Edward Payton

Currently, Mr. Payton, a Jackson, Mississippi native, serves as Acting Director for Operations at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in suburban Chicago.

Mr. Payton began his VA career as an administrative fellow at the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2014. After completing his fellowship, he served in various roles of increasing responsibility, including Senior Department Administrator for the Ambulatory and Emergency Care Clinical Center, acting Group Practice Manager (GPM), and Administrative Officer for the Mental Health Clinical Center.

In 2018, Mr. Payton became Deputy Chief of the Medical Administration at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS), before being selected as Chief in 2020. Mr. Payton also served as Associate Medical Center Director on multiple occasions. In 2022, Mr. Payton became the Associate Medical Center Director/COO at Tennessee Valley Health Care System (TVHS) in Nashville. 

Most recently, Mr. Payton served as the SES Deputy Medical Center Director at VA Connecticut Healthcare System from June 2024-January 2025. He also served as the SES Deputy Medical Center Director at TVHS from September 2023-January 2024.

Mr. Payton was chair of the National VHA MAS/HAS/Business Office Chiefs group. He is a 2017 graduate of VISN 5's Leadership Development Institute and a 2018 graduate of the VHA Healthcare Leadership Development Program (HCLDP). Mr. Payton was also recently selected to the 2024-2025 cohort of the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), serving on the VA Regent Advisory Council and the National Association of Health Service Executives, where is the President of the National Veterans Affairs Chapter.