The chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals is a senior position within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that is responsible for the operation and policies of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, which is the administrative tribunal within the department responsible for holding hearings and issuing decisions on behalf of the Secretary regarding veterans' claims for benefits and services.
The chairman ranks equivalent to a department Assistant Secretary and is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a six-year term, must be appointed as a Veterans Law Judge, and must be a licensed attorney in good standing in a state or territory.
The current official performing chairman duties is Kenneth Arnold, the Board's Vice Chairman. The most recent confirmed Chairman was Jaime Areizaga-Soto of Virginia, who was nominated by President Joe Biden on April 25, 2022 and confirmed by the Senate on August 4, 2022. Although his term was not set to expire until 2028, he submitted his resignation on January 15, 2025, citing his mobilization for a two-year active-duty tour, leaving the Second Trump administration to name his successor. On August 1, 2025, President Trump nominated Terrance Gorman, of Florida as Areizaga-Soto's replacement, however, his nomination was withdrawn without explanation a month later.
On June 1, 2026, President Trump nominated Maria Chapa Lopez for the position."Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate" White House, June 1, 2026
History Beginning in 2011 and continuing up until the appointment of Chairman Mason in 2017 as the 10th Chairman and 4th politically appointed Chairman, the Board was led by several leaders appointed as the Board's Vice Chairman, which is appointed by the Secretary of VA. Although President Obama nominated former Chief Veterans Law Judge Constance B. Tobias to replace the retired James P. Terry. in the second session (2012) of the 112th Congress, as well as both the 1st (2013) and 2nd (2014) sessions of the 113th Congress, the Senate never acted on her nomination beyond a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in November 2013, and her nominations were returned to the President at the end of each session. Chairman nameAssumed officeLeft officeAppointed byAgency executive John G. Pollard19341937Franklin D. RooseveltFrank T. HinesRobert L. Jarnagin19371957Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman Dwight D. EisenhowerFrank T. Hines Omar Bradley Carl R. Gray Jr. Harvey V. HigleyJames W. Stancil19571971Dwight D. EisenhowerJohn F. KennedyLyndon B. JohnsonRichard NixonSumner G. WhittierJohn S. Gleason Jr.William J. DriverDonald E. JohnsonLawrence R. Pierce, Jr.19711974Richard NixonDonald E. JohnsonSydney J. Shuman19741981Gerald FordJimmy CarterRichard L. RoudebushMax ClelandKenneth E. Eaton19821991Ronald ReaganGeorge H. W. BushRobert NimmoHarry N. WaltersThomas K. TurnageEdward DerwinskiCharles CraginMarch 1991March 1997George H. W. BushBill ClintonEd Derwinski Jesse BrownEligah D. ClarkNovember 1998November 2004Bill ClintonGeorge W. BushTogo D. West, Jr.Anthony PrincipiJames P. TerryJuly 2005February 2011George W. BushBarack ObamaJim NicholsonJames PeakeEric ShinsekiSteven L. Keller Vice Chairman /Executive in Charge February 2011June 2013Barack ObamaEric ShinsekiLaura H. Eskenazi Vice Chairman / Executive in Charge June 2013July 2016Eric Shinseki Bob McDonaldCarol A. DiBattiste Vice Chairman / Executive in Charge August 2016January 2017Bob McDonaldDavid C. Spickler Vice Chairman / Executive in Charge February 2017October 2017Donald TrumpDavid ShulkinCheryl L. MasonNovember 8, 2017August 4, 2022Donald TrumpJoe BidenDavid ShulkinRobert WilkieDenis McDonoughKenneth A. Arnold Vice Chairman / Acting ChairmanAugust 4, 2022September 15, 2022Joe BidenDenis McDonoughJaime Areizaga-SotoSeptember 15, 2022January 15, 2025Kenneth A. Arnold Vice Chairman January 15, 2025IncumbentDonald TrumpDoug CollinsNotes
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