Beth Falder, AVP of Data and Analytics at Nuvance Health, speaks with Michael Hejtmanek, VP of Corporate Solutions and consulting at Neudata, in a video interview about expanding data use and sharing, the impact of M&A on data strategy, the future of data leadership, and the need for a product mindset.

Expanding data use and sharing while prioritizing privacy

Nuvance Health is exploring broader data integration to support strategic decisions and community health, but only under strict privacy safeguards, says Falder.

“We control it very tightly,” she states. “We are very sensitive to our patients’ privacy concerns, and we certainly would never want to do anything that compromises that.”

Any external data sharing, she notes, “goes through a very strong vetting process with our legal team, our compliance team, our IT security teams,” and is limited to partners who meet “those high standards.”

Internally, Nuvance is working to pull in more data for planning and population health. “If there was a flu outbreak, we want to see what’s going on in the broader communities so that we can pivot quickly,” she explains.

Falder adds that understanding barriers like food insecurities or transportation problems can help providers better support patients.

How M&A shapes data strategy

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are more than just structural changes — they are deep, data-driven transitions that require seamless integration across systems. Nonprofit health systems Northwell Health and Nuvance Health announced their merger earlier this month to form a new integrated regional health system.

Falder, drawing from her experience, underscores just how central data strategy is during M&A events. “We’ve already been through it once when we created Nuvance,” she recalls. “And COVID taught us a lot about the importance of bringing two organizations together — not just culturally, but in terms of data and the solutions you provide.”

For Falder, the ability to unify disparate systems hinges on cloud technology and interoperability frameworks like FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources). She explains:

• Interoperability is key: “One of the biggest benefits of being in the cloud and having that interoperability standard of FHIR is that it doesn’t matter what the other organization’s underlying data is.”
• FHIR as an equalizer: “FHIR is FHIR, it’s translatable across the nation. That’s what makes it easier to merge those elements together.”

In other words, the architecture and standards in place can make or break how efficiently new incoming data is brought into the fold.

Evolving the role of data teams — From cost to value

Speaking of defining a data leader’s role, Falder acknowledges the complexity and evolving nature of the job. Organizations have different takes on what a data leader should be. Some see it as a cost center, others as a value creator. Some can even pin P&L responsibilities.

That ambiguity, Falder says, is slowly being replaced by clarity.

• The perception is shifting: “I think it’s evolving. It used to be a cost center. It wasn’t thought of as value creation.”
• Value-driven analytics: “But we empower so much analytics that do drive value. We’re looking at how to attribute some of that value and bring it back to the organization to justify what we do.”
• Making the case in dollars and cents: “It’s not that we’re not valued. But putting it into dollars and cents really brings it home for a lot of folks.”

By tying data initiatives directly to measurable outcomes, Falder aims to ensure that the function isn’t just respected but understood, defended, and invested in.

Future of data leadership

Reflecting on what defines great data leadership today, Falder emphasizes two essential qualities: resilience and a relentless hunger for learning. Speaking from experience and echoing conversations with data leaders across industries, she notes that while technical challenges persist, the human and organizational dynamics often present the bigger hurdle.

“It was fascinating talking with leaders across industries and hearing the same pressure points that we’re all facing,” Falder shares. “We as data leaders talk about data in a very specific way, but our organizational partners don’t necessarily understand the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to produce that really beautiful dashboard that we did as the output.”

For her, resilience means more than weathering operational challenges. It is about redefining the role of the data function.

• From builders to advisors: Falder stresses the importance of shifting from being “data producers” to becoming trusted advisors and strategic partners to the business.
• Continuous learning: “We are no longer in a static environment,” she says. “We have to drive innovation. We have to learn new things, on an hourly basis these days, and stay on top of as much as we can so that we can guide the organization to the right place as we navigate this new landscape.”

Looking ahead — A product mindset and positive framing

Falder further shares her perspective on where data is headed over the next five to ten years — and how organizations must evolve to keep up. With AI initiatives accelerating across the board, companies are waking up to the reality that their data isn’t quite ready to support these ambitions.

“Everyone wants to springboard to AI, and then you have the horrible realization that your data was nowhere near ready for AI,” she points out.

Still, Falder sees this growing recognition as a potential turning point, if approached with the right mindset:

• Think in products, not projects: “Talking differently about our data, really talking about products and product management, makes it more relatable to business stakeholders,” she explains. “They understand products.”
• Stay focused on the customer: Success lies in staying focused on customer value and aligning efforts with what internal and external users truly need.
• Ditch the doom talk: Falder urges data leaders to move away from the traditional narratives that focus on deficits like poor data literacy or “garbage in, garbage out.”

“I think we need to pivot those conversations more towards value creation and empowerment of employees,” she adds. “Be positive and partner rather than negative and overwhelmed.”

CDO Magazine appreciates Beth Falder for sharing her insights with our global community.