Barbara Ward, Deputy Secretary,
Women and Minority Veterans Affairs
Printer-Friendly Version
Ms. Barbara Ward was appointed as the Deputy Secretary of Women and Minority Veteran Affairs on May 24, 2007. She was previously appointed as Bureau Chief for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education in 2005. Deputy Secretary Ward is responsible for ensuring that issues important to women and minority veterans remain a priority in the planning and implementation of public policies. Ward’s primary goal is to increase the utilization of available services at the federal, state and local levels by women and minority veterans. She was appointed to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for Women Veterans in September, 2008 and will serve as chairman of the committee’s health sub-committee in 2010.
Ms. Ward is a native of Florida and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, School of Nursing and her Master’s Degree of Public Administration in Health Services Management from Golden Gate University, Sacramento. Ward is a registered nurse with a diverse background in health care administration, health insurance and workers’ compensation. She has held executive level management positions such as: Regional Director of Field Case Management with Broadspire, Vice President of Medical Services with Combined Benefits Insurance Company and Assistant Director of Administrative and Professional Services at the University of California Davis Medical Center. Additionally, she worked as the Quality Assurance Coordinator at Mather Air Force Base Hospital.
Deputy Secretary Ward is a Viet Nam Era veteran and served as an officer in the United States Air Force nursing corps from 1972 – 1974 at Military Airlift Command in Illinois. During her appointment as Bureau Chief, she was responsible for the Title 38 program which provides assistance to active duty military personnel and veterans in utilizing their MGIB to pursue their education at schools and institutions approved by the Veterans Administration.
Ms. Ward is passionate about giving back to her community and is involved in the following community service activities: board member of the Health Education Council, officer and member of the Eta Gamma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and member of the Sacramento Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Additionally, she is an adjunct faculty member of DeVry University.
Ward is the proud mother of daughter, Joy.
As of December 3, 2008
|  |