VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy arrives

Other personnel changes in the pipeline

WASHINGTON — Former Army captain, attorney and athletic administrator Donald Remy was confirmed July 15 to serve as deputy secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Remy brings his experience as a litigator, skilled problem solver, crisis manager, contract negotiator and relationship builder with local and national policymakers.

The Fort Lee, Virginia native most recently served as chief operating officer and chief legal officer for the National Collegiate Athletic Association where he crafted and advocated appropriate data-driven policy positions on various issues including academics, amateurism, athletics competition and health and safety.

Before working for the NCAA, Remy was a partner at the law firm Lathan & Watkins. He also served as deputy assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice. His military tenure included working as an assistant to the general counsel for the Army. He served as a law clerk in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and as a senior vice president for the deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer at Fannie Mae.

He developed defense and justice positions for the U.S. Presidential Transition Team. Additionally, he volunteered as an Amateur Athletic Union basketball coach in the Washington, D.C. area and has served on the boards of many corporate, non-profit, and privately held entities, and is a principal of an active venture capital fund.

Remy is a graduate of Louisiana State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He also has a juris doctorate from Howard University’s School of Law.

“As Donald Remy comes aboard, I’d like to thank Dr. Carolyn Clancy for her service as Acting Deputy Secretary, said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “Dr. Clancy will be returning to her previous role as deputy undersecretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks for the Veterans Health Administration.”

Other personnel changes include Dr. Steve Lieberman who is performing the duties of undersecretary for health for VHA effective July 16. Lieberman leads clinical policies and programs and has more than 25 years’ experience with VHA as a practicing board-certified physician in pulmonary and critical care medicine. His leadership roles have included associate chief of staff for Quality Management and deputy chief of staff at the VA Boston Health Care System and chief of staff at the VA New Jersey Health Care System.

Dr. Mark Upton is performing the duties of deputy undersecretary of health for VHA during the transition. He has a longstanding career at the Corporal Crescenz VAMC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he sees Veterans as an internal medicine physician. He is also the assistant deputy undersecretary for health for Community Care. In addition to being a practicing VA physician as a board-certified internist, Upton has expertise in patient safety, risk management and healthcare quality improvement.