Meet Our 2019 ESPRIT Winners!
Sunny Babbar, Supervisor, Systems Administration and Support, IT Service Support
November 18, 2019–“I’m a go-to guy for fixing a glitch or showing someone how to use new technology.” Known as much for his ready smile and eagerness to lend a hand as for his technical wizardry, Sunny is a people person who’s long been, as he puts it, “a go-to guy” for IT support at VNSNY’s 220 East 42nd Street office. “There’s no such thing as a predictable day for me,” he notes. “I’m rarely able to complete anything I’ve planned for the day, because new issues and changes seem to arise every few minutes. So that’s kind of the challenge, but it’s also what I love about my job.” One of Sunny’s more recent hurdles has been getting audiovisual meetings going, because there are so many more conference rooms in VNSNY’s 220 office than there were at the organization’s former workspace at 1250 Broadway. Still, he usually manages to work his
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Sarah Brown, Coordinator of Physical Therapy Services, VNSNY Home Care Manhattan Branch 6
November 18, 2019–“Being able to see people improve and meet their goal is the best part of my job.” In her role as coordinator of physical therapy services for VNSNY Home Care’s Branch 6 in Manhattan, Sarah works in the field full-time as a physical therapist and also supervises a physical therapy assistant (PTA). “Being able to see people improve and meet their goal is the best part of my job—whether that’s simply getting out of bed, or being able to leave the house and go to the store,” says Sarah, who joined VNSNY a little over two years ago. “It’s incredible to see how happy they are when they’ve met that goal. Sometimes I’ll have patients call me months or even a year later to thank me for helping them.” A consummate organizer, Sarah’s challenges include dealing with last-minute scheduling changes and patient authorizations that occasionally materialize a day late. She
Arthur Fitting, LGBT Program Manager, Residential and CBO Channel
November 18, 2019–“I’m proud that VNSNY has now gained a seat at the table as an LGBT healthcare partner.” Arthur develops and maintains relationships between LGBT and non-LGBT community organizations, spreading the word about VNSNY and determining the needs and gaps in care for the LGBT community—particularly its elders. “The Stonewall generation is, for the most part, a hidden population,” he explains. “Many have had very bad experiences with healthcare providers in the past, which makes them very fearful of accessing care. They don’t feel safe.” In his role as manager of VNSNY’s LGBT program, Arthur meets frequently with local LGBT advocacy groups and also does outreach with LGBT seniors in the community. “We do our best to think of ways to access touchpoints, from block parties to hospitals and community centers,” he notes. “I’m proud that VNSNY has now gained a seat at the table as an LGBT healthcare partner. On
Sheila Manahan, Care Coordinator, VNSNY CHOICE, MLTC Care Management
November 18, 2019–“I try to make every CHOICE member feel like they’re the only person assigned to me.” As a Care Coordinator with the VNSNY CHOICE Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan, Sheila helps coordinate services for plan members and assists them in navigating the complicated channels of the healthcare system, which can be a particular challenge for the elderly. Whether she’s helping a client obtain a wheelchair, securing the services of a live-in home health aide and a visiting doctor for a homebound 101-year-old, or traveling to Jamaica with a group of doctors and nurses to provide free medical care to residents living in rural communities—as she did earlier this year—Sheila, who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary at VNSNY, provides peace of mind as well as tangible results. “When people call, they’re expecting a big, impersonal organization,” she says. “Even though we do have a lot of members, I try to
Estelle Masiello, Director, Regulatory Affairs and HIPAA Privacy, Compliance
November 18, 2019–“I’m a nurse and a lawyer—so working in the regulatory part of health care is a natural niche for me.” Estelle became a nurse for practical reasons—to put herself through law school—but she loved nursing so much that she had misgivings about leaving it to pursue a career in law. Her current role at VNSNY offers a perfect combination of her two professions. “I work in compliance, which is basically about keeping the ship headed in the right direction: staying on top of the rules and regulations and making sure we’re complying with them, responding to external government audits—that type of thing,” she says. “I never know exactly what my day will bring but I also love it that way, because I’m never bored. I have that crossover—I’m a nurse and a lawyer—so working in the regulatory part of health care is a natural niche for me. I really feel
Cynthia McGill, Licensed Practical Nurse, Hospice Residence
November 18, 2019–“Hospice is so much more than a job. Your heart really has to be in it.” Diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of two, Cynthia spent most of her childhood in the hospital—which is very likely what inspired her to become a nurse. “I know what it’s like when you ring the bell and the nurse doesn’t come, and how much of a difference a caring nurse can make when you’re a patient,” she says. Cynthia has had a richly varied nursing career during her 15 years at VNSNY, but she especially loves her current role as a hospice nurse at the Goodman Brown Residence. “My mother and mother-in-law both passed away on the VNSNY hospice program, so I know firsthand how great it is,” she notes. “There’s a lot of misconception about hospice care because of its association with death, but it’s really about comforting the patients and their
Blanca Muniz, Home Health Aide, Partners in Care
November 18, 2019–“When my patients feel secure around me, it helps me do a better job—which, in turn, makes them feel better.” Blanca’s clients consistently praise her kindness, her gentle approach, and her above-and-beyond, caring nature. One couple she cares for, a physically and emotionally fragile patient coping with ALS and his wife, are both very private people who had long been highly resistant to allowing a home health aide into their home. Now, they call Blanca their “angel” and cannot imagine life without her. Even though the patient is unable to talk, she has found ways to communicate with him and anticipate his needs. To Blanca, who will mark her 15th anniversary at VNSNY next year, it’s all just part of the job. “I’m very caring about my patients, and it’s important to me that they’re very comfortable with me when I enter their home,” she says. “So I always smile,
Debbie Sorace, Manager, Marketing
November 18, 2019–“It’s incredibly rewarding to be involved with projects that communicate the wonderful work that VNSNY does.” Handling a wide range of projects, Debbie plays a key role within the Marketing team. “In my job, I have the privilege to collaborate with the marketing leadership and various VNSNY colleagues on marketing plans to expand awareness of VNSNY’s extensive services and clinical expertise,” she says. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be involved with projects that communicate the wonderful work that VNSNY does, and that position VNSNY as a thought leader within the industry.” Having been in a caregiving role much of her life—her sister has special needs, and more recently her mother was a patient with VNSNY Home Care, then VNSNY Hospice and Palliative Care—Debbie is very much in sync with VNSNY and its values. “For me, what resonates is our organization’s mission,” she says. “I find it rewarding to be able to
Caroline Williams, Psychiatrist, Community Mental Health Services, Assertive Community Treatment Program
November 18, 2019–“It’s about taking the long view, and bettering someone’s circumstances by a few percent with each interaction.” “I was lucky enough to go to divinity school before I went to medical school, and I think the theological foundation provided by that experience grounds me in the work of service, and strengthens my appreciation of the resilience we see in the people we work with,” says Caroline. As a psychiatrist with VNSNY’s Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program, where she’s practiced since 2007, she takes care of 68 individuals dealing with severe and persistent mental illness and also provides supervision and guidance to other ACT teams. Clients are referred to ACT’s clinic-without-walls model through Single Point of Access, a city-run program that refers patients in need of high-intensity mental health services. “The greatest challenges are those individuals who have a history of trauma and are struggling with a combination of homelessness, substance
Alejandro Acosta, Development Operations and Data Associate
November 18, 2019–“I try to make everybody feel like a VIP when they call—whether it’s to make a donation or to make a complaint.” Working in the Development office, Alejandro ensures that the lifeblood of VNSNY’s charitable care and community benefit programs—grants, charitable contributions, and other gifts—are properly acknowledged and allocated to the appropriate areas. Nearly 90% of all donors are former VNSNY patients or their family members, he notes. “These are people who thought so highly of the care they received that they show their appreciation with a donation, and they often take the time to thank a specific caregiver,” he says. “Being able to share that with the caregivers and their managers is a wonderful part of my job.” With prior fundraising experience under his belt, Alejandro believes that forming connections with current or potential donors is an essential part of the process. “It’s important to try to make everybody