Profile: Heather Kelley

Meet Heather Kelley. Chief Information Officer of the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging.

Name: Heather Kelley

Job: Chief Information Office and HIPAA Security Officer, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging

City: Cleveland

Hometown: Uniontown

Q: What do you do at WRAAA?
WRAAA is a healthcare management nonprofit agency that provides choices for people to live independently in the place they want to call home.

Q: What’s a problem that you are working to solve? 
We are working to get more technology into the homes of our aging community. With the current pace of changing technology, we have the ability to work with families to help them find ways to stay in touch with their loved ones and make sure they are doing well. This also helps with loneliness which is one of the major health issues with older adults today.   

Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that has helped shaped your work? 
Love what you do not because you know how to do it, but because you know why you do it. That’s what makes it not so much like work! 

Q: What’s a trend in technology or innovation that you believe doesn’t get enough attention? 
Virtual reality  - there is so much it can be used for other than video gaming and I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of VR. There are new ways of using media with VR – with versions like augmented reality (like when you move your phone with the 360 view), using it in training and being able to put on a headset and use controllers in first person. Super cool stuff! 

Q: What’s one moonshot idea that could help make Ohio a world leader in technology and innovation? 
How about better roads!  We all hate construction. There has to be a way to fix roads to make them last longer. We are always battling orange barrels and if could wave a wand to change something, it would be the roads. I spend 2 hours a day in my car on the highways. I’ve thought many times – there has to be a technology to fix these awful roads.  

One day I thought – let’s put technology on cars that could report back to local government or agencies road conditions simply by driving on them!  Hit a pot hole – it gets mapped out to be fixed. Roads icy – it gets alerted that road conditions could be worsening. I’d be the first on board for that! 

Q: What’s a recent book, podcast or news story that you found interesting? 
Honestly I am a huge crime junkie!  I listen religiously to a podcast about Crime. I find it interesting how investigations have changed over the years and the techniques and technology used today that wasn’t available years ago. So many crimes can now be solved and give closure to families. Podcast is called Crime Junkies! 

Q: What's your favorite place in Ohio? 
I’m very drawn to the peacefulness of Amish Country. I love to go shopping in the simple shops, and the wineries are even wonderful! Sometimes it’s so important to disconnect and find the simple things in life again and realize that a slower pace is just as intentional as a fast paced life! 

Q: What makes Ohio special to you?  
I was born and raised here! I have always lived within a few miles of the home I grew up in. We have so many great things to do in Ohio with Cedar point, the islands and great cities like Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati with all their own unique offerings.   

Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.