Newell is the assistant director of VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, which she has served in since October 2018. She joined VA in 2013, as a Graduate Healthcare Administrative Training Program Fellow at the Harry S. Truman VA in Columbia, Missouri, and later at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas.

She came to VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in May 2014, and has served in a variety of roles, including acting deputy director, acting health system specialist to the director, surgery service administrative officer and the Project Eagle executive, facilitating the successful opening of the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in August 2018. Newell received her commission and BS degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served for more than eight years in the United States Army. Newell earned her master’s degrees in Public Health and Public Administration from the University of Colorado.