Executive Leadership
Dr. Jessica Salyers, PsyD
VHA Chief Learning Officer
Institute for Learning, Education and Development
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Jessica Salyers is the Chief Learning Officer for the Veterans Health Administration, Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD). In her role overseeing 435 employees and $125 million, she is responsible for providing the right learning, anytime, anywhere, to all VHA employees in the areas of clinical care, health care operations and administration, as well as leadership development, talent management, and succession planning. Dr. Salyers serves as the principal advisor to the Under Secretary for Health for the analysis, development, delivery, implementation, and evaluation of education, learning, development, and training programs, products, and services that support workforce development and continuing education for the Administration's more than 377,000 health care professionals and staff, as well as 120,000 residents and trainees at over 1,255 sites, caring for 8.92 million Veterans. As an advocate and champion for transforming VHA into a learning organization, Dr. Salyers works with VA and VHA leaders to identify requirements and leverage collaborative and innovative education, training, leadership, and succession planning opportunities in support of Department and Administration goals and objectives.
Prior to her appointment, she served as the Executive Director for the Healthcare Leadership Talent Institute in VHA. Her previous positions in the Air Force include Chief Talent Management Officer for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center; Deputy Executive Director, Chief of Staff, and Chief Learning Officer at the Air Force Research Laboratory, and others. She has 20 years of experience in industrial/organizational psychology, organizational consulting, change management, leadership development, organizational development and strategic planning.
Dr. Salyers' major awards include the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Exemplary Civilian Service Award, Special Act or Service Award (multiple), Dayton Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award, and Leadership Dayton graduate.
She holds a doctorate in business/consulting psychology; a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology; and a bachelor's degree in general psychology, criminal justice studies and sociology. Her specific areas of research interest and experience include survey assessment and design, information overload and future of work.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
- 2022 – Present: VHA Chief Learning Officer, VHA Institute for Learning, Educaiton and Development (ILEAD), Washington DC
- 2021 – 2022: Executive Director, VHA Healthcare Leadership Talent Institute, Washington DC
- 2020 – 2021: Chief Talent Management Officer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, WPAFB, OH
- 2017 – 2020: Deputy Executive Director, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, Ohio
- 2016 – 2017: Chief of Staff, Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation, WPAFB, OH
- 2014 – 2016: Chief Learning Officer, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH
- 2013 – 2014: Organizational Intervention Lead, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH
- 2012 – 2013: Executive Officer, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH
- 2008 – 2012: Deputy, Corporate Development, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH
- 2004 – 2008: Organizational Development Specialist, Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH
EDUCATION:
- 2013: Doctor of Psychology, Business and Consulting Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
- 2008: Master of Science, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN
- 2006: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Criminal Justice Studies (Dual Major), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH
Dr. Kathy Hanson
VHA Deputy Chief Learning Officer
Institute for Learning, Education and Development
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Kathy Hanson is the Deputy Chief Learning Officer for the Veterans Health Administration, Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD). In this role, she oversees operations for the development and implementation of leadership and employee development policies and programs that support workforce development and continuing education for the Administration's more than 377,000 health care professionals and staff, as well as 120,000 residents and trainees at over 1,255 sites, caring for 8.92 million Veterans. Reporting directly to the Chief Learning Officer, Dr. Hanson works with VA and VHA leaders and stakeholders to ensure that ILEAD provides educational services that are learner-focused, accessible, performance-based and cost effective.
Prior to joining VHA, Dr. Hanson served in key leadership positions within learning and development organizations in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as the Vice President for Integrated Culture, Learning and Development at Noodle Partners. She has held key leadership roles within learning and development at multiple Federal agencies, to include the National Park Service, the Food and Drug Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dr. Hanson has a background in academia, having taught at every level from K-12 through graduate programs at multiple universities. She is a proud Veteran of the US. Army.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
- 2022 – Present: VHA Deputy Chief Learning Officer, Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD), Washington, DC
- 2022 – 2022: Vice President, Integrated Culture, Learning and Development, Noodle Partners, New York, NY
- 2018 – 2022: Vice President, Teaching and Learning, Noodle Partners, New York, NY
- 2014 – 2018: Director, Division of Learning and Organizational Development, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD
- 2008 – 2014: Chief Learning Officer, National Park Service, Washington, DC
EDUCATION:
- 2006: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- 1984: Master of Arts in Education, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
- 1983: Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, St. Andrews University, Laurinburg, NC
Scott W. Bauer, CDFM-A, DFMCP3, DAWIA BUS-FM3
Executive Director, Strategy and Operations
Institute for Learning, Education and Development
Veterans Health Administration
Mr. Scott W. Bauer is the Executive Director, Strategy and Operations for the Veterans Health Administration, Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD). As an advocate for transforming VHA into a learning organization, Mr. Bauer works with key stakeholders to identify requirements and leverage innovative education, training, leadership, and succession planning opportunities in support of Department and Administration goals and objectives.
Previously, as the Director of Acquisition Human Capital Initiatives, Mr. Bauer led a Department of Defense (DoD)-wide alternative personnel system serving 50,000+ individuals, administered a $100+ million workforce development account, and orchestrated several industry/government exchange programs. He was competitively selected for the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program to serve as the Senior Executive Advisor within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this capacity, he oversaw DHS's 15,000+ acquisition workforce including an 80-person enterprise-wide Acquisition Professional Career Intern Program and management of the Homeland Security Acquisition Institute.
Formerly, as the Associate Director of Production, Coordination & Optimization at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), he led a communication campaign for the first department-wide acquisition human capital redesign in 30 years for more than 185,000 acquisition workforce members. Prior to his tenure at DAU, he served as the 4th Estate Director of Acquisition Career Management (DACM) for 32 defense agencies/field activities. In this role, he was responsible for the career development of more than 31,000 acquisition workforce members with oversight of statutory certification and continuous learning requirements. While his former positions involved considerable workforce responsibilities, he also has nearly a decade of financial management experience. As Chief of the Exercise Branch in the "Engine Room" at the Pentagon, he integrated and defended the Air Force's Fiscal Year 2017 $167 billion budget request to Congress with a live media presentation to over one million people.
He has received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Secretary of Homeland Security Medal for Outstanding Public Service, and American University's Robert Tobias Achievement Award. Mr. Bauer is published in the Armed Forces Comptroller Journal and the Defense Acquisition Magazine.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
- 2023 – Present: Executive Director, Strategy and Operations, VHA, ILEAD, Washington, DC
- 2022 – 2023: Director, Human Capital Initiatives, DoD, Defense Acquisition University (DAU), Belvoir, VA
- 2022 – 2022: Senior Acting Advisor, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), OCPO, Washington, DC
- 2021 – 2022: Associate Director, Production, Coordination & Optimization, DoD, DAU, Belvoir, VA
- 2018 – 2021: Fourth Estate, Director, Acquisition Career Management, DoD, Belvoir, VA
- 2016 – 2018: Fourth Estate, Deputy Director, Acquisition Career Management, DoD, Belvoir, VA
- 2015 – 2016: Exercise Branch Chief, Financial Management & Comptroller, Air Force, Pentagon, VA
- 2014 – 2015: Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, WPAFB, OH
- 2011 – 2014: Supervisory Financial Specialist, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, WPAFB, OH
EDUCATION:
- 2005: Master of Business Administration, Wright State University, Dayton, OH
- 2004: Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Wright State University, Dayton, OH
