Dr. Drew Contreras received his Master of Physical Therapy from Gannon University and his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   Drew served in a number of clinical settings and operational units throughout his 20+ year military PT career before his retirement, including the first-ever full-time physical therapist at the White House for the Obama administration and returning for the Biden administration.  Currently, he serves on the senior leadership team of the American Physical Therapy Association as the Vice President of Strategic Affairs. There, he works to enhance the physical therapy profession's service and scope of practice and establish alliances and partnerships to advance the profession.

In his capacity as Deputy Senior Advisor, Howard plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of veteran care and support. He provides invaluable counsel to the Secretary and senior leadership, guiding them through a complex landscape of policy and strategic initiatives. With a focus on implementing the Administration's key priorities, Howard is dedicated to driving transformative changes in Community Care and Direct Care, advancing ambitious suicide prevention strategies, tackling the urgent issue of veteran homelessness, and spearheading the modernization of VA Police operations. His efforts aim to create a more supportive, effective, and responsive environment for our Nation’s Veterans. 

Richard (Rick) Marble is a transformational leader at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with expertise in large-scale digital transformation, systems integration, and agile program management. Leveraging advanced skills in enterprise modernization, lean governance, and data-driven strategy, Rick has engineered national innovations that have dramatically improved health care access for Veterans. 

As Solution Train Engineer and Business Owner for External Provider Scheduling (EPS) within the Office of Integrated Veteran Care, Rick leads national collaboration between VA and community health care systems, uniting thousands of providers under a shared mission of Veteran-centered access and seamless scheduling. 

A retired U.S. Air Force Veteran with 26 years of service, Rick brings servant leadership, discipline, and mission focus to every initiative. He is a certified SAFe Release Train Engineer, Product Owner/Product Manager, and Scrum Master, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management from Trident University.