Paul M. Russo MHSA, FACHE

Mr. Russo leads the tertiary health care delivery for Bay Pines VA Healthcare System which includes the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, Lee County Healthcare Center, and seven VA Clinics, serving Veterans in 10 counties, across southwest Florida. He brings 41 years of federal service providing direct leadership and oversight for strategic planning/ communications, quality systems, compliance, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

As Director/CEO, Mr. Russo is a member of the federal Senior Executive Service (SES). 

He previously served as the director/CEO of the W.G. Bill Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, N.C. and the Miami VA Healthcare System.

Mr. Russo began his VA career in 1982 as a staff dietitian at the Buffalo VA Medical Center in Buffalo, N.Y. He progressed into multiple management positions serving as chief of nutrition and food service at the Syracuse VA Medical Center and West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System. Mr. Russo became the chief of the integrated nutrition and food service, directly supporting the Miami and West Palm Beach VA Healthcare Systems. In 2001, he was promoted to assistant director of the Miami VA Healthcare System, and in 2003 became the associate director of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System.

He received his bachelor’s degree in clinical dietetics in 1982 from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. Mr. Russo received his master's degree in health systems administration at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2005 and was recognized as a distinguished alumnus in 2013.

He is board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and a senior member of the American Society for Quality.

Mr. Russo is the recipient of the 2022 Secretary of Veterans Affairs Award for Excellence for the Advancement of Nursing Programs by a Medical Center Director, the Veterans Administration Administrators Hands and Heart Award in 1985 and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Award for Dietitian of the Year in 1996.

In 2006 he received the ACHE Regents Award for establishing the Treasure Coast Health Care Executive Network, a local chapter of ACHE. He served as president of the chapter from 2006-2008 and board member thereafter. In 2011 Mr. Russo received the ACHE Distinguished Service Award, and in 2015 he received the Legion of Honor Humanitarian Award from the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in recognition of his service to all people regardless of race or faith.

Mr. Russo has served on numerous boards and committees within the Department of Veterans Affairs and external to the agency. Past appointments include chairperson of First Choice Credit Union Board, West Palm Beach, Fla. (1999 – 2010); Miami-Dade County Military Affairs Board (2013-2018), and chairperson of the Federal Executive Board of South Florida (2016-2017). He has served as the director representative to the National Association of VA Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF) from 2017 to 2020.