His Team
"The VA" is not a person, and it cannot be written a letter. These are the people. Every failure and every victory on this site has a name attached to it somewhere in the building below — this roster is where we keep them straight.
Rosters verified October 16, 2026 against the VA’s own leadership pages and independent reporting, and re-checked as the chairs change. Two facts belong at the top:
- Health has no confirmed chief. The Senate-confirmed Under Secretary for Health resigned in July 2026, inside seven months. An acting official holds the job.
- Benefits has had no confirmed chief since January 2025 — twenty-one months, one withdrawn nominee, and no announced replacement. The largest benefits operation on earth is being run by a deputy “performing the duties.”
Only Memorial Affairs has a confirmed leader who has lasted. That is not an opinion; it is the org chart.
Doug Collins
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The 12th Secretary. Confirmed Feb 5, 2025. Everything on this site is addressed to him — this page tracks what he says, on camera, in his own words.
Paul R. Lawrence
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The No. 2. Confirmed Mar 28, 2025. Former benefits chief (2018–21) — he chairs the searches for the two under-secretary jobs still unfilled.
John Figueroa
Under Secretary for Health — ACTING
Runs the VA health system as an acting official since Jul 9, 2026. The confirmed man in this job quit inside seven months.
Margarita Devlin
Under Secretary for Benefits — POST VACANT, duties performed by Devlin
The benefits chief's chair has been empty since Jan 2025. Devlin, the career principal deputy, has performed the duties since May 15, 2025.
Sam Brown
Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs
The one confirmed chief who has lasted. West Point, wounded in Kandahar, confirmed Jul 31, 2025. Runs the national cemeteries.
Curt Cashour
Chief of Staff
The Secretary's top advisor since Feb 2026 — the second man to hold the job in this administration. A career communications operative and Iraq veteran.
Quinn Slaven
Press Secretary
The department's voice to the press since Apr 2026. The name on VA's statements — including its October 2026 responses on staffing and the EHR contract.
Dr. Lisa M. Arfons
Assistant Under Secretary for Health, Integrated Veteran Care — ACTING
Runs community care — the office that owns whether an authorized consult ever gets scheduled. Acting since Apr 22, 2026.
Dr. Colleen M. Richardson
Executive Director, Caregiver Support Program
Runs the caregiver programs — the office that enrolled Tom Bowman in the unpaid tier and never approved a single support he requested in writing.
Cheryl L. Mason
Inspector General (independent watchdog)
Confirmed Jul 31, 2025. The Bowman OIG complaint of Oct 15, 2026 sits in her office. She spent Jan–Aug 2025 as Collins's senior advisor.