Leadership Team
Paul Crews | 919-956-5541
Director, Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6)
Paul S. Crews, MPH, FACHE, was appointed as the Executive Director of VA’s Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network on Oct. 10, 2021. VISN 6 has 46 sites of care in North Carolina and Virginia, including seven Medical Centers, 32 Community Outpatient Clinics, five Health Care Centers, and two dialysis clinics. The network has a budget of 4.7 billion dollars, 20,000 employees, 4,000 volunteers, and serves 415,000 Veterans annually. Mr. Crews has an accomplished history of 30-years of health care experience, 12-years in VA, and 18-years in the private sector. Most recently serving as the Executive Director of the Durham VA Health Care System for the last three years. Before that, he served as the Interim Director for the VA Western New York Healthcare System, the Deputy Director for the San Francisco VA Health Care System, the Associate Director for the Tennessee Valley VA Health Care System, and their Chief of Quality before being appointed AD. Mr. Crews holds a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration and a Master’s in Public Health in Policy and Management, both from Texas A&M University. He is a member and mentor of The American College of Health Care Executives and was awarded the NC Chapter’s 2020 Regent Healthcare Executive Award. He serves on VHA’s Regents Advisory Committee and is an SES coach for VHA’s premier leadership development program for up-and-coming VA executives. He is a proud Navy Veteran who has been married to his wife Mary Lou for more than 20-years.
James M. Goff, Jr., M.D. | 919-956-5541
Chief Medical Officer, VISN 6
Dr. James M. Goff, Jr., was selected to serve as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, Veterans Integrated Service Network 6 (VISN 6), effective April 10, 2022. Dr. Goff began his VA career in 2007 at the New Mexico VA Health Care System. He served in progressive leadership positions as the Chief, Surgical Service, and Chief of Staff. He was instrumental in the health care system’s response to COVID, fourth mission support to the Indian Health Service, and COVID recovery operations to safely optimize care for Veterans and staff. Dr. Goff is fellowship-trained and board certified in both General Surgery and Vascular Surgery. He received his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, completed his residency in General Surgery and fellowship training in Vascular Surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a Medical Research Fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and obtained additional fellowship training in Endovascular Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Goff completed his Master of Science degree in the Science of Health Care Delivery at Arizona State University in 2022. Dr. Goff has a servant leader’s passion for performance and system improvement. He has initiated, led, and facilitated multiple teams which have improved the health and well-being of Veterans and the efficiency of clinical operations. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, a Certified Physician Executive by the American Association for Physician Leadership, a Certified Lean Blackbelt, and a 2022 graduate of the Federal Executive Institute. Dr. Goff is a proud Army Veteran who served in multiple echelons of military health care, including service as a Battalion Surgeon for an armor/mechanized infantry task force with the 1st Infantry Division during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and later as the Deputy Hospital Commander/Senior Triage Officer with the 48th Combat Support Hospital during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Jonathan Benoit
Deputy Network Director, VISN 6
Jonathan Benoit was appointed Deputy Network Direcxtor for VISN 6 effective May 23, 2022. Mr. Benoit (pronounced Ben-wah) has over 22 years of health care experience in VA, state government, and the U.S. Navy. He has been with the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System since August 2016. He has been serving as the Associate Director since June 2018, where he oversees Engineering, Environmental Management, Logistics, Nutrition and Food, Safety, Emergency Management, Healthcare Technology Management, and Police Services. Additionally, he served as the organizational liaison to the Network Contracting Office, the Office of Information and Technology, and the Veterans Canteen Service. Prior to being appointed Associate Director, he served as the acting Assistant Director from February 2018 through June 2018 and Chief of Health Administration Service from August 2016 to February 2018. Before 2016, he worked for the Eastern Colorado VA Healthcare System, first as the Deputy Chief of Health Administration Service, then as the acting Chief of Health Administration Service. Mr. Benoit began his VA career in VISN 8 as a fellow in the Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program before becoming the Chief of Data Quality at the Orlando VA Medical Center. He holds a Master of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health from the University of North Florida. Mr. Benoit is a proud Veteran of the United States Navy.
Mary Parker, PharmD, FASHP, FCCP, FNCAP
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Parker has been acting as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer since June 2021; prior to that position, Dr. Parker was the acting Chief Medical Officer for VISN 6 from November 2020 to June 2021. Since coming to VA from the private sector in April 2011, Dr. Parker has held several clinical leadership positions throughout her nine years at the Durham VA Health Care System: Acting Associate Chief of Staff for Ambulatory Care, Acting Chief of Ambulatory Care Clinics at Durham VAHCS, Clinic Coordinator, and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist of Ambulatory Care Clinics. Before joining VA, Dr. Parker worked as the Director of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Clinics and Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner for Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, NC. There she built pharmacist-run clinical services for anticoagulation, dyslipidemia, heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiovascular risk reduction at a multispecialty physician practice. She has also served as a Clinical Staff Pharmacist supporting a 110-bed regional hospital with ER, ICU, Nursery, Surgical, and Radiologic services. Dr. Parker holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from Campbell University. She will graduate with a Masters of Business Administration from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke in December 2022. She is a Regent and Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, a Member and Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, a Fellow and Past-President of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists, and serves as a subject matter expert for the Veterans’ Affairs Pharmacy Program Office.
Lisa Shear | 919-956-5541
Chief Nursing Officer, VISN 6
Ms. Lisa S. Shear, was appointed Chief Nursing Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) in March of 2017. Ms. Shear had been the Quality Management Officer in VISN 6 since 2008. The network is made up of seven medical centers and 43 outpatient sites of care, staffed by more than 20,000 people and operating with a budget exceeding $3 billion dollars. VISN 6 is a major provider of graduate medical education and research as well as nursing and allied health education. The VISN is home to more than 500 researchers and affiliated with seven major medical schools and more than 50 colleges and universities. Ms. Shear came to VISN 6 from Dayton VAMC, OH where she was Acting Quality Manager and Accreditation/Performance Improvement Coordinator from 2003-2008. Ms. Shear retired as a Colonel from the United States Air Force in 2021 with a combined Active Duty and Reserve career spanning 26.5 years. Her service history included being the Individual Mobilization Augmentee Nursing Administrator at Joint Base Andrews, 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Chief Nurse, Assistant Chief Nurse, Infection Control Officer, Education Officer, Wing Inspection Evaluation Team Leader, 88st MDG Chief Nurse of Primary Care, 81st MDG Diabetic Educator, Nurse Transition Program Preceptor and Chief Nurse for two overseas humanitarian tours to Latin America. Ms. Shear serves on the National Strategic Nursing Leadership Task Force and the National SAIL Strategic Group, VA CAREER CHRONOLOGY: 2017 – Present CNO, VISN 6 2008 – 2017QMO, VISN 6 2003 – 2008 Acting Quality Manager/ Accreditation & PI Coordinator, Dayton VAMC, OH MILITARY CAREER CHRONOLOGY: 2017 – 2021 IMA to Nurse Administrator, Joint Base Andrews, MD 2003 -- 2017 Chief Nurse, 445th AMDS/445th AW, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH -Also served as Assistant Chief Nurse, Infection Control Officer, Education Officer 1999 -- 2003 Chief Nurse Primary Care, 88st MDG, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 1998 -- 1999 AFIT Student-Graduate Studies 1994 -- 1998 Diabetic Educator & Nurse Transition Program Preceptor, 81st MDG, Keesler AFB OH CIVILIAN CAREER CHRONOLOGY: 2006 -- 2008 Adjunct Faculty-Nursing, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 2003 -- 2008 Independent Legal Nurse Consultant, Dayton, OH 1992 -- 1994 Charge RN-Medical/Surgical Oncology Unit, Marquette General Hospital, Marquette, MI 1988 -- 1992 Adjunct Faculty-Liberal Arts, Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI EDUCATION: 2016 Air War College 2009 Air Command and Staff College 2004 USAF Nursing Service Management 1998 Squadron Officer School 1999 Master’s in Nursing, CNS Adult Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 1997 Nursing Service Fundamentals 1994 Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 1992 Associate Degree -Applied Science, Nursing, Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI 1988 Bachelor of Science, Education, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
Dana Ballard
Quality Management Officer, VISN 6
Ms. Dana Ballard was appointed the Quality Management Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) in November of 2019. Ms. Ballard has been the Patient Safety Officer in VISN 6 since 2018. Ms. Ballard started with The Department of Veterans Affairs in 2004 as a registered nurse in the Surgical ICU at Durham VA Health Care System and transitioned to Quality and Patient Safety in 2014. She has been a registered nurse for more than 29 years, starting her nursing career in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and then transitioning to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the private sector before joining the VA. Ms. Ballard holds a Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Leadership, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT. She is a member of the National Association for Healthcare Quality and played an intricate role in the VA's national QMO steering committee and the national CCN Next Generation Program Clinical Workstream.
