• Principle/ senior advisor to management officials across the National Cemetery Administration enterprise from Central Office Senior Leadership to on-site Directors and managers.• SME on multiple federal labor contracts (AFGE, NAGE, NFFE). • Skilled in all phases of labor negotiations to include ground rules, midterm bargaining and MOUs. Skilled in effective proposal writing, negotiation strategies and conflict resolution. • Key facilitator on VA/AFGE National Training Committee (NTEC) providing joint Labor/Management training within Department of Veterans Affairs. • Accompanies/ represents senior leadership (USMA; Chief of Staff) in national labor briefings; prepares white papers for senior leadership on sensitive matters. • Leads/ advises investigations of highly complex and sensitive employee conduct/ performance issues. Prepares a final report of investigation and evidence for Senior/Agency leadership review with recommendations for remedy.• Analyzes and evaluates effectiveness of current policies/ procedures, develops proposals for improvement, and directs the implementation of programs and policies, particularly on matters of Labor Relations, Collective Bargaining Obligations, Investigations, EEOC, and other complex and highly sensitive matters. • Liaises with Office of General Counsel (OGC); Office of Special Counsel (OSC); Office of Inspector General (OIG); Regional Council to ensure regulatory compliance and guidance provided to senior leadership is proper and grounded in statute and policy and matters in need of escalation are appropriately addressed. • Participates in mediation in matters before Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Expert in Alternate Dispute Resolution. • Drafts effective impasse briefs for the Federal Labor Relations Authority, presents compelling, data-driven arguments for VA’s positions and proposals.• Serves on the VA Military Spouse and Employee Family Resource Group (ERG) as the NCA agency point of contact.

• Appointed by VA Secretary of Veterans Affairs to serve as a key member of VA management team charged with re-negotiating the largest federal Collective Bargaining Agreement (VA/American Federation of Government Employees – AFGE, 2011) covering over 300,000 employees.• Served as a subject matter expert on collective bargaining ground rules, FSIP decisions, case law, and VHA field operations. Researched and explicated relevant laws, regulations, negotiated agreements, rules and legal precedents. Provided case examples to bolster/ counter arguments during negotiations. • Co-drafted proposals upholding leadership’s goals for efficiency; provided technical writing/ documentation expertise. • Co-authored and served multiple legal briefs to the Federal Services Impasse Panel (FSIP), securing pivotal panel decisions now codified in law. • Utilized clinical expertise and patient care experience to advocate for implications of negotiations on facility-level clinical issues. • Served as a consultant, SME technical advisor, and negotiating team member on issues not previously negotiated and where particularly controversial matters were at stake. • Coordinated with Office of General Council (OGC) and represented VA as an expert witness and SME in multiple federal arbitrations. • Provided guidance to senior leadership on the application of negotiated agreements and FLRA decisions, resolution of grievances, and arbitration proceedings. Facilitated efforts of union representatives and management to establish and maintain open and effective communications on new and revised personnel policies and practices. Analyzed proposals to determine impact and possible ramifications on agency operations and personnel. • Advised management on contract compliance, Statutory requirements, and dispute resolution. Investigated disputes, unfair labor practice charges, and formal/informal complaints and recommended action plans for resolution.

• Ascended through positions of increasing responsibility to Section Chief and key leader within Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service.• Direct report to Associate Chief of Staff, responsible for administrative operations of a large, multidisciplinary mental health service of 300 clinical and administrative employees across a five-county catchment area for a Complexity 1A Veterans Affairs Medical Center. • Led a team of eighteen, (GS-5 to GS-11) including two (2) Supervisory Administrative Officers, three (3) Management and Program Analysts, two (2) Program Specialists, one (1) Budget and Data Analyst, one (1) Secretary to the Chief, and eight (8) Program Support Assistants. • Developed, proposed, and implemented Administrative Section reorganization plan, improving efficiency of operations to address evolving medical center demands. Realized a 92% position turnover/promotion/reorganization, and cost-savings of $250,000. • Accreditation Manager, Joint Commission readiness team, ensuring all facilities, standard operating procedures (SOPs), clinical documentation, and personnel files remained compliant. Served as service lead for three (3) Joint Commission surveys, and two (2) Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Identified and communicated areas of concern/potential deficiency to leadership, developed and executed action plans to maintain compliance with standards and goals for patient care. • Supervised Contract Officer Representatives (CORs) for service wide contracts, to include physical plants and facilities, provision of a $1.6 million contracted inpatient substance abuse treatment (FY19).

• Responsible for daily operations of Substance Use Disorder Service (SUDS) a multi-level treatment program. include staffing, clinic workflow, resolution of customer service concerns, process improvement, dissemination of hospital and program SOPs. Maintain both qualitative and quantitative data on process improvement and patient flow.• Assisted physician lead in comprehensive program analysis, redesign, and rebranding of SUDS to implement treatment-on-demand, same day admission, and utilization of national policy and evidence based treatment (American Society of Addiction Medicine, Uniformed Mental Health Services Act, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) to develop an evidence-based complete continuum of care for Veterans with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. o Increased clinical productivity by 25.6%; reduced staffing costs by 9.2%.o Reduced patient wait times for treatment from an average of 34 days to 0; patient outcomes improved by 22.2%.o Increased use of evidence-based pharmacology by physicians – per two key national VA performance measures – by 65% and 500%, respectively.o Improved staff morale: employee sick days decreased by more than 25%.o Assisted with the development of an inpatient addiction consult team modeled on Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard University) pilot program. First Veterans Administration hospital known to adopt similar model.• Clinical liaison between six primary care clinics. Improved Veteran access to care, education of providers and stakeholders, and outreach to other services within the VA and the community.• Provided group and individual psychotherapy, and conducted comprehensive substance use disorder assessments in the inpatient and outpatient primary care setting. • Championed Harm Reduction treatment for substance abuse in Primary Care and outpatient SUDS clinic, trained other providers and fostering a culture shift to patient centered care.

• Sole employee responsible for re-opening the St. Croix Vet Center, a small Vet Center Outstation located in the St. Croix Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), after several years of being closed. • Oversaw daily operations and ensured compliance with Readjustment Counseling Service regulations, and VA/VISN/Central Office Policy, record management, scheduling, and ordering of supplies. Developed program materials, fliers and brochures using MS Publisher and Adobe. • Surveyed and canvassed the catchment area, to determine the needs of the Veterans, and developed relationships with community supports including the office of Governor Gregory Francis, USVI Reserve and National Guard Units, University of the Virgin Islands, USVI Veterans Affairs Bureau, and American Legion Posts. • Provided evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Collaborated with Veterans Benefits Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, and community supports to ensure combat-era Veterans their families have a smooth transition to civilian life and access to VA services and benefits. • Hosted weekly community outreach events to advertise Vet Center Services. Ultimately reinvigorated relationships with the above stakeholders and provided a safe, confidential space for Veterans and their families to obtain quality services while increasing visibility of the Vet Center in the St. Croix community.

• Research Psychologist for the VISN 8 Mental Illness Research and Education Clinical Center (MIRECC) conducting a multisite series of OEF/OIF/OND clinical research protocols examining Post-Deployment PTSD and TBI. • Administered, scored, and interpreted psychological and neuropsychological tests, including the Structured Interview for the DSM-IV, The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to include most subtests of the Halstead-Reitan Battery, WAIS-IV, WISC, Green’s Word Memory Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, MMPI, PAI, MCMI, etc.• Maintained inventory of all testing assets and protocols as well as multiple extensive databases.• Collaborated with MIRECC staff in Richmond, VA and Durham, NC to ensure continuity of procedures and protocols among study sites. Participated in all life-cycles of research protocols including preparing and submitting Institutional Review Board (IRB) documents, data collection and analysis, manuscript and poster presentation, and dissemination of research findings at local and national conferences. Provided consultation to research staff on adherence to protocols and maintained a close working relationship with the Research Compliance Officer, Office of Research & Development and the IRB ensuring research compliance through fidelity to research protocols and VA policy.

Provided assessment, individual and group psychotherapy to individuals and families in a sub-acute inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation hospital. Along with a multidisciplinary team of providers, treated cognitive sequelae, adjustment issues and comorbid/premorbid conditions of brain injury including substance abuse and PTSD. Consulted with other disciplines, families, and community organizations to develop behavioral management and treatment plans for individuals with brain injuries. Frequently provided education on brain injury and sequelae to staff, medical residents, community providers, patients and families. Provided training for other providers to acquire CEU credits through the local Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Obtained licensure as a NC Licensed Psychological Associate through the NC Psychology Board and obtained a Certified Brain Injury Specialist credential.

Adjunct Professor for Human Growth and Development and Abnormal Psychology