Dr. Underwood previously served as Chief Nursing and Quality Management Officer, VA Sierra Pacific Network, VISN 21 (Pleasant Hill, California) since September 2019. In this role, she oversaw all quality and nursing clinical programs, operations, and services for the network. As Chief Quality Management and Nursing Officer, Dr. Underwood had executive oversight of seven VA Health Care Systems in Northern and Central California, Nevada, Hawaii, Philippines and U.S. Territories in the Pacific Basin, 59 Community Based Outpatient Clinics. She held direct full-line authority and responsibility for Patient Safety, Risk Management, Quality Improvement, Accreditation and Regulatory Oversight Programs, System Redesign/Innovation Services, Integrated Ethics, High Reliability Services, and Patient Care/Nursing Services for the region.

Dr. Underwood received her nursing degree from the University of Tulsa in 1995 and completed her Masters of Nursing from the University of Phoenix in August of 2004. Dr. Underwood obtained her Doctorate of Management with a focus on Health Care Administration in April of 2019. Dr. Underwood is a Certified Professional in Health Care Quality (CPHQ) and a Board Certified Nurse Executive (NE-BC). Dr. Underwood is a graduate of the VA Leadership Development Institute and the VA Healthcare Leadership Development Program. Dr. Underwood’s special interests include organizational citizenship and servant leadership. Dr. Underwood has served in various roles within the VA since 2003. Dr. Underwood’s previous roles in VA include VISN 21 Sierra Pacific Network Chief Nursing Officer, VISN 21 Sierra Pacific Network Quality Management Officer, Chief of Quality Safety Value at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System, Chief Nurse of Inpatient Services at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System, Quality Improvement Specialist at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System, Intensive Care Unit Nursing Manager, and various Nursing leadership roles at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System. Prior to joining the VA, Dr. Underwood held several health care executive leadership positions within private industry, Director of Clinical and Nursing Services, Chief Quality Officer, and Quality Improvement Consultant at various organizations and hospitals within Oklahoma.