Thomas R. Talamante

As Interim Executive Director of San Francisco VA Health Care System, Mr. Talamante leads a comprehensive network that is comprised of a medical center with outpatient services, located in San Francisco, California, a 111-bed hospital, a 120-bed Community Living Center, and 9 VA outpatient clinics in San Bruno, Downtown San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Clearlake, Ukiah, and Eureka. SFVAHCS is a 1a complexity and a tertiary referral health care system, with an operating budget that exceeds $1.2 billion annually. The health care system operates the largest competitively funded research program in VA, with a budget of $96.3 million, over 320 principal researchers, and over 1,000 active research projects. SFVAHCS is also a prestigious general medicine and surgery teaching hospital, with over 60 years of affiliation with University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

SFVAHCS has several National Centers of Excellence in the areas of Epilepsy Treatment, Cardiac Surgery, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, HIV, Renal Dialysis. It has many other nationally recognized programs, including: the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center, the Hepatitis C Resource Center, the Mental Illness Research and Education Clinical Center, and the Western Pacemaker and AICD Surveillance Program.

Prior to accepting the position of Interim Executive Director for SFVAHCS, Mr. Talamante served as the Executive Director of VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS). He has served in this role since July 28, 2024. Mr. Talamante began his service at VASNHCS beginning in December of 2023 when he was selected as the Interim Director. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director of VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Aurora, CO. Mr. Talamante began his VA career in 2009 at VA San Diego Healthcare System and has served in a broad range of leadership positions across multiple VA health care systems.

Mr. Talamante graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and from National University in San Diego, California with a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. Additionally, he holds a Master of Business Administration from University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. Mr. Talamante is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and is an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He is a graduate of the VHA Executive Management Fellowship Program and the Excellence in Government Fellows Program.

Mr. Talamante is a United States Marine Corps combat Veteran who served in various leadership roles in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.