The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced today the appointment of Maria Nguyen as Interim Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS).
Nguyen succeeds Ms. Jennifer Gutowski, who retired after 26 years of service at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ms. Gutowski’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to Veteran care have left a lasting legacy at SAVAHCS and across the VA system, according to Nguyen.
“To begin, I would like to thank Ms. Jennifer Gutowski for her 26 years of dedicated service to our nation’s Veterans,” said Nguyen. “She has left an indelible mark on the SAVAHCS and VA. Her commitment to excellence and unwavering support for Veterans have set a high standard for all of us. As I step into this role, I am eager to build upon her legacy to enhance the quality-of-care SAVAHCS provides to those who have served our country.”
Nguyen brings more than 10 years of VA leadership experience. Since June 2022, she has served as the Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer at SAVAHCS, overseeing key operational departments including Engineering, Financial Management, Health Administration, Pharmacy, VA Police Services, Emergency Management, Privacy and Facility Planning. She also served as the facility liaison to Human Resources.
Her prior leadership roles include Associate Director of the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and Assistant Director at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Nguyen began her VA career in 2008 as a fellow in the Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, later rising through supervisory and executive administrative positions. She holds a Master of Public Health from The Ohio State University and is a native of Columbus, Ohio.
“I have met many of you through various partnership meetings, outreach events and townhalls since my time as the SAVAHCS Associate Director,” said Nguyen. “In this new role, I look forward to continuing to work closely with VSOs, Congressional Offices, and Community Partners in providing exemplary services to our Veterans. I know that SAVAHCS cannot do the work alone, and we need our valued partners to be successful in caring for Veterans, their families, and caregivers.”
Nguyen expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their continued support and collaboration in serving Southern Arizona’s Veteran community.
