There are three traits that clearly define Lisa Fountain: devotion to her family, commitment to her job, and a pure passion for performing.
Lisa is a Savannah River Site (SRS) baby. While she was born in Lafayette, Tennessee, she arrived in Aiken when she was 10 days old. Her father had accepted a position at the Savannah River Plant in 1962, and his family joined him as soon as Lisa’s mother could travel. Lisa has lived in Aiken County ever since.
Her career at SRS began as a janitor in 1986. As she explains, “I got hired into the labor force and was assigned to mop floors in the Tritium Facility.” After a year, she had the opportunity to train to become an Electronics and Instrumentation (E&I) Mechanic. At the time, she was the only woman on the crew, and she quickly found success working on security alarms and access control systems. These critical components are necessary for maintaining the safeguards and security applications across the Site.
As time passed, Lisa’s talent was recognized and she was promoted. Today, she serves as the SRS Plantwide Access Enrollment System Manager. When asked how someone progresses career from janitorial duties to managing a significant component of SRS security, she smiles and says, “I was blessed with wonderful mentors. It has been a challenge, but one I have enjoyed. I have seen so many changes over the years. We are consistently working on system enhancements because we have a deep-seated responsibility to our nation. The work we are doing at SRS has been important for 70 years and it continues to be relevant in keeping America safe.”
Lisa’s family roots at SRS are deep. In addition to her father’s past service, her two sons work as SRS mechanics. Her sister also worked there in the past. Lisa’s husband Travis recently retired from the Site, and with him she shares five grandchildren with the sixth on the way in their blended family. When Lisa speaks of her grandchildren, her eyes light up. It is clear she values the time she shares with them.
With all of her responsibilities, Lisa still finds time to share her passion for performing. She began singing a cappella as a child in the Aiken Church of Christ, where she is still a member. In school she sang in chorus, concert choir, and even spent a year as part of the All-State Choir. As an adult, she first performed in the Aiken Community Theatre’s production of Cabaret in 1984 but the demands of family life made it difficult to fit in additional performances. In 2009, she returned to the stage for Inherit the Wind and she hasn’t looked back since.
In 2014, Lisa became one of the original members of a nonprofit organization known as Paladin Productions: Have Show Will Travel. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Lisa not only performs in many of the shows but also serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors and frequently works as the Props Manager and even directs on occasion. She is involved because she absolutely loves every aspect of it. Travis fully supports Lisa’s passion for theater. Lisa said, “Travis always says as long as I am having fun, he wants me to do it.”
Lisa is quick to praise the founders of Paladin Productions, Patrick Williams and Bob Franklin. It was their vision to create the local traveling theatrical productions and musical reviews. As a nonprofit, they perform for the thrill of bringing joy to others and frequently perform to assist other nonprofits. Some of the organizations who have benefited from their performances have included the Savannah River Cancer Foundation, ASPCA, and ACTS.
Lisa radiates joy when she speaks of the thrill of performing. She said, “Having someone approach you in the grocery store to tell you how much they enjoyed the performance is exciting. When a perfect stranger stops to thank you for singing a song that was special to them in their life, it is wonderful. The emails, the cards, all of the ways people connect with us to tell us the happiness we bring them is truly a thrill.”
With the onset of COVID-19, performances had to be canceled, but Lisa is hopeful that productions can resume as soon as it is safe to do so. She said, “We feel very unplugged right now due to COVID. We feel lost without the connection to our audiences.”
SRS brought Lisa Fountain to our area. Growing up in Aiken County has given Lisa roots. Working at SRS has given her a meaningful career and provided for her family. Her gift to all of us is her love of musical theater and all it entails. With the time, talent, and energy she puts into it, it is a valuable gift indeed.
Photos courtesy of Mark Hudson
