Veronica Elders, DHA, MBA-HC, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

Veronica Elders, DHA, MBA-HC, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, serves as the Chief Nursing Officer at Nashville General Hospital, providing clinical, strategic, and fiduciary direction for the Nursing division's overall operations. She is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling all nursing and care transition functions, as well as overseeing the emergency medicine and hospital medicine programs.

Elders joined Nashville General Hospital in August 2015. Her journey to Chief Nursing Officer included leadership roles such as Director of Emergency Services, Administrative Director of Patient Throughput, and Assistant Chief Nursing Officer.

Elders brings 25 years of healthcare experience to her role, including 17 years at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She also serves as an Ambassador for the Vanderbilt Academy for Diverse Emerging Nurse Leaders, a program designed by Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nursing to enhance the development of new faculty and nurse practice leaders from underrepresented groups. A Nashville native, she holds a Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA) from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare (MBA-HC) from Western Governors University, and a Master of Nursing (MSN) degree from Loyola University New Orleans.

Active in professional organizations, Elders is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA). She serves on the Tennessee CARE Early Head Start Policy Council, the Tennessee State University Nursing School Advisory Board, and the Tennessee Heath Association Quality Committee. Previously, she served as Adjunct Faculty in the Bachelor of Nursing Program at Lipscomb University. Veronica is ANCC Nurse Executive Advanced board certified.