Susan Sheridan became involved in patient safety after her family experienced two serious medical system failures. Her husband, Pat, died in 2003 after his diagnosis of spinal cancer failed to be communicated. Their son, Cal, suffered severe brain damage called kernicterus five days after his birth in 1995 when his neonatal jaundice was untreated.
Ms. Sheridan is co-founder and past president of Parents of Infants and Children with Kernicterus, which works in partnership with private and public health gencies to eradicate kernicterus.
In 2003, Ms. Sheridan co-founded Consumers Advancing Patient Safety, a non-profit organization that seeks a safe, compassionate and just health care system through proactive partnership between consumers and providers of care. She speaks frequently on patient safety and legal reform at national and international events, and edits a regular column on consumer issues in the journal Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare.
In 2004, Ms. Sheridan was asked to lead the World Health Organization's Patients for Patient Safety initiative, one of six action areas of WHO's World Alliance for Patient Safety.
Mrs. Sheridan has a professional background in international banking and served in Ecuador with her late husband as Peace Corps volunteers.