AUGUSTA — Debra Fournier, a health professional who worked the last nine years with St. Mary’s Health System, has been named the new chief operations officer for Maine Veterans’ Homes.

Fournier has more than 25 years in the health care field, most recently as vice president of Eldercare Services and administrator for St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston, from 2004 to 2010. She was the director of operations at St. Marguerite d’Youville Pavilion from 2001 to 2004.

She also served six years as director of nursing at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Scarborough, from 1990 to 1996. Her extensive clinical experience includes positions as geriatric case manager, clinical liaison and a variety of nursing positions.

Fournier’s education includes a bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. Joseph’s College, where she received the first Holley S. Gimpel Award for academic excellence, and a master of science degree in business from Husson College.

She currently serves on the board of directors for the Maine Health Care Association and she is a member of the American College of Health Care Administrators, National Gerontological Nurses Association and American Health Care Association’s Disaster Preparedness Committee.

Fournier began her duties at MVH on Dec. 6. She resides in Buxton with her husband, Dan.

Maine Veterans’ Homes operates 640 long-term care and rehabilitation beds in six facilities located in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias, Scarborough and South Paris. Maine Veterans’ Homes is a public, not-for-profit organization, and works closely with state and federal agencies, veterans’ service organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Administration, and local communities to provide quality services to veterans and eligible family members.