Bridging Compassion and Innovation: Cheryl Field’s Mission to Transform Senior Care
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, few voices ring with as much clarity, passion, and purpose as Cheryl Field’s. With over 30 years of experience in nursing—particularly in post-acute rehabilitation—Cheryl has not only walked the frontlines of care but has also helped shape how care is measured, managed, and delivered. Now serving as Group Product Leader in healthcare technology, Cheryl stands at the powerful intersection of clinical practice, analytics, artificial intelligence, and advocacy. Her mission is both clear and ambitious: to revolutionize senior care with compassion, insight, and innovative intelligence.
Cheryl’s journey began in the heart of clinical nursing. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Rochester and a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Boston College, she stepped into a field that would ultimately become both her calling and her canvas. “I’ve always been drawn to complex problems,” Cheryl explains. “Especially the kind that require both a human heart and a systems-thinking mind to solve.”
Her career has spanned a wide array of leadership roles, including Clinical Director, VP of Healthcare, Chief Product Officer, and now Group Product Leader.
In each position, Cheryl has brought a unique fusion of data-driven innovation and deeply rooted clinical understanding—qualities that are often difficult to find in the same person. She’s built tools that simplify compliance, illuminate operational blind spots, and elevate the standard of care for patients and providers alike.
Yet, what truly sets Cheryl apart is her unwavering commitment to demystifying complexity. As a national and state speaker for over 25 years, Cheryl has developed a remarkable gift: making intricate healthcare systems feel not only understandable but actionable. “I use analogies, real-life examples, and even personal stories,” she shares. “If people can see themselves in what you’re saying, they’ll care enough to change something.”
This ability is especially powerful in her advocacy for seniors and their families. On the consumer-facing side, Cheryl has become a sought-after educator and consultant—helping families understand everything from Five-Star Nursing Home Ratings and Medicare policies to navigating end-of-life planning and advanced directives. “So many people are left out of these conversations because the system is hard to understand. I want to change that,” she says. “Empowered people make better decisions.”
Her efforts in the skilled nursing space are even more far-reaching. Cheryl is a certified expert in Rehabilitation Nursing and a recognized authority in operational, clinical, financial, and regulatory frameworks for skilled nursing facilities. She has a particular knack for making invisible systems visible—whether through predictive analytics, machine learning models, or intuitive data visualizations. “We have the tools to predict falls, pressure ulcers, rehospitalizations—you name it,” she explains. “But if frontline staff can’t see the data in a way that makes sense, none of it matters. We have to translate technology into trust.”
That belief led her to pursue a certification in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from MIT—a move that not only sharpened her technical edge but also strengthened her belief in tech’s role as a support mechanism, not a replacement, for human-centered care. “AI should enhance the nurse’s ability to care, not hinder it,” Cheryl emphasizes. “It should streamline paperwork, not add to it. It should predict needs, not just report problems after the fact.”
As a product leader, Cheryl builds solutions that balance innovation with intuition. Her approach to design includes not just the user interface, but the emotional experience of the nurse, the patient, the administrator, and even the family member. “Tech has to speak human,” she says with a smile. “Otherwise, it’s just another dashboard nobody uses.”
In the B2B space, Cheryl has consulted for healthcare systems, nursing homes, and tech companies alike—often serving as a bridge between engineers and clinicians. “I help translate the needs of the bedside to the language of product development,” she explains. “It’s how we build tools that actually work in the real world.”
But while her professional resume is impressive, Cheryl’s heart is rooted in something much more personal: love and family. Married for over 30 years to her third-grade sweetheart Ted, she’s the proud mother of three children—Michael, Rebecca, and Jennifer. “Family is the reason I do this,” Cheryl reflects. “I think about what kind of care my loved ones would deserve. And I work to create that reality for every family.”
In a world where healthcare can often feel cold, Cheryl Field is a radiant example of what it means to lead with both brilliance and compassion. Her work is technical, yes—but it is also deeply human. Her vision isn’t just about building better systems. It’s about ensuring that every elder is seen, supported, and safe.
As Cheryl continues to speak on national platforms, lead innovative product development, and advocate for improved systems in senior care, her message remains resolute: We can do better, and we must. From predictive analytics to personal advocacy, from boardrooms to bedside conversations, Cheryl Field is proving—one day, one project, one person at a time—that the future of healthcare isn’t just about what we build. It’s about who we serve.
And in doing so, she reminds us all that being an unstoppable woman isn’t about perfection—it’s about purpose, and using that purpose to change lives.
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