In this role, she has oversight of Human Resources, Fiscal, Health Administration, Engineering and Logistics activities. Before her selection at VASNHS, Ms. Skala served as the Chief of Human Resources Officer for the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in Bay Pines, Fla., from March 2015 to February 2018 and was also temporarily detailed to the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center as the Acting Associate Director. 

Prior to joining VA, Ms. Skala held several executive leadership positions in private industry, including Chief Operating Officer for the State of Nebraska Psychiatric Health System and Director of the Neurosciences Institute and Special Diagnostic Center for the University of Kentucky Medical Center. 

A Veteran with 20 years of combined service, Ms. Skala served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Health Care Administration Technician and 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Medical Service Corps officer. During her time in the military, Ms. Skala oversaw supervision and management of various health care-related activities, including resource management, patient administration, personnel and clinical services. She also served at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Headquarters as the Navy lead for a Joint Task Force responsible for software development and deployment of a new Joint Medical Services resource management system to more than 170 DoD Medical Treatment Facilities.

Ms. Skala has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business – Healthcare Management from Wayland Baptist University, and a Master of Science degree in Education Leadership from Troy University. She is a graduate of the 2010 Leadership VA program and 2016 VHA Health Care Leadership Development Program. Ms. Skala is a member of American College of Healthcare Executives and the Society for Human Resources Management.