Title: Director of Nursing
Company: Heritage Woods of Sterling
Location: Sterling, IL United States

Armed with compassion, understanding, and patience, Cathy James has always wanted to be a nurse. She started out working as a lab tech at a trauma center though, and felt like she was missing out on her true passion. Ms. James followed her heart, and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and clinical lab work. In 2015, she graduated with a master’s degree in nursing education, and finally secured her dream job as the director of nursing at Heritage Woods of Sterling. The supportive living facility offers a variety of services, including health monitoring, assistance with daily activities, programs and events, and more.

Ms. James considers her greatest accomplishment to be earning a master’s degree with a 4.0 GPA while working full time and performing as a musician. She hopes to continue to be a successful learner while traveling the world.

As a woman in today’s world, Ms. James attributes her success to her love for people. Her goal is to make the health care industry more about the patients and less about the money. Ms. James was inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. She would like to be remembered for being a caring person. In her free time, Ms. James enjoys playing the flute.