Jo Ann Krukar Webb – NOBC Featured Story October 2025

Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate to serve in many roles that have shaped both my life and my perspective on leadership. I have held three Presidential appointments confirmed by the U.S. Senate, including serving as the first woman to lead the National Cemetery Administration at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the first Assistant Secretary of Policy and Planning for the VA, and as a board member of the Veterans Business Development Corporation.

Today, I continue to serve through my work on the AARP Nursing Leadership Team and with Warrior Canine Connection, an organization that raises, trains, and provides service dogs for veterans living with PTSD. Service to others has always been my compass.

Throughout my journey, I have had the honor of serving on several national and corporate boards, including the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee for Women Veterans, the CARES Commission, the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, and the Humana Veterans HealthServices Board. My connection to board service began through my time in the Army Nurse Corps and my years working in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Nursing has been at the heart of everything I have done. Nurses are expert problem solvers. We know how to bring teams together, show compassion, and remain calm and focused even when challenges seem insurmountable. Those lessons have served me well in the boardroom and in every leadership setting.

I have known both the highs and lows of board service. There have been moments of great satisfaction when policy and legislation came together for the good of others, and there have also been disappointments. Nursing is one of the most respected professions, yet too often in the halls of Congress and the boardroom, it receives only polite recognition. We have strong champions, but not enough of them.

The impact of nurses in leadership is mixed, depending on the setting. I have seen how effective nurses can be at the local and regional level, and I believe deeply in our potential to influence at the national level. It is essential that nurses have a voice on hospital, health association, and corporate boards. Those doors are not always open to us, but they must be.

As I look back, I remain proud and hopeful. My journey has been about service, perseverance, and faith in the power of nursing leadership. I know there are future leaders ready to step forward, and I believe their impact will be extraordinary.

Warm regards,
Jo Ann Krukar Webb, RN, MHA, FAAN