Leadership Team
Shella Stovall, MNA, RN, NE-BC | 801-582-1565 x1211
Medical Center Director
Shella Stovall was appointed Medical Center Director, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS) on June 11, 2017. Prior to this assignment, Ms. Stovall served as Acting Director for VASLCHCS for 15 months. As Acting Director, she was responsible for overseeing operations, clinical programs, and finances of the health care system which had an annual operating budget of $480 million and over 2,300 employees, a 121-bed health care system serving over 57,000 Veterans with nine Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Ms. Stovall served as Associate Director, Patient Care Services at VASLCHCS for 7 years, and has a total of 29 years of federal service.
Ms. Stovall began her VA career in 1984 at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System where she was a staff nurse on the night shift. Her previous leadership roles include Nurse Manager, ACNS Ambulatory Care, Associate Director, Patient Care Services for VA Salt Lake City. In addition, she has had some unique volunteer experiences as a nurse for the American Red Cross during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Ms. Stovall graduated with a Diploma in Nursing from Newman Hospital School of Nursing, Emporia, KS in 1984. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Science of Nursing (BSN) at Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT in 1989 she later received her Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration at the University of Phoenix in 1993. Her research interest is in moral courage in Senior Leaders.
Ms. Stovall is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA), American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She has attained American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification in Nursing Administration. She is a graduate of the 2009 Executive Career Field Class. She holds a voluntary adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Utah.
Warren E. Hill | 801-582-1565 x1500
Associate Director
Warren brings to the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System over 23 years of progressive healthcare experience in the Veterans Health Administration and in the U.S. Navy. He began his VA career in 1992 and served in leadership roles from Service Chief to Medical Center Director serving Veterans.
Warren received a Masters of Health Administration (MHA) from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, through the U.S. Army-Baylor MHA program in 1998. In 1993, he received his Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from California State University-Long Beach. Warren is a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and U.S. Navy Veteran. He is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives.
Karen H. Gribbin, MD | 801-582-1565 x1505
Chief of Staff
Dr. Gribbin joined us on January 23, 2012. She comes to us from the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma where she has been the Chief of Staff for the past four years. Prior to that, she was the Chief, Medicine Service for ten years and held other clinical positions. She received her undergraduate degree in Medical Microbiology from Stanford University. She attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma and the Medical College of Ohio. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Oklahoma in 1989.
She’s held various faculty appointments at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine for the past 21 years and is currently an Assistant Professor. She also holds a faculty appointment at the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Nena S. Saunders, MN, RN | 801-582-1565 x4608
Associate Director, Quality and Safety Systems
Ms. Saunders has been serving as the Associate Director Quality and Safety Systems since October 2011 and Chief Quality Management since December 2009. Prior to this assignment she served as the facility Patient Safety Coordinator, Associate Chief Nurse/Medicine and Surgery and the MICU Nurse Manager. Her nursing experience includes faculty appointments, Community and hospital Mental Health Nursing, Intensive Care Nursing and Nursing Administration. Ms. Saunders has 36 years of nursing experience and 24 years of VA Nursing service, including service at the Miles City VA Medical Center from 1987-1995. She has a Bachelor’s Degree (1976) and Master’s Degree (1992) from Montana State University with an emphasis in Rural Health Nursing.
Ms. Saunders serves on many medical center committees, serves on a State Diversion Committee for Physicians for the Utah Department of Professional Licensure; Utah Recovery Assistance Program/Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing and has served as a VHA SOARS consultant. As the Patient Safety Manager she was awarded a Cornerstone Bronze Award in 2008 and the Cornerstone Silver Award in 2009. She received the Secretaries Award for Nursing Excellence in 1993 and 1999.
