Cheryl Shay
December 2025
Cheryl
Shay
,
MSN, RN, NE-BC
Nursing Support Services
Memorial Hermann - The Woodlands Medical Center
The Woodlands
,
TX
United States
A Career Built on Service and Growth
Cheryl began her nursing journey in 1982 as a Licensed Vocational Nurse. From the start, she demonstrated what would become the defining characteristic of her career: an unwavering commitment to growth and excellence. She advanced to become a Registered Nurse, gained experience in pediatrics and school nursing, and in 2005, she stepped into nursing leadership as a director. In 2009, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center was fortunate to welcome Cheryl to our team. For the next fifteen years, she served as Director of Nursing Support Services, leading with a combination of warmth, accountability, and an unwavering focus on what matters most: our patients. When Cheryl retired in October 2024, she didn't just leave behind a job. She left behind a legacy.
A Leader Who Embraced Change
Cheryl understood something many leaders struggle with: healthcare changes constantly, and resistance gets us nowhere. Instead of fighting change, she embraced it and brought her teams along with her. When we transitioned the Phlebotomy team to nursing leadership, Cheryl made it work. She supported Dieticians, Transporters, the Float Pool, and the Observation Unit with the same dedication and vision. These weren't just organizational chart moves to her. They were opportunities to improve patient care, and she made sure everyone understood that purpose. What set Cheryl apart was how she led. She never asked her team to do anything she wouldn't do herself. Accountability wasn't something she imposed on others—it was something she modeled every single day. When challenges arose, Cheryl didn't react. She stayed calm, thought things through, and responded with intention. Her team always knew where they stood because Cheryl led with honesty and integrity.
An Unwavering Focus on Patients
Here's what made Cheryl truly exceptional: in every meeting, every decision, every difficult conversation, she brought us back to one question: What's best for the patient?
That wasn't just something she said. It was how she thought. Patient-centered care wasn't a policy to Cheryl. It was the foundation of everything we did.
A Developer of Leaders
Cheryl understood that you can't take care of patients if you don't take care of the people providing that care. She supported her staff, advocated for them, and created an environment where they could do their best work. Many nurses and leaders in our organization today got their start because Cheryl saw something in them and took the time to mentor them. She had a gift for recognizing potential and helping people grow into roles they didn't even know they were ready for. Those who worked with Cheryl will tell you she was approachable, friendly, and genuinely caring. But she also held standards. She expected excellence because our patients deserved nothing less. That combination of warmth and accountability created teams that functioned at the highest level. Additionally, Cheryl welcomed me with open arms as the new CNO a little more than three years ago. She recognized that I would be different and maybe a little culture shock for MHTW but also took the time to develop a trusting relationship with me that grew over time allowing her to have full confidence in my leadership. She has been a tremendous resource to me over the last three years, and I am eternally grateful for her mentorship and friendship.
Meeting the Standard of Excellence
When we look at the criteria for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, Cheryl Shay doesn't just meet these standards—she defines them:
Distinguished career in clinical practice and administration? Forty-two years spanning LVN to Director, promoting the positive image of professional nursing at every step.
Professional development of self and others? From earning her MSN and NE-BC certification to her decades of mentoring emerging leaders, Cheryl made professional development a cornerstone of her practice.
Role model and advocate for nursing? Her leadership style—leading by example, never asking others to do what she wouldn't do herself—set the standard for nursing leadership.
Advocate for patient care and the patient experience? Every decision, every meeting, every conversation came back to one question: What's best for the patient?
Recognized as a transformational nursing leader? The leaders she developed, the teams she built, and the culture she created stand as testimony to her transformational impact.
Twenty-five or more years of service? Cheryl dedicated forty-two years to this profession—nearly double the minimum requirement.
Thank you for your service, your leadership, and your unwavering commitment to excellence.
Cheryl began her nursing journey in 1982 as a Licensed Vocational Nurse. From the start, she demonstrated what would become the defining characteristic of her career: an unwavering commitment to growth and excellence. She advanced to become a Registered Nurse, gained experience in pediatrics and school nursing, and in 2005, she stepped into nursing leadership as a director. In 2009, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center was fortunate to welcome Cheryl to our team. For the next fifteen years, she served as Director of Nursing Support Services, leading with a combination of warmth, accountability, and an unwavering focus on what matters most: our patients. When Cheryl retired in October 2024, she didn't just leave behind a job. She left behind a legacy.
A Leader Who Embraced Change
Cheryl understood something many leaders struggle with: healthcare changes constantly, and resistance gets us nowhere. Instead of fighting change, she embraced it and brought her teams along with her. When we transitioned the Phlebotomy team to nursing leadership, Cheryl made it work. She supported Dieticians, Transporters, the Float Pool, and the Observation Unit with the same dedication and vision. These weren't just organizational chart moves to her. They were opportunities to improve patient care, and she made sure everyone understood that purpose. What set Cheryl apart was how she led. She never asked her team to do anything she wouldn't do herself. Accountability wasn't something she imposed on others—it was something she modeled every single day. When challenges arose, Cheryl didn't react. She stayed calm, thought things through, and responded with intention. Her team always knew where they stood because Cheryl led with honesty and integrity.
An Unwavering Focus on Patients
Here's what made Cheryl truly exceptional: in every meeting, every decision, every difficult conversation, she brought us back to one question: What's best for the patient?
That wasn't just something she said. It was how she thought. Patient-centered care wasn't a policy to Cheryl. It was the foundation of everything we did.
A Developer of Leaders
Cheryl understood that you can't take care of patients if you don't take care of the people providing that care. She supported her staff, advocated for them, and created an environment where they could do their best work. Many nurses and leaders in our organization today got their start because Cheryl saw something in them and took the time to mentor them. She had a gift for recognizing potential and helping people grow into roles they didn't even know they were ready for. Those who worked with Cheryl will tell you she was approachable, friendly, and genuinely caring. But she also held standards. She expected excellence because our patients deserved nothing less. That combination of warmth and accountability created teams that functioned at the highest level. Additionally, Cheryl welcomed me with open arms as the new CNO a little more than three years ago. She recognized that I would be different and maybe a little culture shock for MHTW but also took the time to develop a trusting relationship with me that grew over time allowing her to have full confidence in my leadership. She has been a tremendous resource to me over the last three years, and I am eternally grateful for her mentorship and friendship.
Meeting the Standard of Excellence
When we look at the criteria for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, Cheryl Shay doesn't just meet these standards—she defines them:
Distinguished career in clinical practice and administration? Forty-two years spanning LVN to Director, promoting the positive image of professional nursing at every step.
Professional development of self and others? From earning her MSN and NE-BC certification to her decades of mentoring emerging leaders, Cheryl made professional development a cornerstone of her practice.
Role model and advocate for nursing? Her leadership style—leading by example, never asking others to do what she wouldn't do herself—set the standard for nursing leadership.
Advocate for patient care and the patient experience? Every decision, every meeting, every conversation came back to one question: What's best for the patient?
Recognized as a transformational nursing leader? The leaders she developed, the teams she built, and the culture she created stand as testimony to her transformational impact.
Twenty-five or more years of service? Cheryl dedicated forty-two years to this profession—nearly double the minimum requirement.
Thank you for your service, your leadership, and your unwavering commitment to excellence.