John A. Wilson

Data Strategist. Advisor. Storyteller.

Data strategy for people-driven organizations.

Consulting

I help senior living operators and data-driven organizations turn scattered systems into strategic clarity — through Terlina Systems, my data consultancy. Additionally, I am an expert in Tableau, Snowflake, and people/workforce analytics.

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Advisory

For leadership teams and individuals who need a thinking partner, a workshop facilitator, or a speaker who bridges the worlds of data, business, and operational strategy.

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About Me

I'm a seasoned executive with nearly 20 years of experience in senior living, healthcare, and hospitality. I founded Terlina Systems to help close the gap between data and business value in the senior care services sector and beyond. Previously, I led Advanced Analytics at Brookdale Senior Living for nearly a decade. I have an MBA from Vanderbilt, a BA from Occidental College, and a range of certificates you can view on my LinkedIn. I live in Nashville, Tennessee. For background, check out my resume here: Download Resume →

Consulting

They say to start your career by building T-shaped skills — depth in one area, breadth across many. Then, as you grow, your talents become Pi-shaped, or even fork-shaped: multiple deep verticals connected by a common foundation. I couldn't agree more.

My consulting work spans three domains: senior living technology, data consulting, and human resources and compensation analytics. The first two operate through Terlina Systems, my data consultancy focused on helping operators turn scattered systems into strategic clarity. The third runs through Wilson Group, a family business with decades of expertise in compensation strategy and workforce analytics.

Senior Living Technology

Senior living operators are sitting on more data than ever — and most of it isn't talking to itself. Census drivers, quality metrics, staffing patterns, NOI — these stories are all there, buried across systems like PointClickCare, Yardi, and a dozen spreadsheets nobody fully trusts.

I help operators connect the dots. Whether that means building a Snowflake data warehouse, designing dashboards that surface what actually matters, or integrating systems that have never spoken to each other — the goal is always the same: fewer gut calls, better decisions, stronger outcomes.

What I work on:

  • Data integration across EHR, ERP, and financial platforms
  • Census and NOI analytics
  • Quality metric tracking and reporting
  • Custom Snowflake and SQL data architecture
Work with me through Terlina Systems →

Data Consulting

Not every data problem is a senior living problem — but most data problems rhyme. Fragmented systems, unreliable reporting, teams drowning in numbers but starving for insight. I've worked across healthcare, hospitality, and HR tech, which means I bring pattern recognition that industry-only consultants often miss.

If your organization needs to build a data foundation, clean up what's already there, or just figure out why the numbers never match — that's the conversation I enjoy most.

With deep roots in senior living, I gravitate toward projects in healthcare, hospitality, and real estate — industries where the margin for bad data is thin and the human stakes are high.

What I work on:

  • Data architecture and warehouse design
  • ETL pipelines and system integration
  • Reporting and analytics strategy
  • Ad hoc SQL and data engineering projects
Work with me through Terlina Systems →

HR & Compensation Data Consulting

Good compensation strategy isn't just about staying competitive — it's about designing systems where data actually drives decisions. At the end of the day, healthcare, hospitality, and real estate are people businesses. When your competitive advantage walks in and out the door every day, workforce analytics isn't a back-office function — it's a strategic one.

Through Wilson Group, I help organizations make sense of their pay data: building custom compensation surveys, running pay equity analyses, and transforming complex workforce datasets into clear, actionable planning tools. My background spans healthcare and hospitality, including leading an HRIS migration for Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's largest senior housing company. I also serve as a data engineering advisor to CompEdge, an HR tech startup reimagining how companies manage compensation.

What I work on:

  • Custom compensation surveys
  • Pay equity analysis
  • HRIS migration and data integration
  • Compensation planning and workforce analytics
Learn more at wilsongroup.com →

Advisory

Some engagements don't fit neatly into a project scope. Sometimes what an organization or individual needs is a thinking partner, a fresh perspective in a room, or a facilitated experience that unlocks something a spreadsheet never could. That's what this section is for.

One-on-One Advisory

For startups and young professionals who want experienced, senior-level guidance without the overhead of a large firm. We work through the strategic and practical questions together — business building, career navigation, organizational clarity — at a pace that fits where you are.

This is a one-on-one or small group engagement, built around your specific situation.

Let's Talk

Innovation Workshop

A facilitated workshop for business teams who want to think differently about how they operate. Built especially for operators in healthcare, hospitality, and real estate — industries where the pace of change often outstrips the pace of adaptation — but applicable to any leadership team ready to move from reactive to dynamic.

What we work through:

  • Where your organization is losing energy and momentum
  • How to build more adaptive, engaging team cultures
  • Practical frameworks for sustaining innovation beyond the workshop
Bring This to Your Team

Storytelling

The best songs and the best companies have the same thing in common — a story worth telling. This workshop uses the songwriter's creative process to help leadership teams find and articulate theirs.

Teams leave with something tangible they created together — and a clearer, shared sense of why they do what they do.

Built for leadership teams, offsite retreats, and culture-building moments.

Bring This to Your Team

Blog

Contact

Whether you're exploring a consulting engagement, an advisory conversation, or just want to connect — I'd love to hear from you.

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Get in Touch

Based in Nashville, TN — serving clients nationwide.

hello@terlina.com