VA Central Iowa Medical Center Food Service Section Chief receives national award for Excellence in Food Service Leadership

“Erin is an exceptional leader and demonstrates on a daily basis her commitment to serving Veterans by positively impacting people, processes and culture,” said Carla Huebner, Chief of Nutrition and Food Service, VA Central Iowa Health Care System. “She is highly deserving of the honor of being recognized for exceptional leadership in nutrition and food services.”

The Excellence in Food Service Leadership Award recognizes a clinician in a patient care setting who has shown initiative and drive in their specialty area to advance skills and the care provided to Veterans on a local, service network, or national level.

The list of achievements and qualities that led to Bouslaugh’s nomination are impressive, showing how she has improved operations, enhanced the experience of both Veterans and her employees, and developed a chartered group to implement ongoing changes.

Bouslaugh has also presented on a national call for her “innovation from the field” project related to the partnership that she developed along with the chief of the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement that provides special meals to inpatient Veterans using voluntary services funding.

To Bouslaugh’s employees, she represents what it means to be a leader in her field, and they describe her as someone who effortlessly handles many responsibilities while demonstrating patience and ensuring her employees feel listened to and validated.

What is also clear in Bouslaugh’s demeanor is her passion for her work.

Bouslaugh, whose current favorite healthy food is overnight oats with raspberries and blueberries, has always held an interest in nutrition.

After having done a work-study program with a dietitian during high school, Bouslaugh set off from her childhood home in Onawa, Iowa, to pursue her steadfast interest at Iowa State University.

Following graduation, she was selected for a six-month dietetic internship through ISU at VA Central Iowa’s Knoxville and Des Moines campuses. 

Upon completion of the internship and becoming a registered dietitian in August 2007, she was selected for a clinical dietitian position at the VA Central Iowa’s Knoxville Campus beginning her journey of over a decade with the VA.

She also held roles in home-based primary care and later administration, eventually being selected as food service section chief starting in 2012.

“I really enjoy working with frontline staff and getting information and working with them to do things better, to try new things,” said Bouslaugh. “That is probably my favorite part of it, just being able to [have an impact], whether it's new menu items or new ways of doing something.”

Bouslaugh credits her supervisor, Huebner, for challenging her to take educational opportunities on leadership, to grow and to be innovative.

One of the toughest leadership challenges she’s faced in her career, Bouslaugh says, was meal services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic while short-staffed and under similar pressures to many medical facilities.

“I know a lot of facilities that kind of stopped their room service during that time, kind of took a step back from some of those things,” said Bouslaugh. “And we never did, we were always able to come through that and make things work.”

Yet, Bouslaugh took the time to recognize VA leaders, coworkers, and employees for their passion and dedication as well.

“Really any success I have attests to our staff, the frontline staff here, the frontline supervisors here,” said Bouslaugh. “It’s really working together and all wanting the same thing, you know, like great service for our Veterans and being willing to make changes and continue to provide no matter what we're dealing with.”

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Samantha Hircock, Visual Information Specialist

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