Dr. Katherine Mitchell

Dr. Mitchell is a full-time VA physician who works at the Veterans Integrated Service Network office in Gilbert, Arizona. While working at the Phoenix VA from 2009-2014, hospital officials ignored Dr. Mitchell’s repeated warnings about grossly unsafe conditions including understaffing, poor triage training, and delayed access to care. In May 2014, Dr. Mitchell chose to publicly disclose those conditions in an attempt to save Veteran’s lives.

In July 2014, she testified at the ground-breaking congressional hearing that exposed the depth of whistleblower retaliation in the VA system. After her disclosures the Office of Special Counsel honored her as 2014 Federal Employee of the Year.

In 2014, after settling her retaliation claims with the VA, the agency violated the terms of that legally binding document almost immediately. Specifically, the VA altered her working conditions to prohibit her from receiving training necessary for her job duties, limited her access to data and other information necessary to meet performance goals,  discouraged co-workers from associating with her, banned her from initiating contact with staff in VA medical centers, and withheld meaningful assignments.

Although she is experiencing ongoing whistleblower retaliation she has continued to make additional significant disclosures and testified at three more congressional hearings. She has raised public awareness of VA problems through many media interviews including appearances on 60 Minutes, CNN, CBC World News, and various Fox News outlets.

Dr. Mitchell currently has an active retaliation complaint before the Office of Special Counsel.