Faces of Careforth: Mike Staron

For September’s edition of Faces of Careforth, we spoke with Director of Digital Solutions Mike Staron. Mike has been with Careforth for 8 years, growing with our Digital and Technology team. Read on to learn about Mike’s work, how he supports family caregivers, and what inspires him each day.

What is your role and how long have you worked at Careforth?

I joined Careforth in 2016 as a software engineer, became manager of the American development resources in 2019, and assumed my current role last year. My title is Director of Digital Solutions. We’re responsible for the development and testing of the Careforth application platform, corporate website, and integrations with the Careforth app.

What inspired you to join our team?

I’ve always been drawn to do interesting work that seeks to improve society. My initial opportunity to join Careforth was pitched to me as an opportunity to build something from the ground up. To be part of a team that was going to start with nothing but an idea and build a useful platform in the Cloud that had the potential to change how people are cared for in our healthcare system. The opportunity to work with an interesting problem, using interesting technologies, with a bunch of really good people drew me in and has kept me here.

How do you support families and caregivers in your role, and why is it important?

The application my team has developed allows our coaches to stay in contact with caregivers constantly. At any time, a caregiver can reach out and know their message has been received and help is on the way. By enabling that communication, caregivers know they are never alone and are never frustrated wondering if their messages were heard.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I really appreciate that every day brings new challenges and that those challenges will be met by a great group of people who are constantly striving to improve. Our goal each day is to make only new mistakes.

How do you contribute to our company’s mission and values?

My goal is to listen to the people around me and help them do their best every day. That leads to the development of a high-quality experience that helps us reach more caregivers and collect better data to make our next iteration even better.

What’s something interesting about your job that people may not know?

Solving technical problems is the easier part. Understanding how many of these problems fit together and how to attack them is far more complicated.

How do you maintain a positive work-life balance in this field?

I greatly appreciate our remote lifestyle. For me, mindfulness and focus are key. I want to bring my best self to each task. Step one is prioritizing those tasks in all the facets of my life and making sure that I am giving each thing the attention it demands and deserves. When that focus is flagging, you have to step away and recharge and know that later and better is a better outcome than now and okay.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in healthcare?

Embrace the challenge and focus on all the good that you have done.

What is one fun fact about you that your colleagues may not know about?

I spent the month of August in 1989 on a student exchange program visiting 7 countries behind the Iron Curtain. The last notable thing I did on that trip was write my name on the Berlin Wall (Western side) with a couple of friends. Less than 3 months later, I was watching that wall being torn down on TV.

What is your favorite quote?

I have two:

“I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.”

“Meddle not in the affairs of wizards for they are subtle and quick to anger; meddle not in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.”

Thank you for joining us for this month’s Faces of Careforth Spotlight. Careforth is a pioneer in the caregiving space, supporting family caregivers across the United States. If you’re inspired by Mike’s story and want to be part of a team that leads with heart, cultivates trust, and goes beyond, visit our Careers page to learn more and explore our opportunities.