A Steady Hand for Veterans: Richmond VA Neurosurgeon Retires After Nearly Four Decades of Service

Finding Her Place at the VA

Dr. Holloway started her medical journey in New Jersey, graduating from Rutgers before moving to Richmond in 1984 for a neurosurgery residency at VCU. When she first rotated at the Richmond VA in 1987, something clicked.

“At the VA, I met the patients first,” she recalls. “I listened to what was important to them and learned to form my own plan for their care. It shaped how I’ve practiced ever since.”

That early experience set the tone for the rest of her 38-year career: careful listening, thoughtful planning, and always centering in on the Veteran’s goals in every decision.

“Veterans Are Made of Titanium”

Over the decades, one thing stood out to Dr. Holloway more than anything else, the grit and resilience of her patients.

“Veterans are made of tougher stuff than anybody else,” she often says. “They’re made of titanium.”

Many of the Veterans she treated came in with complex spinal and neurological conditions that demanded meticulous planning and careful execution. Their determination and the trust they placed in her team left a lasting impression. 

“It hurts us when they don’t do well,” she said. “That feeling kept me dedicated to doing what was safest and best for them.”

Bringing Advanced Brain Surgery to Richmond

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Holloway is especially proud of helping bring deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to Richmond’s Veterans.

After performing DBS at VCU, she approached Chief of Surgery, Dr. Hunter McGuire, about offering the procedure at the VA. Once he saw how dramatically one of the first patients improved, he became a strong supporter.

Working closely with neurologist Dr. Vince Calabrese and Warren Felton, and PM&R’s Dr. Dave Cifu , and Dr. Ron Seel, the Richmond team successfully competed to become one of six national Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (PADRECC) of Excellence. This brought advanced DBS care to Veterans from across the Southeast and a team of experts to deliver that care, including Dr Mark Baron an expert in brain electrophysiology and Miriam Hirsch, RN a nationally recognized expert in DBS programming, who serves as the backbone of the service. 

“It is one of the most remarkable things you can see,” she said. “A tremor stopping with the flip of a switch.”

Building the Team Behind the Care

Dr. Holloway’s impact was never just about what happened in the operating room. She poured energy into building a strong, highly coordinated neurosurgery team, especially its core group of nurse practitioners.

Nurse practitioners including Marie Bradley, Kristen Johnson, Crystal Allen, Heather Bradbury, and Quality improvement scientist Sheyne Martin, PhD and nurse coordinators have helped knit together a service that integrated rotating residents and part-time attending coverage. The neurosurgery residents are the best and brightest MDs from around the country, and they bring an incredible work ethic and fresh ideas to the surgical care of the veterans while under the careful eye of jointly appointed VCU-VA neurosurgery attendings. This multitiered team led the way in patient evaluations, complex diagnostic workups, quality-improvement projects, and tracking outcomes.

Their efforts contributed to better spinal fusion success rates, improved infection monitoring, and even suicide-prevention protocols that later informed national initiatives. “We have an amazing crew,” Dr. Holloway said. “They’re the backbone of everything we do.”

She also helped recruit surgeon-scientists Dr. Paul Koch, Dr. John Greer, and Dr. Ket Verma, to expand research in traumatic brain injury, concussion, epilepsy, and spine care.

Making Care Safer and More Accessible

Under the combined leadership of Dr. Holloway, Surgical Service Chief, Dr Jeannie Rivers, and Chief of Staff Dr Julie Beales and OR staff, neurosurgery at Richmond VA saw major gains in access and operating room efficiency. Updated technology, streamlined workflows, and a strong OR team helped reduce surgical delays and expand what could safely be offered on site.

Dr. Holloway often points to one advantage of VA care that matters deeply to her… decisions are driven by what is best for the patient, not by revenue. 

“In the VA, we don’t have any financial incentive to do more surgery,” she said. “It’s all about providing better outcomes and fewer complications.”

She notes that research comparing VA and community-care patients has shown that Veterans often undergo more surgery in the community, without better results. At the VA, they gain something else as well: truly multidisciplinary care. 

“Neurology, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, therapy, everyone works together,” she said.

Preparing the Next Generation

As she prepares to retire, Dr. Holloway is confident the neurosurgery section is in good hands. She praises her successor, Dr. John Greer, for early progress in reducing wait times and improving access for Veterans who need surgical care.

She also encourages early-career neurosurgeons, especially those with an interest in research, to consider VA as a professional home. 

“If the VA can support their research and they can still care for patients, it’s a huge hiring advantage,” she said.

A Legacy of Gratitude

When asked what she’ll remember most, Dr. Holloway doesn’t hesitate: it’s the people. The colleagues who stood beside her, the team that grew with her, and the Veterans who trusted her with their lives.

“There was so much our group accomplished,” she said. “It’s amazing what they’ve done for Veterans.”

From pioneering surgical programs to shaping a culture of teamwork and mentorship, Dr. Kathryn Holloway leaves behind a department and a community that has changed for the better. Her steady hands, steady leadership, and steadfast commitment have given thousands of Veterans a chance at steadier, fuller lives.