Courtney Stecker was named Chief of Staff of the VA, National Cemetery Administration, effective August 10, 2025. He is the senior advisor to the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs and the Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs in the executive leadership of more than 155 VA national cemeteries and more than 120 VA grant-funded Veteran cemeteries that provide dignified burials in national shrines for Veterans and their eligible family members.
Mr. Stecker leads a team responsible for maintaining the cemeteries as national shrines; the design and construction of new national cemeteries; overseeing memorial programs to honor the service of Veterans, including headstones, markers, medallions, and Presidential Memorial Certificates; administering federal grants to help states, territories and tribal governments establish cemeteries for Veterans; and overseeing NCA’s Veterans Legacy Memorial and Veterans Legacy Program.
Previously, Mr. Stecker served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, following his appointment by President Donald J. Trump. In this role, he provided strategic counsel to the Secretary and senior leadership on department-wide programs and policies. With nearly two decades of expertise in performance improvement, change management, executive strategy, and business continuity, Mr. Stecker brings a results-driven approach to leadership. Prior to joining the VA, he served as Associate Director at Guidehouse, where he led multidisciplinary teams supporting federal clients in areas such as Test & Evaluation, Risk Management, Organizational Realignment, Crisis and Business Continuity Management, Capability Development, and Cybersecurity Program Management.
An Army Veteran, Mr. Stecker served as a non-commissioned officer in the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard.” He deployed to Iraq with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula, and concluded his service with the 1/175th Infantry, Maryland National Guard. He is a graduate of Airborne and Ranger School, among other military programs, and holds the Certified Business Continuity Professional designation from DRI International.
Mr. Stecker earned a Bachelor of Liberal Studies in International Affairs from Georgetown University and a Master of Science in Communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. An Army and Iraq War veteran, he is a dedicated advocate for veterans and military families.
Mr. Stecker resides in Falls Church, Virginia, with his wife Judy, their two sons, Wheeler and Read, and their two yellow Labradors.