Jenny Nacu‘s Journey to Becoming a Lithium Leader and Mentor

August 14, 2025

Today, she’s a lithium hydroxide unit leader and engineer at Albemarle’s Kings Mountain facility. But what inspired her early in life were her father’s achievements as an engineer. 

Raised in the Philippines, Jenny Nacu developed a fascination for how things worked—disassembling household items and fixing problems. Her curiosity and aptitude for math and chemistry led her to choose chemical engineering for its adaptability and practical applications. 

Early in her career, Nacu served as a field engineer in the oil and gas industry, managing high-stakes projects in fast-paced environments. As the sole engineer within a ten-person crew, she honed her skills in prioritizing tasks, communicating under pressure and solving complex, real-time problems—experiences that solidified her commitment to operations and leadership.

Since joining Albemarle in 2021, her role has expanded significantly in both scope and responsibility. Beginning as a production engineer and then being promoted to plant unit leader at Albemarle’s facility in New Johnsonville, Tenn., she played a key part in increasing the facility’s output of high purity specialty chemicals, enabling key chemical transformations used in the manufacturing of medications.

Today, Nacu leads Albemarle’s lithium hydroxide production unit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, an important facility in the U.S. lithium supply chain. The site transforms domestic raw materials into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Nacu oversees an operations team that prioritizes safety, precision and record-setting performance. 

Mentorship has been a cornerstone of Nacu’s career growth. She recalls how her very first manager believed in her skills, offering guidance and the confidence needed to take on challenges beyond her comfort zone. 

Now, Nacu extends her own mentorship beyond just her team members, taking time to sit down with interns and other engineers early in their careers. She makes a point to encourage them to value their voice, learn from their mistakes and draw strength from their instincts.

“As they share issues they are facing, we work through them together. I usually learn through this process as well,” says Nacu.