“I’m a data girl. I love quality improvement.”
After 34 years in nursing, Carolyn has found a role that perfectly blends her clinical background, her love of learning, and her passion for people. Today, she serves as the RiverWoods Group’s Regional Director of Quality and Compliance. After 14 years with the organization, she says what keeps her here is simple: “There are always opportunities to grow, learn, and find your path.”
Carolyn started her nursing journey with her RN and an associate’s degree from New Hampshire Technical College, where – in a full circle moment – she now serves on the advisory board. Later, she went back to school and earned her bachelor’s, then her master’s degree in organizational leadership.
Carolyn joined RiverWoods in 2012 as Director of Health Services at the RiverWoods Exeter Ridge community. “I was there until 2019, when they asked me to go to Durham and open up the brand new health center there. So that was super exciting. It was a great experience; I learned so much and I felt so lucky to be there. Then in January of 2023, I started this role.”
As the Regional Director of Quality and Compliance, Carolyn works across all RiverWoods communities helping teams improve processes, strengthen resident outcomes, and learn from one another. “You never know where a great idea is going to come from or who it’s going to come from. So you’re always listening. I’ll be in meetings and I’ll be like, ‘that feels like a PIP. I’m going to reach out to you later.’”
PIPs are performance improvement projects: data-driven efforts to improve specific care areas or processes within senior living organizations. “I work with everyone, anywhere, in any community to work on quality assurance and process improvement projects. I help the teams think through what success looks like, how to measure outcomes, and what comes next.” Last year alone, teams across RiverWoods completed more than 25 process improvement projects.
The projects that stand out to her the most are the ones that involve departments working together. “When departments and communities collaborate, you build relationships. You share ideas. You stop working in silos.”
She also loves helping teams recognize the great work they’re already doing. “Sometimes people are already doing amazing work, they just don’t realize it’s a process improvement project. I love helping them put a framework around it and be able to take credit for it.”
Carolyn also serves as the Compliance Official for RiverWoods, which involves ensuring resident safety, high-quality care, and ethical business practices. While quality and compliance might not sound glamorous, Carolyn sees it differently. “Compliance and ethics are part of our culture. They’re a guide. They help people know what to do when something doesn’t feel right.”
Recently, Carolyn has been working on developing an updated Code of Conduct for the organization. “Policies aren’t about punishment. Compliance and ethics are about how we behave. How we speak up. How we make sure we’re doing the right thing for residents, for families, and for each other.”
Carolyn is also a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. “DEI, for me, is about lifting each other up. It’s about helping people feel safe to be their full, authentic self.”
Carolyn has a graduate certificate from Cornell for DEI teaching and education and she serves on RiverWoods’ DEI Committee. One of the goals of the committee is to help provide employees with resources and education. “There’s so much diversity you don’t see. It’s about creating a place where everyone feels seen, respected, and supported.”
She’s especially proud of the progress RiverWoods has made and the commitment to continuing the work. “When leadership said, ‘We’re not backing down. This matters to us,’ that meant everything.”
What would she have done if she hadn’t become a nurse?
“I probably would have gone into environmental sciences and conservation work.” It’s no surprise then that outside of work Carolyn is happiest outdoors whether she’s hiking, biking, snowshoeing, or swimming. She also sings, plays guitar, knits, crochets, and bakes. But she’s most happy when doing these activities with her grandchildren. Her granddaughter recently picked French baguettes from The Big Book of Bread as their next baking project.
Carolyn may be a self-proclaimed “dork,” but it’s clear she’s someone who loves learning, helping, and doing the right thing.
Above all, Carolyn wants residents and families to know this: “You can trust us. Every person here is here for the right reasons. We are here to serve our residents and make sure they have the best quality of life possible.”
About Humans of RiverWoods
Humans of RiverWoods is an ongoing storytelling series that celebrates the vibrant, diverse, and inspiring individuals who make up our RiverWoods communities. Through candid interviews and personal snapshots, we share the everyday moments, meaningful experiences, and unique journeys of our residents and team members.
Learn more about RiverWoods’ career opportunities here: https://riverwoodsnh.org/our-story/careers/