Executive Leadership Team

Catherine A. Wilson, CAPT, NC, USN, RET, Executive Director, Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
Kendra Ellison, Executive Assistant
Martha J. Mead, Special Projects Coordinator
Camilla Schwoebel, Regional Director, Region 1
James Thur, Northern Regional Director, Region 2
Matthew Wade, Regional Director, Region 3

Martha Utley, Central Regional Director, Region 4
Eric Endries, Regional Director, Region 5

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Catherine A. Wilson, CAPT, NC, USN, RET

A native Virginian, Catherine Wilson currently serves as the Executive Director of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. Established in July 2008, this program is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Rehabilitative Services.

Through networks of public and private partnerships the program ensures timely assessment, treatment and support services for persons recovering from the effects of stress-related injuries or traumatic brain injuries.

Serving in the United States Navy for nearly 30 years, she retired in October 2008. At the time of her retirement she was the Commanding Officer (Chief Executive Officer) of Naval Hospital Bremerton. Prior to that assignment she was deployed and served as the Commanding Officer of U.S. Military Hospital Kuwait (a tent hospital) and nine Troop Medical Clinics located throughout Kuwait and in Qatar. Prior to deployment, CAPT Wilson served as the Executive Officer, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton where she also commanded its Fleet Hospital.

Past assignments include Naval Medical Center Portsmouth where she was the Director of Fleet and Family Medicine. Her Directorate was staffed by over 2,600 personnel.

CAPT Wilson also served as Deputy Director of the TRICARE Mid-Atlantic Region Lead Agent Office where she had direct impact on health care for over a million beneficiaries in Virginia and North Carolina. She had responsibility for the administration of a $3.1 billion dollar managed Care Support Contract.

Selected as the Congressional Detail to Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii in 1999, she served as the advisor to the Senator on all health related issues. CAPT Wilson was a staff assistant for the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee for Defense and the Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education Committee.

CAPT Wilson served at the Pentagon on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). During this tour, she was Deputy Director for Force Management, Senior Policy Analyst for TRICARE Operations Policy, and ultimately served as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) for Health Services Operations and Readiness.

At the time, the Military Health System was a $15.5 billion dollar system, the Nation’s second largest, and included the integrated delivery of health care to more than 8.2 million DOD beneficiaries worldwide. Other executive management positions include a four-year tour at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the Deputy of Enlisted Force Management and the Navy Surgeon General’s representative for HIV and AIDS prevention education.

Former duty assignments include:

• Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• Naval Hospital Philadelphia
• National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland

CAPT Wilson’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, a Master of Science degree in Trauma/Critical Care Nursing with a minor in Education, and a Master of Science Degree in Human Resources Management and Health Policy. Certified in managed care by the Academy of Healthcare Management and earned a Certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University.

Her awards include:

• The Legion of Merit
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal (third award)
• Navy Meritorious Service Medal (fourth award)
• Navy Commendation Medal
• Navy Military Unit Commendation (second award)
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• The national Defense Service Medal (second award)
• The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• USUHS Meritorious Service award
• The distinguished Hewlett Packard award

CAPT Wilson is married to Don D. Wilson, CAPT, MSC, USN (RET) and has two children and three grandchildren. She resides in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Kendra Ellison

Executive Assistant

Kendra Ellison serves as the Executive Assistant of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. She assumed this position on July 6, 2010. Mrs. Ellison joins the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program with work experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia.

Kendra completed 13 years of employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia in 2000. She gave administrative support on all of the inpatient units as well as in the admissions, triage and emergency room areas. For three years of her employment there, she worked as the Bed Control Clerk, administratively accepting veterans from other medical facilities across the country and Puerto Rico. In this position, she also communicated with military personnel to administratively accepted injured active duty men and women to receive continued medical care through the VA system. During her tenure there, Kendra, along with the Nurse Manager, established administrative rules and documents for the newly established Short Stay Unit.

Her awards include Recognition of High Level Performance Award, Special Act Award, Special Service Award and a Time-Off Award.

Although Kendra was busy in her career at the VA hospital and raising four of her special needs god children, she has volunteered tirelessly in her church. Some of the things that Kendra has been involved in are: she planned and implemented two trips for 150 at-risk children to go to Disney World, (free of charge), helps to feed the hungry through the church’s Community Café and distributing bags of groceries, both on a monthly basis and she has volunteered as the Church Administrator for fourteen years.

Kendra was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and attended J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond as well as Marymount College and Arlington, Virginia. She currently resides in Henrico, Virginia with her husband, Joe, who has been in the ministry for twenty-five years.

 

Martha J. Mead

Special Projects Coordinator
Martha Mead is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, Virginia Department of Veterans Services. She coordinates all grant activities, serves as a member of the Executive Management Team, supports training and public events and advises the Execu tive Director.

She currently co-chairs the Governor McDonnell’s Veterans Re-Entry Taskforce addressing the needs of veterans reintegrating into their communities from the criminal justice system. She has worked with DVS in a part-time capacity since her retirement from 33 years of state service in July, 2007.

From September 10, 2007 until October 1, 2008 Martha served as the project manager for the 27 veterans’ services initiatives proposed in response to Governor Kaine’s Executive Order 19, signed June 16, 2006.

Martha was instrumental in the concept development, legislative strategy, and implementation of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. In addition, Martha was the primary staff person for DVS on the Governor’s Veterans Workforce Development Taskforce that issued its report to the Secretary of Public Safety and the Governor, October 1, 2007.

Prior to joining DVS, Martha was the Director of Legislation and Public Relations for the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS).

During her tenure at DMHMRSAS, Martha served as the chief spokesperson for the department, including the 16 state-operated facilities. She was the department’s chief liaison with the media, the Virginia General Assembly, the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Governor’s Office.

She supervised all legislative studies and statutory proposals and advised the Commissioner, senior management, facility directors and program directors on public relations, legislative issues and media relations.

Prior to working with the DMHMRSAS, Martha worked with the Division of Legislative Services as a research associate with the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, and the Senate Committees on Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Education and Health. She staffed the Bagley Commission that provided a blueprint for mental health mental retardation and substance abuse community services in 1980.

While attending VCU to earn a Master’s Degree in Business Administration she worked as legislative assistant to Delegate Frank Slayton from South Boston. She has worked for the Center for Public Policy at the University of Virginia, Virginia Department of Planning and Budget, the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission, and the Department of Economic Development. Her undergraduate degree is in Political Science from the University of Richmond.
 
 

Camilla Schwoebel

Regional Director, Region 1

 
 

James Thur

Northern Regional Director, Region 2
As the Regional Director he monitors and coordinates mental health and rehabilitative services support for Virginia veterans, members of the Virginia National Guard, Virginia residents in the Armed Forces Reserves and their family members.

He ensures that services are available within the region that he supervises that provide adequate a

nd timely assessment, treatment and support to service and family members affected by stress related and traumatic brain injuries resulting from service in combat areas.

James served for 27 years as the Executive Director of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. He has extensive professional experience in human services with an emphasis on service integration.

He earned a Masters degree in Social Work from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. He also completed certification as a specialist in long term care and chronic disease at the University of Michigan Institute of Gerontology.

James serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Regional Health Information Organization. James retired from the Navy as a Captain. He served in Vietnam as a Surface Warfare Officer.

Other significant assignments include:

• Office of the Naval Inspector General
• Naval Material Command
• Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region Six

The Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region Six is where he was responsible for the readiness and training of all Naval Reservists in the Mid Atlantic region. He is active in the Vietnam Veterans of America, Assoc. of US Navy, MOAA and the Fleet Reserve Assoc.

James is married and resides in Fairfax, Virginia.

Matthew E. Wade

Western Regional Director, Region 3
Matthew E. Wade (Matt) joins the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program leaving his position as the Manager for Program Accountability in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office at the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS). During his time at VDSS Matt served as a leader in the Virginia Children’s Services System Transformation which led to better outcomes for Virginia’s at-risk youth, an increased focus on family based placements, incorporation of a system of care approach to service delivery and reduced expenditures for the Commonwealth.

Prior to being Manager of the Office of Program Accountability Matt served as the Manager for the nationally recognized Outcome Based Reporting and Analysis Unit (OBRA). As manager of OBRA, Matt dedicated his time to creating a performance management system within Virginia’s child welfare arena. Most recently OBRA was nominated for the Virginia Excellence in Governance Award by the Wilder School at Virginia Commonwealth University. Matt has also spent time working with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Special Advisor to the Secretary for Children’s Services.

Before managing OBRA Matt worked as a Policy and Planning Specialist writing legislative studies on adoption, child protective services and foster care.

Matt began his service career at Virginia Tech’s Institute for Policy and Governance where he served as a Graduate Research Associate working on projects focused around both foster care and Medicaid.
Matt is a southwest Virginian born and raised in Christiansburg and received a Bachelor’s Degree in political science with a concentration on legal studies as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from Virginia Tech.
 

 

Martha Utley, USCG, Ret

Central Regional Director, Region 4
Ms. Martha Utley is the Regional Director for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, Central, Region. Region 4 serves the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, New Kent, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Surry and Sussex and the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond. As the Regional Director, Ms. Utley will monitor and coordinate services to help veterans and their families receive behavioral health care and other types of services.

On September 1, 2011, Ms. Utley retired from the United States Coast Guard with over 27 years of active service. At the time of her retirement, Master Chief Utley served as the Coast Guard’s Health, Safety and Worklife Command Master Chief with a command of over 850 personnel. Additionally, she served as the senior enlisted responsible for operational performance and quality assurance compliance of all Coast Guard Corpsmen serving on Independent Duty though out the service.

Of historical note, Ms. Utley was the first woman in the history of the Coast Guard to obtain the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9) in the Health Services field.

Prior to these assignments, Master Chief Utley held positions such as Clinic Administrator, Clinic Supervisor and as an Independent Duty Corpsman aboard a CG High Endurance Cutter.

Other duty assignments included: Coast Guard Cutter HAMILTON (WHEC-715), CG Base Kodiak Alaska, CG District 17 Juneau Alaska, Air Stations Elizabeth City, NC and North Bend, OR. and Small Boat Station Wrightsville Beach, NC. Her awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal as well as numerous life-saving citations while flying as an Aviation Medevac Specialist.

Ms. Utley attended the University of Alaska Southeast and Coastline Community College working toward her Bachelors of Science Degree in Health Care Administration. She is a native of Richmond, Virginia and currently resides in Hanover County.

Eric Endries

Regional Director, Region 5