Prior to this appointment, he had served as the Acting Chief, Quality Management at the Central Alabama VAHCS since January 24, 2021 and was the Interim Quality Management Officer for VISN 7 from June 8, 2020 to January 23, 2021.

Prior to these details he served as the Chief of Care in the Community beginning in April 2019. He has also served as the Acting Associate Director for Nursing and Patient Care Services at the Atlanta VAHCS from November 2018 to March 2019, Acting Associate Director for Nursing and Patient Care Services at TVAMC from February 2018 to October 2018, Associate Chief Nurse, Specialty Care TVAMC from March 2017 to February 2018, and Acting Chief, DRMS and Radiology at TVAMC from July 2017 until October 2017.  He was detailed as the AD, NPCS at the Salem VAMC from July 2016 until March 2017. He was the Associate Chief Nurse, Geriatrics and Extended Care from October 2014 to July 2016. He was detailed as the AD, NPCS at the Central Alabama VA Health Care System from October 2014 to December 2014. He was the Associate Chief Nurse, Geriatrics and Extended Care from April 2012 until October 2014.

Prior to employment at the TVAMC, he worked across many areas of health care beginning in 1987 at a local urgent care facility where he held positions as front desk clerk, Office Manager and RN. From February 1994 to August 2018, he worked at a local community hospital progressing from a Nursing Assistant  to a Nurse Practitioner, and from 2003 until 2012, he worked with the State of Alabama Department of Mental Health as a Nurse Practitioner and Executive Assistant to the Medical Director, with overall supervision of Nursing Services, Nutritional Services, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Laboratory and Radiology, Medical Transportation and support staff.

Mr. Gills was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He and his wife have been married for 29 years and they have 2 daughters ages 26 and 22. He obtained an Associate Degree in Nursing from Shelton State Community College in 1994, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama in 1998 and Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2000. He holds certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Family Nurse Practitioner.