Meet Our Leaders

Christopher R. Sandles, MBA, FACHE, is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with more than 20 years of experience leading large, complex health systems in both public and private sectors. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Valor Healthcare, the nation’s largest contract provider of primary and behavioral health services to Veterans outside of the VA system. In this role, Mr. Sandles leads strategic growth and clinical integration efforts, working to expand access to high-quality, patient-centered care across the country.

Before joining Valor, Mr. Sandles served as President of Hospital Operations at the University Health in San Antonio, where he oversaw operations for two academic hospitals, multiple surgical centers, and a workforce of nearly 2,000 employees. His leadership was instrumental in opening the state-of-the-art Women’s and Children’s Hospital, increasing procedural volumes, and implementing system-wide efficiencies that saved millions in costs while improving patient outcomes.

Mr. Sandles previously held multiple senior executive roles in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including CEO of both the South Texas and Central Texas Veterans Health Care Systems. In these positions, he was responsible for managing billion-dollar budgets, overseeing over 4,000 employees, and delivering care to more than 100,000 Veterans across Central and South Texas. He also served as Chief Operating Officer of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston and held operational leadership roles in Greater Los Angeles and other major VA facilities. In 2021, he received the Presidential Rank Award—one of the highest honors in federal civil service—for distinguished executive performance.

Mr. Sandles is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and a licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He holds both an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in High-Performance Management from Texas Tech University. He is also a former Texas Hospital Association Leadership Fellow and has served on numerous healthcare boards, including the Texas Hospital Association and American Heart Association.

Known for his authentic, values-based leadership, Mr. Sandles is deeply committed to advancing equitable, high-quality care through operational excellence, cultural transformation, and trust-driven engagement with staff, partners, and communities.