Spokane VA director reassigned to Illinois

Sharon Helman, the director of Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center for the past year and a half, has been reassigned to lead the largest VA facility in Illinois.

Helman will leave her Spokane post by the end of January to become director of the VA hospital in Hines, Ill., said Matthew Allen, public affairs officer.

Until a replacement is named, the Spokane VA will be administered by Dr. Susan Pendergrass, director of the VA’s regional health network in Portland.

A 19-year employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Helman replaced longtime director Joe Manley as Spokane director in June 2008.

She came to Spokane from Walla Walla, where she had served as director since January 2007. Before that, she was director of the VA’s Roseburg, Ore., health care system from October 2006 until April 2007.

While director in Spokane, Helman also oversaw outpatient clinics in Wenatchee and Coeur d’Alene and sought to extend medical care to veterans in rural areas.

Under Helman’s leadership, the Spokane VA became host to the 2009 National Veterans Wheelchair Games in July.