Executive Director of the St. Louis Health Care System

“We are excited that Ms. Ifabiyi will become the new Executive Director of the VA St. Louis Health Care System,” said Dr. Patricia Hall, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 15) Director.  “Her sound leadership qualities and proven experience will be valuable assets for the health care system, the employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the Veterans we are honored to serve.  We anticipate she will begin her appointment in the next 30-45 days.” 

Ms. Candace Ifabiyi was appointed as the first woman CEO/Director of the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, in Wichita, Kansas, on August 16, 2020. In this role, Ms. Ifabiyi oversaw a level 2 complexity hospital with 5 community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), with an operating budget of over $360M, and more than 1,500 employees. Ms. Ifabiyi was previously the Associate Director/COO of the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, IL. In that role, she had oversight of the facility’s $730 million budget and ensured operational efficiency for a Level 1A, 483-bed hospital with 6 community-based outpatient clinics and 3,700 employees. 

Ms. Ifabiyi is a Veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves that started her VA career in 2006 as a GS-5 supply specialist at the Memphis VA Medical Center. During her VA career, Ms. Ifabiyi has held various positions to include serving as Acting Hospital Director at the Northeast Ohio Healthcare System in Cleveland Ohio. In this capacity, she managed a VHA healthcare system that was among the top 5 most complex in the country.  At the Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, she oversaw a $1.1 billion budget and provided strategic leadership for a Level 1A, 674-bed hospital with 13 CBOCs, 1 stand-alone outpatient surgery center, 1 stand-alone dialysis center, and over 5,400 employees. Ms. Ifabiyi also served as the Acting Hospital Director of the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, and the Illiana Health Care System in Illinois. 

Ms. Ifabiyi has held positions at VA Central Office in Washington, DC, to include VHA’s Office of Policy and Planning and VHA’s Office of Patient Care Services. While in the Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Workforce Services, she managed a $1.2 billion budget and supported the integration of policy and operations for 5 national programs that impacted more than 300,000 VHA employees and over 120,000 health profession trainees.  

Ms. Ifabiyi obtained a Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) from The University of Memphis. She is a recipient of the 2021 Wichita Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and was named 2022 Executive of the Year in Wichita, KS. In 2022, under her leadership, Wichita’s Dole VA Medical Center received the prestigious Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Dole VA is one of three hospitals in the entire state of Kansas to receive the recognition. 

About the VA St. Louis Health Care System

The VA St. Louis Health Care System is one of the seven VISN 15 health care centers of excellence. The VA St. Louis Health Care System’s mission is to honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.  The VA St. Louis Health Care System is a Joint Commission accredited, complexity level 1A facility which provides a full range of medical, surgical, psychiatric and rehabilitation services to Veterans and returning service members. The VA St. Louis Health Care System’s 3,200 employees serve more than 70,000 Veterans in east central Missouri and southwestern Illinois at two primary locations, the John Cochran and Jefferson Barracks Divisions in St. Louis, and at four Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Missouri and Illinois.  For more information, visit www.stlouis.va.gov. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Ms. Ifabiyi has an exceptional background and possesses the leadership, knowledge, and skills necessary to successfully lead the VA St. Louis Health Care System into the future.