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Lebanon , PA — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that following a national search, Jaconda Lightburn, Ph.D., has been appointed as the associate director/chief operating

officer at Lebanon VA Medical Center effective January 17, 2021. “I am very excited to welcome Dr. Lightburn to the Lebanon VA Medical Center as our newest chief operating officer. She

brings a wealth of leadership and administrative experience necessary to succeed in health care leadership,” said Robert W. Callahan, Jr., Executive Director and CEO of the Lebanon VA

Medical Center. Lightburn is currently the assistant medical center director at the Veterans Health System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Arkansas and led the health care system’s response

to the national pandemic. Prior to this role, she has had multiple senior leadership experiences at several VA healthcare facilities including acting assistant director at the Washington DC

Veterans Affairs Medical Center and acting assistant/associate director at the Charleston VA Medical Center, South Carolina. She began her VA career as the chief of safety, and green

environmental management system manager at the Charleston VA Medical Center. Lightburn is a retired Veteran with over 24 years of honorable and distinguished service. She began her service

as a bioenvironmental engineering technician for the Air Force, performing industrial hygiene and environmental management assignments. After eight years of active duty, she joined USAF

Reserves and began working at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) as a faculty instructor, teaching environmental and safety courses and performing environmental research in

medical facilities throughout South Carolina. Her experience also includes being the marine/environmental education coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

Following her work with MUSC, she transferred to the Air Force as a civil servant, where she worked as a safety manager/environmental scientist managing the solid waste program, a qualified

recycling program, the environmental audit program and green procurement prior to joining the VA. She is a native of Virginia, holds a doctorate in health administration, Master of Science

in environmental pollution control from Pennsylvania State University, a bachelor’s degree in vocational education and two associate degrees. Lightburn is also a graduate of VA’s Healthcare

Leadership Development Program, USA Executive Potential Program, VA certified Mentor program and she is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Lightburn is the mother of

three grown children: Jatia, Joshua and Jaelyn (twins) and the proud grandmother of four. She replaces Mr. Jeffrey A. Beiler who was appointed as the executive director of the Coatesville

Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pennsylvania in October.