Damian Mindley

Mr. Damian Mindley began his career at the VA Maryland Healthcare System (VAMHCS) as a Technical Career Field (TCF) intern in August of 2003, training under the guidance of retired veteran Chief Engineer and VA Chief Engineer of the year Richard Iafolla. During his tenure at the VAMHCS, Mr. Mindley successfully managed numerous design and construction projects and was promoted to the next grade level within 6 months of being hired.  As a result, Mr. Mindley was identified as a high potential employee and was selected to participate in the VA Maryland Healthcare System Leadership Program where he continued to excel. Mr. Mindley graduated from the TCF program in August 2005 and transitioned to the Atlanta VA Medical Center as a staff engineer in January 2006. As one of two staff engineers at the time, Mr. Mindley was given the opportunity to manage numerous construction projects and design efforts. As a result of demonstrating his leadership/management, technical skills and a “can do” attitude, Mr. Mindley was promoted to Supervisory General Engineer in 2007 after enduring a very competitive interview process.

As a high potential employee, Mr. Mindley was selected to participate in the Network Executive Healthcare Leadership Institute (NEHCLI) class of 2009. Mr. Mindley continued to excel in his position and received a Certificate of Recognition from the Former Secretary of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Hon. Eric K. Shinseki, for his timely execution of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Capital Improvement funds. In 2011, Mr. Mindley was also recognized by VA Headquarters as the VA’s “Staff Engineer of the Year”. He also received recognition from the Federal Energy Management Program as an Energy Champion for serving as Interim Energy Manager while helping to reduce the cost of operating the facility. That same year, Mr. Mindley achieved the Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) status. This designation was bestowed by the American Hospital Association in conjunction with the American Society of Healthcare Engineers. As Mr. Mindley’s responsibilities increased, he continuously sought out opportunities to improve his leadership and management skill sets. In October 2011, Mr. Mindley interviewed and was selected as one of ten VA employees to represent the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Excellence in Government Executive Leadership Training program. This program prepares federal leaders to solve national challenges by driving innovation, inspiring employees and delivering results.  As a graduate of that program, Mr. Mindley is acknowledged as a Senior Fellow by the Partnership for Public Service. 

Mr. Damian Mindley assumed the duties of Chief – Engineering Service for the Atlanta VA Healthcare System, in January 2012. Previously, Mr. Mindley served as the Supervisory General Engineer overseeing one of the largest and most robust Capital Infrastructure Improvement funding periods in the Medical Center’s history.  During his first year as Chief Engineer, Mr. Mindley received a performance improvement award for implementing changes within his Service that resulted in cost savings to the Medical Center. That same year, Mr. Mindley completed the Purdue University Yellow Belt Lean Certification Course. The following year, Mr. Mindley completed the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM). As Chief Engineer, Mr. Mindley : (1) developed the facility’s first Work Order/Preventative Maintenance instructional manual; (2) oversaw the expansion of Engineering operations to Fort McPherson and The Trinka Davis Veterans Village; (3) transitioned all Engineering staff members to S.M.A.R.T performance standards; (4) garnered Resource Management Approval which created upward mobility promotions for over 20+ staff members; and (5) presided over many Capital Infrastructure improvements to include a $40 million dollar revitalization project to transform a portion of Ft. McPherson’s Army base into a Community Referral Center for veterans, a 40 bed Domiciliary, a 75,000 sq.ft Multi-Specialty clinic and an impending Ambulatory Surgery Center. He also oversaw and led the establishment of the Trinka Davis Veterans Village which includes a 40 bed Community Living Center, a 25,000 sq.ft.  Multi-Specialty Clinic and an impending Parking Structure. Mr. Mindley also led the overhaul of the Atlanta VA Medical Center’s electrical distribution network and the addition of a Water Storage Facility.  The overhaul of the facility’s electrical distribution network and the addition of a Water Storage Facility improved and solidified the facility’s ability to respond during emergency events. The Atlanta VA Medical Center is one of very few facilities in the State of Georgia and in the country with n+1 electrical power redundancy and a 750k gallon Water Storage Facility.

Lastly, Mr. Mindley has been a leader in the field of Water Quality Management. As a result of his efforts in managing Water Quality for his Healthcare System, Mr. Mindley was recognized and asked to be a conference speaker for the Smart Water Leadership Summit. He has also done presentations for the Centers for Disease Control and Practice Greenhealth on the topic of Water Quality Management.

Mr. Mindley studied Electrical Engineering at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md.  Mr. Mindley has also completed continuing education courses at the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as completing the Biomedical Engineering Technical course study sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).  Additionally, Mr. Mindley has been certified as a Level 1 Steam System Specialist by Swagelok Energy Advisors.