Director, Defense Health Network National Capital Region

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Deydre Teyhen is the Director, Defense Health Network National Capital Region for the Defense Health Agency. The DHN National Capital Region consists of more than 12,000 staff members across 34 medical facilities and 11 dental facilities in the largest multi-service market serving active duty service members and their family members, and eligible TRICARE beneficiaries.

Prior to assuming Directorship of the DHN National Capital Region, Teyhen served as the Commanding General of Brooke Army Medical Center and the Deputy Director of the San Antonio Market. She’s also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1/4/6, at the Office of the Surgeon General in Falls Church, Virginia. During the pandemic, she served as the Department of Defense lead of therapeutics for Operation Warp Speed at the Department of Health and Human Services, and as the Commander for Walter Reed Army Institute of Research—DOD’s largest biomedical research facility. She led infectious diseases, brain, and behavioral health research efforts, including research to prevent, detect, and treat COVID-19. She commanded the former U.S. Army Health Clinic Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Her previous assignments include Assistant Chief of Staff for Public Health at the Office of the Army Surgeon General; Commander of the Public Health Command Region-South; Deputy Director for the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center at Fort Detrick, Maryland; Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Physical Therapy Research for the U.S. Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Officer in Charge of Task Force 10 Delta Med in Al Kut, Iraq; Chief of the Musculoskeletal Care Center and Chief of Physical Therapy at the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center in Fort Meade, Maryland; Chief of Outpatient Physical Therapy at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; Chief of Physical Therapy at the former 21st Combat Support Hospital in Tuzla, Bosnia; and Physical Therapist at the former Carl R. Darnall Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood, Texas.

Teyhen received her Bachelor of Arts in Sports Science at the Ohio Wesleyan University, earned a master’s degree in physical therapy from the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program, completed her Ph.D. in biomechanics from the University of Texas at Austin, and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Baylor University. Most recently, Teyhen graduated with honors as a distinguished graduate from the U.S. Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies. Teyhen’s military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with a silver leaf oak leaf cluster, received the Order of Military Medical Merit, the Surgeon General’s “A” designator, and the U.S. Army War College Commandant’s Award for Distinction in Research. She has received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the University of Texas at Austin, the Margaret L. Moore Award for Outstanding New Academic Faculty Member from the American Physical Therapy Association, Margaret L. Moore Award for Outstanding New Academic Faculty Member, the Distinguished Achievement Citation from Ohio Wesleyan University, and was inducted into the Kinesiology and Health Education Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor at the University of Texas, Austin.

Teyhen is a Catherine Worthingham fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and has spent her career focused on improving the delivery of health care, holistic health, and readiness. Her research accomplishments include over 230 peer-reviewed publications, editorials, book chapters, and published abstracts. She has made 120 presentations at conferences and spoken at 175 invited lectures.