Chadwick Lester, RN

Mr. Lester currently serves as the Deputy Associate Director, Patient Care Services at the Phoenix VA Health Care System and is a Registered Nurse with over 24 years of experience.

Before arriving in Phoenix, he served as Deputy Associate Director, Patient Care Services and Interim Associate Director, at Northern Arizona VA Health Care System. Mr. Lester was the Chief Nurse over Emergency Department/Clinical Decision Unit/Patient Flow Services/ at North Texas VA Healthcare System. Since joining VHA in 2016, he has served as ED Nurse Manager Assistant Chief Nurse of Sterile Processing and detailed as Chief Nurse of Mental Health. His leadership roles include manager of Care Coordination and Transition of Care for the University of Texas in San Antonio, manager of ED at Baptist Health System, Chief Nurse over a Combat Support Hospital, and ED Supervisor at LSU Hospital.

Mr. Lester is a decorated OEF/OIF combat Veteran with more than 23 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army Reserves from which he retired in 2015 as a Major. His military career includes: served as a trauma nurse/flight nurse for the 228th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul, Iraq earning him the Combat Air Calvary Spurs and Meritorious Service Medal; a Civil Affairs Operator Team Lead on a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan earning him the Combat Action Badge and Bronze Star medal. He also played rugby for the military services and was All Marine for two years, and six years All Army.

Mr. Lester earned his BS in nursing from Louisiana Tech University, an MA in Hospital Administration from the University of Phoenix and is currently working on his DNP.