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VA »
Veterans Benefits Administration »
Regional Benefit Offices »
Seattle Regional Office
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Meet Our Leadership Team
Seattle Regional Office
Meet Our Leadership Team
Director: Pritz Navaratnasingam
Pritz Navaratnasingam was appointed as Director of Seattle VA Regional Office (RO), effective October 2014. In his role as Director of the Seattle RO, he is responsible for over 800 full-time employees and administering approximately $1.6 billion in annual compensation and pension benefits to over 580,000 Veterans and their dependents in Washington State.
Assistant Director: John Lombardo
John Lombardo was appointed as Assistant Director with the Veterans Benefits Administration, Seattle Regional Office, in May 2021. He started working for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle Regional Office, in March 2010 as a Staff Assistant. John held positions of increasing responsibility including Continental District Lead Management Analyst, Assistant Special Mission Program Officer, Acting Special Mission Program Officer, and Acting Assistant Director. He is a graduate of the 2018 Assistant Directors Development Program.
Assistant Director: Chantile Stovall
Chantile Stovall was appointed as Assistant Director of the Seattle VA Regional Office in November 2022. Ms. Stovall served as the Veterans Service Center Manager of the Baltimore Regional Office/National Capital Region Benefits Office (BRO/NCRBO) where she provided oversight over the Integrated Disability Evaluation System Program, Benefits Delivery at Discharge, and Outreach. With over 17 years of experience with the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Ms. Stovall has held division leadership roles in two VBA business lines. She considers herself a life-long learner and has enjoyed serving as a formal mentor for several of VBA’s development programs throughout the years.
Veteran Service Center Manager: Stephen Strope
Mr. Strope was appointed as the Veteran Service Center Manager (VSCM) in May of 2017. In this position, he administers Compensation and Pension programs and provides other assistance regarding VA benefits and services to Veterans, Servicemembers, their families, and their survivors in the Seattle Regional Office service area. He previously served as a Coach at the Philadelphia Regional Office.
Decision Review Operations Center Manager: Vacant
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Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Special Missions Program Officer (SMPO): Beorn Kjeldsen
Beorn began his VA career in 2009 as a Veterans Service Representative in the Seattle Regional Office, was promoted to RVSR, and later became a Director’s Office Management Analyst, Assistant Coach, Coach, Assistant DROC Manager and, most recently, the SMPO. His career experience includes VSC, Nehmer, IDES, and Appeals Modernization. Beorn attended the University of Washington (BA) and Seattle University School of Law (JD). He worked at a newspaper for 10 years prior to attending law school.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer: Vacant
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Change Management Agent: Margaret (Maggie) Shartel
Maggie Shartel was appointed as the Change Management Agent for Seattle VA Regional Office, effective March 2022. In her role as CMA she leads change management activities across business lines within the Regional Office and provides assistance to external stakeholders. Ms. Shartel previously served as a Veterans Service Representative and is certified as an ELITE Master Instructor. She is a Veteran of the U.S. Army where she served as a Broadcast Journalist and Public Affairs Specialist at multiple locations including Joint Base Lewis-McChord WA.
