Mr. Johnson provides executive leadership to over 4,400 employees in an accredited health care system. This system includes a medical/surgical hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Polytrauma Unit, Community Living Center, Inpatient Mental Health Unit, Domiciliary, Hospice, VA’s largest Health Care Center (HCC), and three community-based outpatient clinics. Annually, the system serves over 87,000 Veterans across 52 cities and counties in central Virginia and north central North Carolina, operating on a budget exceeding $1.2 billion. Currently, Mr. Johnson chairs VHA’s Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP) Board, serves on VHA’s ACHE Regional Advisory Council’s Awards and Recognition Committee, and mentors other senior executives.
As Executive Director in Hampton, Virginia, Mr. Johnson oversaw significant expansions and improvements, including the opening of a 25,000 sq. ft. outpatient mental health building, a 25,000 sq. ft. primary and specialty care outpatient clinic, 16 single-patient rooms for spinal cord injured patients, and an Intermediate Care Clinic. He initiated the construction of an 18,500 sq. ft. outpatient dialysis center, nearly doubled the capacity of the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach CBOCs, and began designing a 209,472 sq. ft. Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic. Moreover, Mr. Johnson supported the procurement and installation of new technologies such as the da Vinci Surgical System, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and 3D printers. He led VISN 6 by first approving the use of Advanced Nurse Practitioners as licensed independent providers.
During his tenure as Executive Director at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, Mr. Johnson was recognized twice by national leadership as one of the Fastest Improved VA Hospitals in Healthcare Quality and improved the center’s ranking from 81st to 14th in Best Places to Work.
Mr. Johnson has also held various positions with the U.S. Army Medical Command, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, VISN 10, and VA Central Office. Early in his career, he served four years on VHA’s GHATP Board, where he oversaw the Administrative Resident/Fellow Training Program, the Health System Specialist Trainee Program, the Executive MHA Off-Campus Program, and the Army-Baylor MHA Program. Additionally, he co-chaired the work group that developed the Health Systems Management Trainee Program and initiated VHA’s Annual Administrative Trainee Poster Competition, held at the American College of Healthcare Executive’s (ACHE) Congress on Healthcare Leadership.
Mr. Johnson is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and has garnered several accolades, including the U.S. Army-Baylor 2022 Dean Toland Preceptor of the Year Award, the 2007 Champion of TRICARE Award (the first VA employee to receive this honor), and the VA ACHE Regent’s 2006 Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Award. Before his career in health administration, Mr. Johnson served with the in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One).
CAREER CHRONOLOGY (senior executive positions only)
2019 – present Executive Director, VAHCS, Richmond, VA (01-07/2022, Interim ExD, Salisbury, NC)
2017 – 2019 Executive Director, VAHCS, Hampton, VA
2016 – 2017 Executive Director, VAHCS, Spokane, WA (01-04/2017, Interim ExD, Seattle, WA)
2015 Interim Executive Director, VAHCS, Spokane, WA
2013 – 2015 Associate Director, VAHCS, Spokane, WA
2007 – 2013 Assistant Director, VAHCS, Pensacola, FL
EDUCATION
1994 Masters of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
1991 Bachelor’s Degree (BA), College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA