Kittra Owens, DPM, FACFAS, FACPM, serves as chief of staff at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System. As chief of staff, she is the lead physician of two medical centers and eight community-based outpatient centers. Dr. Owens graduated from Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama) with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biology. Her postgraduate education continued at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) where she earned her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. She completed a three-year podiatric medicine and surgery residency at Oakwood Health Care System (Dearborn, Michigan). Immediately after residency, Dr. Owens was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy and assigned to Naval Hospital Camp LeJeune (Jacksonville, North Carolina). There she served as assistant department head of Orthopedics and Orthopedic consultant for foot and ankle injuries. Dr. Owens deployed to Afghanistan on a medical embedded training team in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As the orthopedic trauma surgeon mentor to the Afghan National Army, she trained Afghan orthopedic surgeons to manage complex foot and ankle trauma. She was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal, and International Security Assistance Forces Medal for her valiant efforts. Other military assignments include Naval Hospital Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Florida), Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay (Guantanamo Bay, Cuba), and Naval Hospital Okinawa (Okinawa, Japan). In 2015, Dr. Owens completed her active-duty service obligation as a lieutenant commander and transitioned to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to her role as chief of staff, she was employed by the VA Southern Nevada Heath Care System (Las Vegas, Nevada) as podiatry section chief. Dr. Owens is board certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, as well as the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. Her adjunct clinical staff appointments include Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Western University of Health Sciences College of Podiatric Medicine (Pomona, California), and assistant professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine. She has received academic publication in multiple journals and chapter co-authorship in the fourth edition of the textbook, McGlamry Foot and Ankle Surgery. Dr. Owens holds the distinction of being the first podiatrist to serve as chief of staff within the Department of Veterans Affairs.