Council Chair Sharon Stover
COUNTY News;
Los Alamos County Councilors Sharon Stover, Mike Wismer and Vincent Chiravalle are completing their terms as County Councilors Dec. 31.
The community is invited at 7 p.m. today, Dec. 18, to Council Chambers as the remaining Councilor and County Board and Commission members and County Staff formally recognize their service and thank them for their dedication to Los Alamos and White Rock.
Stover has lived in White Rock for more than 25 years and served on the County Council in 1996 by appointment and was elected in 1998-2002.
She currently serves on several community boards and committees including the Los Alamos School Foundation, Kiwanis, Family YMCA and serves as an adult leader for Los Alamos Youth Leadership. She is one of the founding members of Leadership Los Alamos and a graduate of Leadership New Mexico. Stover also assisted in the development of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board organization.
Stover grew up in the Pojoaque Valley and attended Santa Fe Business College. She is married to Steven Girrens and they have two children, Quinn and Craig. Craig graduates from college with a business degree next week. Quinn is set to graduate with a law degree in May.
Councilor Mike Wismer
Mike Wismer is a resident of Los Alamos who selected Los Alamos as his choice for a home after serving in the U.S Air Force for 21 years.
He initially worked for SOC Los Alamos and now is a group leader in the Safeguards and Security Directorate at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
As resident, he has come to appreciate both the historical significance and the unique, small town character Los Alamos represents.
His passion for the community has vectored him towards community service since the day he arrived. Wismer’s involvement started with an acting stint with the Los Alamos Little Theater followed by selection as a member of the Board of Directors.
He hasn’t looked back since the path to community involvement took him from the Los Alamos Hockey Association through the County’s Parks and Recreation and Personnel Boards to a prior term on the County Council, the UNM-LA Advisory Board and his current four-year term on Council.
Wismer is married to Lisa Clough Wismer.
Councilor Vincent Chiravalle
Councilor Vincent Chiravalle is a native of New Jersey and holds a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Arts, and a Ph.D. degree all in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, which he received in 1996, 1999 and 2003 respectively.
As part of his Ph.D. thesis work, he built a satellite propulsion system similar to an ion engine of the Star Trek variety and used laser diagnostics and computer simulations to quantify in detail the operation of this engine.
After finishing my studies, Chiravalle moved to Los Alamos in 2003 to become a Technical Staff Member at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
He describes Los Alamos County as “a special place, where three elements come together: a high powered and unique scientific research laboratory, a truly beautiful and spectacular natural environment and a wholesome small town atmosphere.”
One of the most important tasks of a public official is to look carefully and critically at public spending, Chiravalle has said, adding, “We need to make investments in Los Alamos and White Rock that promote economic development. We must adopt the most efficient management for our capital projects. It is essential that we have an accurate representation of the cost up front and that we hold the line on capital spending.”
