Hermecender Walton-Williams, DHA, MSN, RN, CDP

In her time with Nursing Operations as our acting Chief, we got to see a true leader with a caring heart and passion for healthcare, Veterans, and the staff around her.

Dr. Watlon-Williams came into Nursing Operations as our acting Chief and filled a needed gap with a warm and inviting personality. She tactfully navigated our very diverse team and alleviated the stress of a difficult situation while offering ultimate transparency, open door, and open arms with her warm welcoming smile and grace.

She creates an environment where attributes of trust, compassion, mutual respect, continued professional development, and ethical behavior are modeled and supported: Dr. Walton-Williams supported our entire team of 12 different departments and varied levels of support, skills, and diversity. She offered consistent and compassionate rounding, always focused on what she could do to assist the team in performing their duties.

She did this with an open mind and an unfailing desire to learn every department’s role, responsibilities, and needs to promote our success and growth. Her desire to display mutual respect and camaraderie between all departments promoted us to continue our cohesive team. She led with an open-door policy and appropriate transparency that promoted trust and open communication within Nursing Operations. Professionally and ethically, she always led with the objective of doing right by others.

She motivates staff with a shared vision and enthusiasm to achieve better outcomes for themselves and for their patients. Coming into a detailed, temporary position of leadership, she committed fully to the vision and mission of Nursing Operations. She was enthusiastic about amplifying the successes of Nursing Operations to fully support our staff and veterans through our administrative roles. She showed up every day with a smile and willingness to make a difference wherever she was needed.

She promotes and enhances the image of nursing within the organization, the community, and the profession. Dr. Walton-Williams has a passion for nursing that extends beyond her daily work. Aside from being a supportive and amazing leader in her position here for the VA, her staff, and the Veterans, she also supports her community and nursing practice on her own time. She is dedicated to the nursing profession and invested in advancing her local community.

We feel blessed and privileged to have been able to experience her leadership in Nursing Operations and will forever take a piece of that with us in our careers as we progress into the future.

Thank you, Dr. Walton-Williams, for all you do and all you are!