Karen Spada, MSN, MPH, MHA, FNP

Class 2002-04


BA, Wheaton College, Norton, MA, 1985
MPH, Boston Univ., Boston, MA, 1991
MSN, Medical Univ. South Carolina, 1998
MHA, Baylor Univ., Waco, TX, 2004

Assoc. Director Nursing Serv., Central Texas VHCS, Temple, TX, 2007 to present
Quality Mgmt. Officer, Heart of Texas HC Network VISN 17, Arlington, TX, 2003-07
Resident, VA Hosp., Central Texas VISN 17, Arlington, TX, 2003-04

Biography

Karen Spada, MSN, MPH, MHA, RN, FNP was appointed Associate Director for Nursing Services for Central Texas Veterans Health Care System August 5, 2007. In this capacity, she is responsible for all nursing functions in this multi-million dollar health care consortium. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Spada served as Quality Management Officer for the Heart of Texas Health Care Network (VISN) 17 located in Arlington, Texas, from October 2003 until August 2007. Ms. Spada joined the Department of Veteran Affairs in October of 1983 in Boston, Massachusetts as an orthopedic week-end staff nurse. In 1985 she completed her BA from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts and graduated as the Wheaton Scholar. In 1991 she completed her Masters in Public Health from Boston University. In 1998 she graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with her Masters in Nursing and her post-graduate work completed to attain her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) board certification. From 1998 through 2000 she practiced as an FNP at Southern California VA Health Care System located in San Diego, Calif. From San Diego, she served as a nurse practitioner for the VA at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, Ariz., from 2000 to 2002. In 2002 she entered the prestigious US-Army Baylor Program at Fort Sam Houston. She graduated in 2004 with her Masters in Health Care administration. In 2004 she completed the Executive Career Fellowship and was certified for graduation in 2006. As part of her training, Ms. Spada served as the acting deputy director of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System for a six month period. Ms. Spada also worked as an administrator and a trauma nurse in the private sector prior to joining the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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