Prior to this appointment, Dr. George Velez served as the Deputy Medical Center Director for the VA Caribbean Healthcare System. 

Dr. Velez is a retired 20-year U.S. Air Force Veteran, with service on Active Duty and in the Air National Guard. He participated and led multiple worldwide deployments to include humanitarian aid missions. He received the Theodore C. Marrs Award which recognized him as the Air National Guard Health Administrator of the Year.

Dr. Velez is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Fellow of the American Academy of Medical Administrators and a Senior Fellow of the Partnership for Public Service. Dr. Velez graduated from the Community College of the Air Force with an associate degree in Allied Health Science. He graduated from the Ohio State University and completed an undergraduate degree in English. He obtained an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, and a Doctor of Health Administration from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. He is a Collaborating Scientist at Harvard University participating in front-line research activities and is currently an adjunct faculty with the Doctor of Health Administration Program at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio; and an adjunct faculty with the Master’s Degree Program in Health Administration at Central Michigan University.