01/20/2026
This month, we’re proud to welcome Shelley Dern as the new Health Services Nursing Coordinator for the Wisconsin Veterans Homes at Chippewa Falls, King, and Union Grove! She holds a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) and brings 4 decades of healthcare experience to our Homes.
For Shelley, the most rewarding part of her career has always been the human connection and profound yet straightforward moments, from seeing a smile to hearing a patient say, “I am so glad you are taking care of me today.”
Her experience as a regional nurse, nursing home administrator, director of nursing, nursing instructor, and certified legal nursing consultant brings another layer of expertise to our organization. This position is a new role for WDVA, and she will work to elevate our care delivery processes.
Through her experience working with patients, Shelley says it has helped her become an effective advocate for their needs. She shares that it is now a privilege to give back and provide care for our members who have put their lives on the line for our country.
While not a veteran herself, Shelley has deep military ties. For nearly two decades, she was the spouse of an Air Force service member whose service included an overseas assignment to Hahn Air Base in Germany. While living in Germany, Shelley founded “Stripes and Patches to Go,” a sewing business that supported the MWR Recreation Department at Hahn Air Base by sewing military stripes and patches.
Other members of her family with military service include her father (Air Force), brother (Army), three uncles, and her son-in-law, who is in the Army National Guard and was recently deployed overseas.
Shelley is currently serving as the acting director of nursing for our veterans home in Union Grove until the ideal candidate is hired. In this new role, she will onboard nursing supervisors and maintain continuity across campuses through policy, audits, mock surveys, and more.
Please join us in welcoming Shelly to our WDVA team!
