Advisory Committee on Women Veterans - Center for Women Veterans

Center for Women Veterans
Advisory Committee on Women Veterans

The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (ACWV) was established and chartered in November 1983 by Public Law 98-160. The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans assesses the needs of women veterans, with respect to VA programs such as compensation, rehabilitation, outreach, healthcare, etc. The Committee reviews VA's programs, activities, research projects and other initiatives designed to meet the needs of women veterans; and makes recommendations to the Secretary on ways to improve, modify, and affect change in programs and services for women veterans and follows up on all those recommendations.

Shirley Ann Quarles , (Chair), McCormick , SC. Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, Nurse Corps; currently a professor at Medical College of Georgia’s School of Nursing .
René A. Campos , Washington, D.C. A retired Navy Commander; currently serves as the Deputy Director of Family Matters, Government Relations, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
Helena R. Carapellatti , Upper Marlboro, MD. A retired Chief Master Sergeant, Air National Guard; currently tutors with the Literacy Council of Prince George’s County and owns a business with her spouse.
Davy Coke, Poway , CA . A retired Navy Second Class Petty Officer with service in Vietnam ; currently contributes as a trainer/mentor for new service members in the aerospace field.
Yanira Gomez , Germantown , MD. A former Army Medical Specialist, with service in Iraq; currently serves as the National Outreach Officer for Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW).
Velma Hart , Upper Marlboro, MD. A former Army Reserve Sergeant; currently serves as the National Finance Director/Chief Fiscal Officer (CFO) for AMVETS.
Marlene Kramel , Pineville , LA. A former Army Nurse with service in Vietnam ; retired psychiatric nurse and Women Veterans Program Manager with the VA medical center in Alexandria , LA.
Mary Antoinette (Tonie) Lawrie , St. Petersburg , FL. A former Air Force Nurse Corps Captain with service in Vietnam; retired as coordinator of the Women Veterans Health Program at the VA medical center in Bay Pines, FL. Former Commissioner for the State of Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.
Gloria Maser , Alexandria , VA. Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves; former Deputy Chief of Staff Health Affairs, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq ; currently serves as a Principal for a strategy and technology organization.
Barbara Pittman , Washington , D.C. A retired Air Force Technical Sergeant; currently works for the Government of the District of Columbia, Executive Office of the Mayor as the Veterans Benefits Special Assistant to the Mayor.
Celia Szelwach , Bradenton , FL. Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy . A former Army Captain; formerly employed as a corporate ethics and compliance manager in private industry.
Joanna Truitt , West River , MD. Served in several leadership positions in institutions of higher education; former D.C. Director of the American Legion Auxiliary; currently serves as a human resource specialist with a company that provides the public sector with integrated technology and service solutions.
Barbara Ward , Sacramento , CA . A former staff nurse in the Air Force; currently serves as the Deputy Secretary for Women and Minority Veterans Affairs for the California Department of Veterans

Reviewed/Updated Date: April 8, 2009