Jillisa Steckart, MEd, PsyD
Health Science Specialist/Project Scientist, VA-Greater Los Angeles Health System, Hospice and Palliative Care Division
Jillisa Steckart is a Health Science Specialist at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and a Project Scientist at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and Pepperdine University. With over twenty years with the VA Hospice and Palliative Care (HPC) Division, and prior work in the HIV/AIDS field, Dr. Steckart has extensive experience in service, program building, education, and research. Steckart has led efforts integrating creative and sustainable curricula into clinical and healthcare training programs, leading to accreditation status for HPC programs at her institution. She believes in putting mindfulness philosophy into practice and is an ELNEC trainer, Healing Touch Certified, a Schwartz Rounds Facilitator, and a member of the VA My Life My Story, legacy Committee. Dr. Steckart has partnered with medical schools across the country to infuse humanities and mindfulness practice into their curriculum. She supports research efforts in a broad range of end-of-life and quality of life initiatives, and actively mentors interprofessional fellows in scholarly and QI endeavors. Steckart notes that she is particularly honored to be of service to Veterans, and work with a brilliant team of HPC experts. Her current life motto comes from Albert Camus, “There is no happiness if the things we believe in are different than the things we do.”