Dr. Mariela Roca serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Minority Veterans at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, advising the Secretary on policies and programs that impact minority Veterans. An Air Force Veteran and experienced medical logistician, she is deeply committed to advocating for the needs of Veterans nationwide.
Following her military service, Dr. Roca built a distinguished career in medical logistics, holding key leadership roles at Fort Detrick. She served as a Program Manager for the Medical Devices Assemblage Management (MDAM) division at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), overseeing the Army’s Medical Other Procurement, Army (OPA) funds program. She also contributed to acquisition strategies, cost assessments, and contract management for medical equipment used by Army medical forces. Before that, as Deputy Chief of the Production Assembly Management Division (PAMD) within USAMMDA’s Force Sustainment Directorate (FSD), she led procurement operations and strategic planning to align medical material readiness with operational requirements.
Before joining the Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Roca was President and CEO of Lede2 Consulting, LLC, where she led business consulting initiatives focused on government contracting, project management, and operational efficiency. She also worked as a Supply Chain Specialist contractor supporting the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Program and Logistics Office (P&LO), helping develop supply chain solutions for VHA Regional Readiness Centers as part of the COVID-19 response and future all-hazards preparedness efforts. A Doctor of Business Administration and certified Project Management Professional, she has over 19 years of experience in medical supply chain management, healthcare IT, contracting, and process improvement.
