VA’s Hillary Garcia receives Service to the Citizen award 

Join her in making a difference for Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proud to celebrate our own Hillary Garcia, a national healthcare recruiter, who received a Service to the Citizen award on Sept. 18, 2026, for her commitment to “building a customer-focused culture for transforming physician recruitment across VA through a customer-centered approach that improves access to care for Veterans while supporting healthcare leaders and recruiting teams nationwide.” 

The Service to the Citizen awards honor exemplary public servants who excel in delivering impactful services that positively affect the lives of the public.  

As a national healthcare recruiter, Garcia has redefined the hiring experience for physicians and hiring managers navigating the federal hiring system—streamlining processes, providing responsive guidance, and ensuring healthcare leaders and recruiting teams nationwide have the support they need. 

Leading through collaboration 

“I work on a team of recruiters who strive every day to not just provide good customer service, but to provide the best service to everyone we encounter,” said Garcia. “We pursue every avenue and do whatever it takes to recruit, retain and onboard phenomenal candidates who will care for our Veterans with compassion and empathy.” 

Garcia co-leads VA’s Physician Provider Recruiter Community of Practice and hosts bi-weekly office hours to support recruiters across the system. She serves as the primary recruitment consultant for Veteran Health Administration’s (VHA’s) Primary Care Department, the National Emergency Medicine Office, and the Women Veterans Health Care program, supporting more than 160 VA field human resources offices nationwide. She works directly with high-need facilities to identify recruitment barriers, improve hiring strategies, optimize compensation and simplify onboarding for physician candidates.

Measurable impact for Veterans 

Garcia’s work has produced striking results: 

• Her physician and healthcare provider referrals resulted in an average of 30 candidate selections annually over the last 5 years. She was also selected as VA’s Workforce Management and Consulting Employee of the Year in 2024. 
• She helped facilities address critical emergency department staffing shortages, accelerating hiring timelines to approximately 20 days, helping ensure Veterans maintained access to essential emergency care. 

Through personalized communication, practical coaching and enterprise-wide mentoring, Garcia has fostered a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement that strengthens recruitment efforts across VA, ultimately enhancing care for Veterans nationwide. 

Join our team 

“No matter what field you support at VA, we all have the opportunity each day to build and foster a customer-focused culture,” Garcia added. “Walking the halls of a local VA hospital always reminds me of why we are privileged to work in federal service.” 

If you want to join Hillary Garcia and make a real difference in the lives of Veterans, consider a rewarding career at VA. Learn more at VA Careers.