The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that following a national search, Jaconda Lightburn, Ph.D., has been appointed as the associate director/chief operating officer at Lebanon VA Medical Center effective Jan. 17. She replaces Jeffrey A. Beiler, who was appointed as the executive director of the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center in October.

Lightburn is currently the assistant medical center director at the Veterans Health System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Ark., and led the health care system's response to the national pandemic. Prior to this role, she had multiple senior leadership experiences at several VA health care facilities including acting assistant director at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and acting assistant/associate director at the Charleston VA Medical Center in South Carolina. She began her VA career as the chief of safety and green environmental management system manager at the Charleston VA Medical Center.

Lightburn is a retired veteran with over 24 years of distinguished service. She began her service as a bioenvironmental engineering technician for the Air Force, performing industrial hygiene and environmental management assignments. After eight years of active duty, she joined the Air Force Reserves and began working at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) as a faculty instructor, teaching environmental and safety courses and performing environmental research in medical facilities throughout South Carolina. Her experience also includes being the marine/environmental education coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Following her work with MUSC, she transferred to the Air Force as a civil servant, where she worked as a safety manager/environmental scientist managing the solid waste program, a qualified recycling program, the environmental audit program and green procurement prior to joining the VA.

A native of Virginia, Lightburn holds a doctorate in health administration, a Master of Science in environmental pollution control from Pennsylvania State University, a bachelor's degree in vocational education and two associate degrees. Lightburn is also a graduate of VA's Healthcare Leadership Development Program, the USA Executive Potential Program, and the VA certified Mentor program. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Lightburn is the mother of three grown children and the grandmother of four children.