The CHERP VETERANS COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
Veteran Voices Shaping Research
The CHERP Veterans Community Advisory Board (VCAB) partners with VA Investigators in the design and conduct of research. The purpose of the CHERP VCAB is to bring the Veteran’s voice into VA Research, to improve the design of patient-relevant research, increase uptake of VA-funded research into practice, build Veteran support for research and restore trust in VA.
The VA Center for Health Evaluation Research and Promotion (CHERP) is a VA Health Systems Research Scientific Center of Innovation dedicated to understanding and improving health and healthcare outcomes to support VA in providing excellent care and service to all Veterans.
CHERP’s vision is that all Veterans receive outstanding healthcare, that the quality and accessibility of healthcare is distributed equitably, and that VHA’s progress towards these goals is a paragon for healthcare systems nationwide.
CHERP’s mission is to advance the equity and quality of Veteran health and healthcare through impactful research facilitated by partnerships, collaborations, Veteran engagement, mentoring, and service.
The VCAB is available to:
Offer to researchers Veteran perspectives about their care experiences at VA, their preferences and priorities
Strategize to make research Veteran-centered, particularly health equity research
Endorse Veteran-focused projects
Advise on all stages of research from study design and data interpretation to recruitment, study materials, and identification of community-based research partners
Assist with dissemination, especially research benefits to the Veteran Community
Other areas as needed
The VCAB is an independent Board designed to represent the Veteran communities likely to experience under-resourcing and/or under-representation in health, healthcare and wellness e.g., Veterans from ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ Veterans, Women Veterans, Veterans experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness, Veterans with serious mental illnesses (Depression, PTSD, Substance Use Disorder, etc.), and/or stigmatizing social, mental and physical conditions.
The VCAB’s Mission is “to advise, foster relationships, and contribute experience and input to CHERP Leadership and Researchers in order to promote health, healthcare, and health equity for the Veteran Community.”
BOOTS TO WELLNESS: Women Veterans Healthcare Research Exchange
Bring your research questions and get answers on May 13, 2026!
The Veterans Healthcare Research Forum is presented by Veterans for Veterans. Your Veterans Community Advisory Board (VCAB) in Philadelphia is organizing this hybrid event “Boots to Wellness” to help VA research become even more Veteran-centered.
Attend in person at Crescenz VAMC, LVA Auditorium, May 13, 2026 10am-12pm. Or attend online - register now!
Here’s what to expect:
Short, engaging talks from fellow Veterans, VA researchers, and others focused on a variety of topics related to women Veterans’ health
A chance to hear what kind of research is happening right now at the VA
Open time for your questions—what matters to you, what you want to know, and what you want to see studied
Information about current and upcoming research opportunities you can take part in
This isn’t about speeches—it’s about making sure Veteran voices play a part in shaping the future of VA research.
We hope you’ll be part of the conversation.
Big ideas, real impact.
Veteran Recruitment Enhancement Toolkit
VCAB produced a toolkit to make research recruitment Veteran-centered and trauma-informed. The tools and tips included are designed to assist coordinators and project managers to increase enrollment of Veterans in research studies.
The kit includes a video, trauma-informed soft skill development, templates for ads and flyers and suggested compensation table.
COMING SOON! Dissemination Toolkit
STUDIES REVIEWED BY VCABAt right is a select list of recent studies that received VCAB feedback. Click to learn more.
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Develop a decision support tool designed to improve risk communication and shared decision-making between Veterans and their clinicians.
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Understanding how permanent supportive housing through VA HUD-VASH enrollment affects the long-term cardiovascular health of Veterans experiencing homelessness
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Examines the role of non-invasive brain stimulation to improve cognitive function and functional independence among Veterans with mild traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Seeks to better understand what groups of Veterans experience while contending with greater functional impairment after experiencing a stroke, and how to help improve function through promoting regular physical activity
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VCAB discussed the concept of including a veteran from our Board as a study team member. The discussion also addressed several aspects of the study design focused on patient engagement, how to define the study population, and how to assess and address unique barriers for the participants.
Check out the VCAB blog.
The VCAB blog, the first Veteran-to-Veteran blog about VA Research, is designed to inform Veterans about VA research and VCAB’s research-driven outreach and community engagement. VCAB’s signature event is the Veterans Healthcare Research Forum (formerly the Veterans Research Town Hall), a first-in-the-nation hybrid outreach event where Veterans ask questions about VA Research and get answers. Click on our blog at left to learn more.
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Many veterans who find themselves involved in the justice system do not know that the VA offers services through the Veterans Justice Outreach (JVO) Program. This post describes VA Services available to them.
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This post is about the VA’s Million Veteran Program—a genetic database—touted by the VA as the largest database of its kind in the world.
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This post examines how Genomics Precision Medicine is being implemented by VA
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This post looks at how the VA handles the blood and DNA of Veterans
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In this post, Veteran input and questions can guide researchers towards studying genetic factors that are relevant to Veterans’ health outcomes, leading to more targeted and effective treatments.
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This post announces the 2026 Veterans Healthcare Research Forum BOOTS TO WELLNESS and discusses the importance of breast cancer screening for Veterans.
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This post discusses intimate partner violence (IPV) as a serious public health issue affecting Women Veterans.
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SHE SERVED. SHE MATTERS.
Women Veterans are one of the fastest-growing populations in the VA’s health care system. Yet as this population grows, so does the need for targeted, gender-informed approaches to mental health and suicide prevention.
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In this post, we see how ensuring that women Veterans can make informed decisions about their reproductive health is not only a clinical priority—it’s a readiness, wellness, and quality-of-life issue.
MEET THE MEMBERS
jillian harris
Jillian Harris is the Chair of the Veterans Community Advisory Board (VCAB). Jillian guides the VCAB members to advocate for the Veteran perspective in VA healthcare research by providing feedback on research design, refining Veteran trust in the VA by ensuring research is patient-relevant and addresses the needs of diverse Veteran populations.
Jillian is a US Navy veteran who works professionally as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania. She earned her master’s degree in social work in 2009 from Temple University. She has dedicated her life’s work experience to public service in helping others in various clinical settings and non-profit social service agencies. Jillian practices from a patient-centered, strength-based and community-focus approach when executing motivational interviewing, CBT, and crisis intervention modalities
david ellison
Davis Ellison is Vice Chair of VCAB and a Sales Manager at Medical Guardian, a leading provider of personal emergency response systems. David applies his extensive experience and expertise in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sales industry to deliver exceptional results and customer satisfaction. He is a former Healthcare Specialist in the US Army, with a strong background in immunization sales, account management, marketing, and operations.
David has over 15 years of professional excellence in various business enterprises. He is a skilled leader and trainer, who has hired, mentored, and motivated numerous employees throughout his career. He holds a certificate of completion in Foundations of Entrepreneurship from Syracuse University, and an Associate's Degree in Education from Community College of Philadelphia.
During his free time, David loves to travel to experience new cultures, and photography is one of many hobbies he enjoys.
Terri Haywood, MPH, is an Air Force Veteran, trained epidemiologist, and data analyst with over a decade of experience in Veterans research. Terri is also a founding member of the Veterans Community Advisory Board (VCAB), where she helps ensure Veteran voices guide research priorities and community engagement. Her work focuses on advancing evidence-based solutions to improve the health and well-being of Veterans.
Terri Haywood
DR. catherine revak
Dr. Catherine Revak, DSW, LCSW, is a third-generation veteran, Air Force veteran, and licensed clinical social worker who earned her undergraduate, Master of Social Work, and Doctor of Social Work degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Her doctoral research, Hazing and Sexual Assault: A Social Construction Exploration of Male-on-Male Assault and Military Discourse, examines how military culture shapes the understanding of sexual violence between male servicemen. She has been actively involved with the Veterans Community Advisory Board (VCAB) since 2018, serving as Chair from 2023–2025 and currently as Administrative Officer. Dr. Revak is the founder and principal clinician of a private practice serving the greater Philadelphia and West Palm Beach areas, specializing in grief, loss, and major life transitions.
augustus tutu, jr.
Augustus Osei Tutu Jr. is a distinguished leader, decorated U.S. Army Officer, retired veteran, and visionary strategist with over 30 years of experience leading transformational change across military, government, corporate, and non-profit sectors. His career has been defined by a rare ability to align mission-driven goals with operational excellence, delivering scalable, sustainable impact in some of the world’s most complex environments. As a Board Member of the Veterans Community Advisory Board, he continues to shape equitable research policy and health equity initiatives within the Department of Veterans Affairs in support of the Veteran community.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s esteemed Chief Learning Officer (CLO) master’s program. Currently a doctoral candidate with UPenn’s CLO executive program, Augustus brings a human-centered, system-level approach to leadership, strategy, and innovation. He is an organizational leader and a transformation catalyst. His life’s work reflects an unwavering commitment to public service, strategic impact, and empowering the next generation of leaders to build stronger, more resilient communities worldwide.
Thomas Walsh
Thomas Walsh has spent more than 30 years in journalism, business reporting, public information, project management, marketing, broadcasting, media consulting, and photography. He is a Gulf War Veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as a broadcast journalist and assistant public affairs officer. He has been with the VCAB since 2020, and serves as chair of its Communications Committee. A native of Philadelphia, he is a graduate of Temple University's Klein College of Media and Communication.
katherine kirkmaN
Kat is a fourth-generation military veteran, proudly following her Navy veteran parents into service. She is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, an astronautical engineer, and a former combat pilot, having completed over 40 missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
After her military service, Kat earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania to continue her commitment to service. As Congressman Dwight Evans's Director of Military and Veterans Affairs, she secured nearly $1 million in VA benefits for veterans and their families. Kat has also led the Employment and Training Program at the Veterans Multi-Service Center, empowering veterans across southeastern Pennsylvania with employment and career development opportunities. She now serves as the Chief of Staff for the City of Philadelphia Office of Veterans Affairs.