Quick Facts
CancerBiography
William Scott Gould (born July 19, 1957) is a former United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was confirmed to this position on April 2, 2009, to replace Gordon H. Mansfield, who resigned on January 20, 2009.Gould resigned on May 17, 2013.He was then appointed executive vice president at CareFirst, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan of Maryland.
Career
Gould was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Prior to his appointment at the VA, Gould was vice president for "public sector strategy" at IBM Global Business Services. Gould was also chief executive officer of The O'Gara Company, an investment services firm, and COO of Exolve, a technology services company.He is co-author (with Linda Bilmes) of the best-selling book The People Factor: Strengthening America by Investing in Public Service (Brookings Institution Press).
Gould is also formerly chief financial officer and assistant secretary for administration at the Department of Commerce. He has also served as deputy assistant secretary for finance and management at the United States Department of Treasury.
As a White House Fellow, Gould served in the Export-Import Bank of the United States and in the Office of the White House Chief of Staff.
Military service
He is a retired captain who served for 26 years in the United States Navy and United States Navy Reserve.During his initial active duty commitment, he served at sea aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Richard E. Byrd. Separating from active duty and affiliating in the then-Naval Reserve, he transitioned to the intelligence community.As a Naval Intelligence reservist, CAPT Gould was recalled to active duty for Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom. After President Obama's election, he served as co-chair of the VA Agency Review Team for the Presidential Transition Team.
Education
Gould holds an AB degree from Cornell University and MBA and Ed.D. degrees from the University of Rochester.
Personal life
Gould is married to Michèle Flournoy, the former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.They have three children and reside in Bethesda, Maryland.