Veteran Support
Programs connecting transitioning service members with healthcare, employment, and housing resources through the First Nation Group Foundation.
Colonel, USAF (Ret.) · Founder & Owner · First Nation Group
Cheryl Nilsson
Twenty-three years in uniform. Three decades building a federal healthcare enterprise. Congressional testimony. HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion. A career defined by service, discipline, and turning purpose into operation.
23 years active duty
Founder since 1992
Federal healthcare
Cheryl Nilsson spent twenty-three years on active duty as a U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate, retiring as Colonel. In 1992, she founded First Nation Group — a company built at the intersection of disciplined execution and public need.
First Nation Group serves VA, DoD, and other government healthcare customers. The company holds service-disabled-veteran-owned, veteran-owned, women-owned, and HUBZone certifications. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded First Nation Group the HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion — the highest tier — for veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. In 2024, the company secured a Federal Supply Schedule award adding pharmaceutical products to the VA catalog.
In 2018, Cheryl testified before the U.S. House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations on the role of veteran-owned small businesses in serving the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her son, Kennedy Nilsson, now serves as Chief Executive Officer — carrying the enterprise forward with the same operational discipline.
1992Founded First Nation Group
23 yearsUSAF active duty
ColonelRetired rank
2018Congressional testimony
HIRE VetsPlatinum Medallion, 2020
VA & DoDGovernment healthcare customers
Beyond Service
What comes next.
Three decades of building a federal enterprise create perspective on more than procurement. Current areas of focus:
Federal Healthcare
Advisory engagement on procurement, supply chain, and government healthcare operations — informed by 23 years of Air Force JAG procurement law experience.
Community Investment
Direct support for adaptive sports for disabled veterans, veteran housing through Veterans Matter, and the Kendra Smith Scholarship for healthcare careers.