and it employs 832 faculty and staff. "I have the same job title, but the size of the job has changed just slightly," Robertson said with a wry laugh.

One thing that hasn't changed is the division's approach to administration. "Our whole philosophy is to push administration down as close as we can to the principal investigators," Robertson said. "It's very decentralized. It's something we feel very strongly about and that works well for our division."

The division administration staff consists of only five full-time equivalent employees — just two more than when Robertson arrived. In place of a large central staff, a range of front-line staff provides day-to-day support to the principal investigators. "Generally, it's an effective system," Robertson said. "However, as we looked across the center, the four division administrators felt that in the laboratories, the scientific coordinators who provide administrative support often feel isolated."

In response, Robertson is teaming up with Marcea Kato, the division administrator for Basic Sciences, to lead a project called SCORE. Short for Scientific Coordinator Ongoing Resource Enhancement, the project is creating peer networks and mentoring opportunities for coordinators from all divisions, Robertson said.

A leader and friend

SCORE is the latest example of leadership shown by Robertson on behalf of PHS. "Lawrie is as committed to the division and to the center as anyone I know right across the organization," said Dr. John Potter, current division director. "He is a fine colleague and a fine manager."

Prentice agrees. "He probably kept me out of a lot more problems than I ever realized," he said. "To a lot of us, he's become a good friend. People trust him because he's willing to listen and try to find solutions to their problems no matter how extreme their requests might be."

Robertson appreciates the praise, but is quick to point out the contributions of the rest of the division administration team, especially Rosemarie Keenan. "I'm blessed to have Rosemarie as my right arm," he said. May Alipao, Kathy Titje, Bev Silver, Clayton Hibbert and Gail DeVun also help Robertson achieve the division's goals.

Outside of work, Robertson is involved in track and field officiating. A former middle distance runner for Ballard High School and Occidental College, Robertson officiated at the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games and currently teaches a state certification course for track and field officials. In addition, his wife, Gwen, is the head boys and girls track and field and cross-country coach at Issaquah High School.

Loves to teach

Robertson also is active in his professional organization, the Society of Research Administrators International. He's co-chairing the group's annual meeting this fall and regularly teaches one of its continuing education courses. "It's fun because I learned that I love to teach and I love to present, which is something I didn't know," said Robertson.

One thing Robertson has always known is that the mission of any organization he works for matters a great deal to him, which is why he's so proud to say he works at Fred Hutchinson. "Everybody puts what's best for the center as a whole ahead of individual interests," he said. "I love working at a place where the science comes first."

Center News Table of Contents