Brenda Byrd-Pelaez J.D.

Prior to her current appointment, Ms. Byrd-Pelaez served as the Chief of Operations Analytics since November 2018, where her data-driven insights significantly enhanced operational performance. Earlier in her career at the Department of Veteran Affairs, she held the position of Human Resources Officer starting in May 2012, after joining the organization in May 2010. During her tenure, she has also served at VA facilities in Martinsburg and Washington, D.C., and has represented the Agency in mediations and arbitrations. In various executive roles—including Acting Deputy Director, Associate Director, and Assistant Director—she has led interdisciplinary teams to address complex challenges in support of the VA mission.

A native of Georgia and an Air Force veteran, Ms. Byrd-Pelaez holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Augusta University, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas-El Paso, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia.