Theresa Cullen, MD, MS

Degrees: 
MD: University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1983
MS: University of Wisconsin - Madison, Administrative Medicine/Population Health, 2001
Undergraduate: Johnston College, Philosophy/Biology, 1978
Academic / Professional Bio: 

Theresa Cullen is the Acting Deputy Director of the Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Interagency Program Office (IPO). Since joining the IPO in February 2013, Dr. Cullen has worked, in concert with the IPO Director, to lead DoD and VA in the development and implementation of the integrated Electronic Health Record and the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record Health systems, capabilities and initiatives that allow for full information interoperability between the Departments to better serve Service members, Veterans and other eligible beneficiaries. Dr. Cullen also currently leads VHA’s Health Informatics service areas including Human Factors, Knowledge Based Systems, Applied Informatics Services, and the broadly recognized electronic Personal Health Record and Barcode programs. Prior to joining VA in February 2012, Dr Cullen was the Director of Health and Human Services Domain Information Technology Program Management Office (PMO) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In this position, she helped coordinate the health information technology investments through HHS. Dr. Cullen started her career with Indian Health Service (IHS) in 1984 as a family practice physician and was a clinical director on the Tohono O’odham reservation from 1994-1999. She was the senior medical informatics consultant for IHS from 1999-2006. Starting in 2006 until June 2011, she was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Director of the Office of Information Technology for IHS.

Honors and Awards: 
Retired Rank, Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service, 1984-2012
Distinguished Service Medal, U.S. Public Health Service, 2012
National Director’s Award for Outstanding Achievements, Indian Health Service, 2011, 2004, 2003
Fed 100, 2007
Physician Leadership of the Year, Indian Health Service, 1999
Vernon and Virginia Furrow Award for Excellence in Clinical Sciences Teaching for Medical Students, University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1999
Other Awards/Decorations: Meritorious Service Medal, Outstanding Service Medal, Achievement Medial, Commendation Medal, Isolated Hardship Medal, Unit Commendation, Unit Citation Medal, U.S. Public Health Service
Board Certifications: 
American Board of Family Practice
Clinical Informatics