Her Story
About Lourdes
Lourdes Spurlock serves as a Construction Project Manager at Apex Clean Energy in Charlottesville, Virginia, specializing in the construction of wind and solar farms within the renewable energy sector. She brings over five years of experience in this field, following nine years building submarines and nuclear aircraft carriers and six years as a Navy nuclear operator from 2006 to 2012, including two deployments to the Mediterranean. Spurlock earned her bachelor's degree from Old Dominion University in 2018 and completed the Naval Nuclear Program, which is equivalent to 60 credits at the university. She is actively involved in professional organizations including CASE JMU, AABE Virginia, Kidwind, and the Old Dominion University Student Alumni Council. Spurlock is a dedicated mentor who has volunteered at over 20 schools across Virginia, serving as a public speaker and judge for STEM competitions. Her success stems from hard work, credibility gained through her career, and the leadership skills developed during her military service. She attributes her values of respect, trust, and communication to her time in the Navy and advises young women entering the industry to never be afraid to take up space and speak up. Spurlock has been named a finalist for the Empower Her Leadership Award and Mrs. Virginia International 2026.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lourdes
01What do you attribute your success to?
I work hard, and I have a lot of credibility for my career experience, and I think that's gained me a lot of respect. The military really made an impact on my life. I've put in the hours, the time. I did 2 military deployments to the Mediterranean. And I think just constantly working hard gives me that respect. And that respect gives me the trust of the people I work with.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never let the fear of failure stop you from trying. Been my life motto.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never be afraid to take up space. Even if you're not always invited to the conversation, if you have something meaningful to say, never be afraid to speak up for yourself.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Trying to maintain enough energy portfolios with the rise of AI. AI uses a lot of energy and power, and we're trying to build projects fast enough to keep up with that energy usage.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, it's respect, trust, and communications. I feel like all those qualities is what makes a very strong leader. Having everyone respect and trust you, and then you're able to communicate well, and those are the qualities that I really admired in my military years while I was in service.
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