Jim Warner
Former Chief Learning Officer, Veterans Health Administration
Management and Governance, Human Resources, Healthcare, Resourcing and Financial Management
Contact Information
Jim Warner
Former Chief Learning Officer, Veterans Health Administration
Management and Governance, Human Resources, Healthcare, Resourcing and Financial Management
Contact Information
Jim Warner builds organizations that create value through continuous learning and development, and coaches executives to lead “learning organizations,” Jim recently led the nation’s largest Continuing Medical Education (CME) program in support of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the nation’s largest health care system. Jim’s learning and development programs engaged employees at more than 1,250 sites, charged to serve 9 million veterans. He recently spearheaded efforts across VA to adapt learning and knowledge management actions to the challenges of healthcare delivery in the COVID-19 crisis.
As Chief Learning Officer (CLO) of the VHA from 2012 - 2020, General Warner was the principal advisor to the VA Under Secretary of Health and led the development, delivery, accreditation and evaluation of education programs, products, and services. Jim led the largest U.S. program of its kind to deliver more than 6 million CME credits to 240,000 VHA health care professionals, 100,000 residents and trainees, and 100,000 non-VA clinicians. Jim was advocate and champion for transforming VHA into a learning organization, working with the heads of all major VA and VHA components. Jim guided VHA leaders to apply collaborative and innovative education, training, and development approaches to work force requirements, resulting in measurable individual and organizational performance improvement and positive return on investment.
As Deputy Commandant of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and President of Army Civilian University, Jim was responsible for leader development for the Army Officer Corps and Civilian work force respectively. He led development of the doctrine, training, and programs for leaders in uniform, and then for the Army’s civilian work force—more than 300,000 strong and dispersed across the globe.
Jim earned an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and a B.S. in engineering from West Point. He began his career in education as an Assistant Professor of Economics and Management in the Department of Social Sciences at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point). He completed a Senior Service College Fellowship at the U.S. Institute of Peace. As a DOD civilian senior executive, he continued his education in rigorous executive development programs at the University of North Carolina and Notre Dame and taught at George Washington University as adjunct faculty.
Brigadier General Warner’s distinguished 30-year career as an officer in the U.S. Army included operational and command assignments in combat units in Germany, Southwest Asia (Operations Desert Shield/ Desert Storm), Bosnia and Albania, and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), where he served as Assistant Division Commander of the 82d Airborne Division.
Jim was Director of the Quadrennial Defense Review Office of the U.S. Army, where he led the Army’s participation in the congressionally-mandated review to align the national defense strategy, defense modernization plans, and the DOD budget. He served in senior staff roles including Politico-Military Planner on the Joint Staff; Speech Writer and Special Assistant to the Army Chief of Staff; Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Director of Strategic Plans and Analysis for U.S. Joint Forces Command.
General Jim Warner’s awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge and Ranger tab.