Joseph Garcia serves as Executive Director of Education Service within the Veterans Benefits Administration. In his role, he leads more than 1,500 employees in the delivery of education and training benefits and services for Veterans and their families including one of VA’s most frequently used benefits, the Post-9/11 GI Bill. In Fiscal Year 2022 alone, VA dispersed nearly $10B in benefits to more than 834,000 Veterans, service members and their families. Garcia directs and supports operational and program management activities resulting in the implementation of statutory requirements. He also provides oversight and accountability to executive and functional team activities.
He previously served in the higher education sector as a Vice President at William Jewell College in Missouri, Empire State College in New York, and The Citadel: Military College of South Carolina. He served in Senior Executive Service positions at Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/FEMA and at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food Safety Inspection Service. He also worked in the private and nonprofit sectors in Washington, DC.
Garcia spent 28 years in the Air Force, including tours at the Pentagon, Air Force Academy, Germany and South Korea, and a Middle East deployment. He taught leadership courses at the Air Force Academy and The Citadel and has authored four leadership books. Among his awards are Male Boss of the Year from the Federal Woman’s Program, CFO of the Year from the Kansas City Business Journal, and a superior mission achievement award from DHS.
Garcia holds an Executive Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.
