VA Montana Welcomes Their New Director

The Director for VA Montana Health Care System, Christine A. Gregory, FACHE was introduced to the employees during a Town Hall Meeting held Monday at the Medical Center by Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 Director Ralph Gigliotti. Gregory is a native of Miles City, Montana. Ms. Gregory has an extensive background executing a variety of progressively responsible administrative and clinical assignments. Ms. Gregory has been a member of the Executive Team at VA Central Iowa Health Care System, Des Moines, IA serving as the Associate Director Patient Care Services. She has completed assignments as the Acting Director of the VAMC in Fargo, ND, Associate Director Patient Care Services in San Francisco, CA and Network Mental Health Service Line Nurse Executive. She has led and participated in a variety of national, network and facility governing councils, committees and task forces. Ms. Gregory is board certified in health care management and a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, a professional society dedicated to promoting the highest standards of professional, educational and leadership performance.

Ms. Gregory graduated from Custer County High School. She began her professional education at St. Vincent's School of Nursing in Billings, MT. She received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT and subsequently completed a graduate degree in nursing from the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH and a graduate degree in business administration from Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Gregory is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives and the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Fellow Program in Management for Nurse Executives.

Ms. Gregory has received the VA Secretary's Hero Award and Commendation in recognition of her efforts at the first VA Federal Medical Shelter during the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and another VA Secretary's Commendation for exemplary professionalism and commitment to caring for Veterans created by the Midwest Flooding of 1993. Ms. Gregory was the National Recipient of the VA Secretary's Award for Excellence for the Advancement of Nursing Programs in recognition of the development and utilization of a nursing financial database. She received the VA National Office of Nursing Service Innovation Award for her leadership of a Network Clinical Team Communication Collaborative.