Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital adds to its legacy of rising healthcare leaders
Ashely Cole didn’t think she would reach a career milestone during a one-year post-college training program. Then, she was named runner-up in a national competition.
Cole is a fellow with Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital’s Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP), which mentors aspiring healthcare professionals with post-graduate education to manage extensive healthcare networks.
GHATP fellows, like Cole, compete in various projects, including one major cost-saving project for which Cole was awarded second place at VA’s symposium during American College of Healthcare Executives week in March.
Cole’s project focused on women’s health medical providers divided amongst Hines clinics and their potential impact on care.
“The implementation for this project has been completed, but the aim will be ongoing until we have streamlined all primary care panels,” said Cole.
The GHATP Program trains the next generation of health care leaders and prepares them for ever-expanding roles within the VA.
Among them is Julia Nakashima, who completed her fellowship at Hines VA in 2024 before joining the hospital’s Whole Health and Employee Engagement service as a full-time employee. For Nakashima, learning daily operations at a VA Hospital was a unique opportunity with a personal connection.
“My grandfather, who served in the U.S. Army and received a heart transplant at Hines, passed away before I could meet him, but my mom always said how he wanted her to work for the VA because of the great care he received,” said Nakashima. “When looking for my next step after earning my master's in healthcare administration, my mother encouraged me to look at the VA, and I thought it would be a great way to honor him.”
Both Cole and Nakashima hope to follow in the footsteps of Angela Morris, a 2013 GHATP fellow who currently serves as Hines VA’s Associate Director of Resources.
As a GHATP trainee, Morris worked as a strategic planner for the VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network in Arlington, Texas and Chief of Voluntary Services.
“The GHATP program provided me with a great overview of how VA operates because I was able to work on so many different levels so early in my career,” said Morris. “The foundational skills I learned as a GHAPT fellow still apply to my role today in VA executive leadership.”
Now, midway through her career, Morris said mentoring GHAPT fellows remains one of her most cherished responsibilities.
“As someone who has had an incredible journey, it is important for me to give back and develop others,” said Morris.
With Cole completing her training in June, Morris looks forward to mentoring the newest GHATP fellow at Hines, Natalie Pettigrew.
Pettigrew is an executive assistant at Hines VA and earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership and public health in 2024. She will begin her fellowship on June 16 and said she was drawn to the program’s many learning opportunities.
“The aspects of the program I am looking forward to include collaborating with other services to understand their roles better, learning how each service directly impacts patient care, and expanding my overall knowledge,” said Pettigrew. “This will help me continue to assist our Veterans with factual and current information to create meaningful outcomes.”
Cole will graduate on June 30 and looks forward to being the mentor instead of the mentee. Her advice to Pettigrew is to seize every opportunity that arises.
“The GHATP experience is unique and places us in environments rich with learning opportunities,” said Cole. “Make the most of these moments, and don't hesitate to ask many questions.”
For more information on the Graduate Health Administration Training Program, visit: https://www.va.gov/houston-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/graduate-health-administrative-training-program/.