Cheryl L. Mason serves as the Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board). As Chairman, Ms. Mason leads a team of approximately 1200 personnel including Veterans Law Judges, attorneys, and operations and administrative professionals to meet the Board’s mission of conducting hearings and deciding appeals on benefits and services for Veterans and their families.
Ms. Mason is accountable for the efficient and effective management of Board resources and executing a budget more than $190 million. The Board is the Secretary’s designee to decide appeals arising from all three administrations: Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and National Cemetery Administration as well as the Office of the General Counsel. Ms. Mason is the first woman to hold the position of Chairman.
Ms. Mason is the spouse of an Air Force Veteran, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (retired), and is the daughter of a World War II Navy Veteran who died by suicide. She advocates for changing the culture and increasing awareness surrounding mental health and suicide awareness/prevention. Chairman Mason also is a key leader in the military spouse employment initiative, working to share best practices to encourage recruiting, hiring and retention of military spouses to support military readiness as well as transitioning Veterans.
Originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, Ms. Mason received her B.A. with Distinction in Political Science and Psychology from Ohio Northern University and her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. Ms. Mason began her legal career in private practice in Omaha, Nebraska.
