Vivian Hutson
Vivian Hutson comes to OASCR from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service where she was the Chief Operating Officer. She led the business and enterprise operations of FNS, including Human Resources, Contracting, Information Technology, Operations and Facilities, Central Analytics, Health and Wellness, and Diversity programs. She also carried out internal employee communication and satisfaction programs.
Before coming to USDA, she was a Senior Executive at the Department of Veterans Affairs in several leadership positions. She served in the VA Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Office as the Senior Advisor for Pacific Strategy, drafting legislation and developing governmental and private partnerships to increase availability of care, services and benefits to Veterans in the Indo-Pacific. She was the CEO and Director of the VA Central Ohio Healthcare System, an innovative ambulatory care model and pioneer in complex primary, specialty, and surgical care on an outpatient basis. She was also the Director of the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, a large tertiary-care, teaching and research center with a staff of 2,300, serving Veterans in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
Before her SES career, Vivian served 30 years of active duty in the US Army. Her many positions included command of two hospitals, Command Surgeon for US Army Japan, European Nutrition Consultant, and Director of Strategic Engagement & Outreach, where she shaped the Army Surgeon General’s messaging on whole health, nutrition and exercise. She was also a War College Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Vivian is a recipient of the Order of Military Medical Merit and three awards of the Legion of Merit. She was the first Army recipient of the Department of Defense Women’s “Trailblazer” Award.
She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, for whom she was also a member of the Board of Editors for Healthcare Executive journal and of the ACHE Governance Task Force. She is a Regional Policy Board alumnus with the American Hospital Association. Vivian has a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, dual Master’s degrees in Management and Human Resources Development from Webster University, and a Master of Healthcare Administration from Baylor University.
