  Mary D. Berrocal, MBA
Director
Ms. Mary D. Berrocal joined the VA system in 1980 and was appointed the Director of the Miami VA Healthcare System on January 6, 2008. Since entering the VA, she has worked in a variety of administrative, managerial and executive positions within the Department of Veteran Affairs making significant contributions to National and Network level committees. Prior to her selection as the Medical Center Director, she served in positions at five other VA facilities throughout the country including Clarksburg, West Virginia; Columbia, South Carolina; Gainesville, Florida; Loma Linda, California and most recently, Greater Los Angeles.
In her most recent assignment as Associate Director at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS), she functioned as the Chief Operating Officer for one of the largest and most complex integrated healthcare organizations in the Department of Veterans Affairs. VAGLAHCS is a tertiary care facility with 945 operating and authorized beds, over 4,000 employees, 2,000 volunteers, 156 buildings and an operating budget in excess of $500 million. The Healthcare System consists of 13 sites in five different counties, is heavily unionized, strongly affiliated and has an extensive research program with a great deal of congressional and media interest.
Prior to her assignment in Greater Los Angeles, Ms. Berrocal served as the Associate Director at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda California. During her tenure the facility won the 2003 Carey Award and reached consensus level in the 2004 Baldrige application process. Ms. Berrocal’s VA career includes numerous years in the Human Resources field several of them as a Human Resources Officer.
She has made a variety of contributions with Network wide impact including the development and implementation of a Goalsharing program to reward the workforce; the establishment of an integrated Human Resources Office; and the implementation of an Administrative Systems Redesign Committee.
At the national level, she managed the recruitment/ staffing plan for establishment of four offices throughout the country for the Office of Research Oversight, she served as advisor to the Under Secretary for Health under the Human Resources Management Advisory Group; served as a SOARS consultant; and on the national Legislative/Policy group under Succession Planning. She was part of the group that wrote proposals for legislative changes culminating in the establishment of the hybrid occupations, and chaired a group that provided advice to the Under Secretary for Operations on the financial weaknesses of the system.
She is a seasoned and highly professional healthcare executive who is compassionate and dedicated to serving our veterans. She is devoted to making decisions which are patient centered and committed to leading the staff to provide the best care anywhere.
Ms. Berrocal is a native of Puerto Rico. She received her MBA from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. She holds a Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Alabama.
 Paul D. Magalian
Associate Director
305-575-3124
On May 11, 2001, Paul D. Magalian was appointed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the position of Associate Medical Center Director of the VA Medical Center, Miami, Florida. Mr. Magalian has held several executive-level positions throughout his career. Prior to his current appointment, he held the position of Associate Director at Huntington, West Virginia. He was previously Associate Director at the VAMC in Fort Howard, Maryland, Associate Director Trainee at the VAMC in Northport, New York, and was Staff Assistant to the Director at VA Medical Centers in New York, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami, Florida.
Mr. Magalian has served on many committees on the national and network level. Most recently, he served as Chairman of the VISN 8 Enrollment Workgroup, a group that was charged with identifying ways to effectively and consistently respond to new veterans seeking registration and enrollment in VA programs in Florida. He is currently a member of the VISN 8 Executive Leadership Board, the Human Resources Committee, and he serves as Chair of the VISN 8 Emergency Management Workgroup. While in VISN 9, he chaired a number of network groups, including the Centralization of Business Office Workgroup, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, the Compliance Committee, and the Associate Director's Council. He was a member of Senator John D. Rockefeller's West Virginia Health Care Advisory Council.
Mr. Magalian earned a Master's Degree in Health Administration at the School of Business Administration at Georgia State University and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government/Economics at the Florida State University. He completed an Administrative Residency at the Memorial Medical Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, and earned certificates in Management and Industrial Engineering at the Army Management-Engineering Training Agency. Mr. Magalian is a graduate of Leadership VA. He holds a credentialed status as Diplomate with the American College of Healthcare Executives and is Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, and a member of the Rotary Club and the American Legion. Mr. Magalian received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force.
 John R. Vara, M.D.
Chief of Staff
305-575-3157
Dr. John Robert Vara was appointed Chief of Staff of the Miami VA Medical Center effective March 11, 2002. Prior to assuming this position, Dr. Vara served as the Chief of Staff at the West Palm Beach VAMC, since 1996. In addition, he previously held administration positions at the Indianapolis VAMC, Indiana University, and the Massachusetts Mental Heath Center.
Dr. Vara has an extensive background as a clinician, educator, and administrator. He received his bachelors in science with honors from the University of Notre Dame, his M.D. from the Indiana School of Medicine, and completed his psychiatric training at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard University School of Medicine. Dr. Vara has completed leadership programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as completing the Intergovernmental Institute for Healthcare Executives at the George Washington University.
Dr. Vara has served VISN 8 as Chair, VISN Customer Service Workgroup and Chair, VISN Clinical Council. He is currently serving as Chair of the Performance Improvement Board. Dr. Vara has been an active participant in national and regional VA activities, as well as being active in professional societies and community activities.
Dr. Vara has held faculty positions at Harvard University and Indiana University. He has a current appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
 P. Gwendolyn Findley, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Dr. Gwendolyn Findley began her VA career in September of 1989 as a Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern at the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, KS. Upon completion of her internship, she remained at the DDE VA Medical Center as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for one year. In August 1991, Dr. Findley joined the Miami VA Healthcare System as a geropsychologist serving the needs of Nursing Home patients, to include therapy and assessment. In the mid 1990s, Dr. Findley was a key contributor, both locally and nationally, to the development and implementation of the Miami VAHS UPBEAT. From 1998 to 2004, she was Director of Training for the Pre-doctoral Psychology Internship Program, supervising and coordinating the training of six to eight future psychologists each year. In December 2004, Dr. Findley was selected as Chief, Information Resource Management and remained in that position until her selection as Assistant Director in February 2007. Gwen earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri- Columbia in 1991. Previously, she received degrees in Elementary Education and Guidance and Counseling and worked in Missouri and Colorado school districts as an elementary school teacher and guidance counselor from 1970-1985.
 Kathryn (Ginger) Ward-Presson, R.N., B.S.N., M.S.N., C.N.A.A., B.C.
Associate Director for Nursing Care
305-575-3586
On December 9, 2002, Kathryn (Ginger) Ward-Presson was appointed Associate Director for Nursing Care, Chief Nurse Executive at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami Florida.
Mrs. Ward-Presson has held several executive-level positions throughout her career. Prior to her current appointment, she held a position of Assistant Chief, Nursing Affairs at the King Faisal Healthcare System in Saudi Arabia from December 2000 to December 2002. She was responsible for nursing operations at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center and King Fahad National Children’s Cancer Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She served as Assistant Administrator, Chief Nurse Executive at St. Vincent Medical Center in Sherwood, Arkansas, Vice President of Patient Care Services at Bon Secours-St. Joseph Hospital, Port Charlotte, Florida, Columbia Healthcare Corporation in Port Charlotte, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas. She also held Nurse Management positions at The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Mrs. Ward-Presson received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Barry University in 1973 and she enlisted in the United States Navy. As a Lieutenant, United States Navy, Nurse Corps she served as Staff and Charge Nurse of the Critical Care Areas at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland from September 1973 to February 1977. After discharge from the Navy she received her graduate degree in Nursing from University of Alabama in 1978. In 2006 Mrs. Ward-Presson completed the Wharton Nurse Executive Fellowes program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to her employment at the Miami VA HealthCare System, she worked at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee from December 1978 to August 1980 as Critical Nurse Specialist in Critical Care and the VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas from October 1980 to February 1984 as Nursing Coordinator of Ambulatory Care and Emergency Services.
Mrs. Ward-Presson is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Nurse Administrator Advanced and has published and presented various papers and posters at regional, national and international professional conferences. She has received many honors and awards throughout her career to include graduating Summa Cum Laude from Barry University, Graduate with Distinction from Officers Candidate School, United States Navy, and induction into Sigma Theta Tau, National Nursing Honor Society.
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