VA center gets interim director

A shuffle in leadership of Veterans Affairs medical centers in the Northwest has sent a new interim director to the Spokane site.

Sharon M. Helman, 36, began work this week as Spokane’s latest acting director. Helman, who was named in January as new director of the Walla Walla Veterans Affairs center, is expected to oversee both sites until a permanent director is chosen for Spokane.

Helman replaces James Sola, an administrator at the Boise VA center, who was promoted to a permanent director’s post there.

Sola took over in Spokane in January, after longtime director Joe Manley retired after nearly 13 years.

Helman said she planned to work in Spokane “as long as they need me.”

She said the changes were unrelated to recent media attention about unsafe conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“I’m confident in the fact that we run a clean facility here,” Helman said.