WASHINGTON, DC -- Four senior leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were confirmed on May 24 by the Senate.
The new officials include Dr. Leo S. Mackay, Jr., as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Robin L. Higgins as Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs; Maureen P. Cragin as Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs; and Dr. Jacob Lozada as Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration.
"They bring with them a record of success, extensive experience in the management of large, complex organizations, and an abiding commitment to America,s veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi.
As the VA's second in command, Dr. Mackay is the chief operating officer of the federal government's second largest agency. VA provides health care services and benefits programs for the nation's 25 million veterans and their families. Before his confirmation, Mackay was vice president of Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. for the Aircraft Services Business Unit. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and later received a master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government and a doctorate in political and economic analysis from Harvard University.
As Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, Higgins will oversee the operation of VA's 119 national cemeteries. More than 8 million people visit VA's national cemeteries each year to pay tribute to some of the nearly 900,000 Americans who have died while in military service. Formerly, Higgins was the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, and served as the governor's chief advisor on veterans' issues.
Higgins grew up in the Bronx, and earned two degrees in English, a bachelor's from the State University of New York at Oneonta and a master's from Long Island University. She also retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel.
Maureen P. Cragin, confirmed as VA’s Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, will direct VA's public and internal communication programs, as well as intergovernmental and consumer affairs activities. From May 1995 to January 2001, she was Director of Communications for the Committee on Armed Services at the U.S. House of Representatives. In this position, she served as the committee's spokesperson and developed communication strategies for advancing committee goals, including passage of the annual $300 billion defense authorization bill. A 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Cragin served seven years on active duty and currently is a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
Dr. Lozada, Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration, is the principal VA executive responsible for directing both policy and operational functions in five major program areas: human resources management, diversity management, equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints resolution, security and law enforcement, and headquarters administration. He also serves as VA's designated agency safety and health official. A retired Army officer, he served as principal in Global Healthcare Practice at Booz Allen and Hamilton, senior health care planner at SHERIKON, Inc. and a managing consultant for Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Web Universities and Training. Lozada is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico where he earned a bachelor's degree in science. He holds a master’s degree in health administration from Baylor University and a doctorate in education from Walden University.
