Secretary Thomas Johnson
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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Thomas Johnson, a Vietnam Era veteran with more than
34 years in healthcare management experience, as Secretary of the California Department of
Veterans Affairs (CDVA) on February 12, 2004.
As Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Johnson oversees an annual department operating budget
of approximately $300 million, a Farm and Home Loan program with assets of about $2.4 billion,
and roughly 1,600 employees statewide.
CDVA provides outreach to veterans reentering civilian life after having answered America’s call
to military service, by helping them claim their earned veterans benefits, provides low-cost
loans to acquire homes and farms, and when the time comes, provides aged and disabled veterans
rehabilitative, residential, and medical care and services in home-like environments at the
California Veterans Homes.
Mr. Johnson graduated from the University of Minnesota and holds a Masters Degree in public
health from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Mr. Johnson's knowledge of healthcare finance and management began with his service in the
Medical Service Corps branch of the United States Army. He managed a 600-bed Army Hospital and
acted as commanding officer for Army patients dislocated from their units in Vietnam. After
returning to civilian life, Mr. Johnson served for 31 years as a hospital administrator in
Tulare County, first at Tulare District Hospital and later at Kaweah Delta District Hospital in
Visalia. Since 2001, Mr. Johnson has served as a consultant to The California Endowment and to
several health care organizations. Mr. Johnson is a Life Fellow with the American College of
Healthcare Executives and is the board chair of the California Institute for Nursing and
Healthcare.
An active member of his community, Mr. Johnson has been involved with a great variety of local,
state, and federal groups, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, the
California Healthcare Association, the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, the Tulare County Boys and
Girls Club, and the Boy Scouts of America, as well as many others.
Mr. Johnson and his wife Betty have 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren. Among some of his
other interests, Mr. Johnson enjoys running marathons, international travel, and backpacking.
As of January 12, 2006
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