Dr. Spencer Schaefer, PharmD serves as an AI Data Solution Architect for the National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is the leader of the NAII AI Center affiliated with the Medical Informatics Data Science Emerging Technologies (MInDSET) Service Line at the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC).

Dr. Schaefer began his career with VA San Diego Healthcare System (SDVAHCS) in 2000 as an Internal Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and Acute Care Student Coordinator. He was quickly promoted to Assistant Director, Inpatient Pharmacy Services and then to Director, Pharmacy Integrated Technologies. Dr. Schaefer transferred to the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC) where he has served in many local and national roles, including Assistant Chief, Pharmacy Clinical Informatics, eHRM Pharmacy Data Migration Lead and SecVA IPT team lead and subject matter expert. In addition to continuing the previously listed national duties and NAII Data Solution Architect, he is also appointed as the Chief Health Informatics Officer (CHIO) at the KCVA.

Dr. Schaefer received his PharmD degree at the University of Missouri – Kansas City and completed a general practice pharmacy Residency at the SDVAHCS. Dr. Schaefer is a licensed Pharmacist and has received multiple awards including, Undersecretary for Health Innovations in Pharmacy Award, Joint Federal Pharmacy Seminar (JFPS) 1st Place Poster, Roche Pharmacy Communications Award ad UMKC Alumni Healthcare System Pharmacist of the Year. Dr. Schaefer is AMIA 10 x 10 certified and is driven to integrate, innovate, and improve data and information systems in healthcare.