Announcing Our 2025 VNS Health Award Winners! 

Read Their Stories and See the Full List of Nominees!

Last night, on Monday, October 27, team members from across the organization were recognized and celebrated as the very best of the best in exemplifying VNS Health’s mission and Core Values of Empathy, Integrity and Agility! The event included those who had received awards earlier in the year, as well as presentations to the newly announced winners of the Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award, the ESPRIT Awards, and the VNS Health Outstanding Team Performance Award. To see all the team members who were nominated for these awards, click here.

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners! Click on their names here below to read more about them and their award.

Meet Our 2025 Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award Finalists!

It says a lot about VNS Health that so many team members qualify to be Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award nominees. In fact, 25 team members were nominated this year. It wasn’t easy, but these nominees were narrowed down to ten finalists plus our winner.

Here are the ten 2025 Phyllis Mills Living Legend Award finalists in addition to this year’s winner. Their names appear in alphabetical order.

Nancy Delgado

For 30 years, Nancy Delgado has been a shining light in the lives of her patients and fellow team members. As a highly regarded RN on our Home Care team, Nancy brings not just skill, but genuine love and compassion to everything she does. Patients feel safe and cared for in her presence, and her fellow team members know they can always count on her positive spirit and steady support. As one colleague puts it, “Her love, dedication and passion for her patients are unmatched… She makes everyone around her happy and better all around.” Nancy is more than a long-time part of the VNS Health family—she helps define who we are. Her kindness, mentorship, and unwavering dedication have lifted up so many over the past three decades, and it’s clear to everyone who meets her that Nancy truly lives our mission every single day.

Marilyn Dos Santos

For over 20 years, Marilyn Dos Santos has been a quiet force of comfort and strength within our Hospice team. As a social worker, she meets people at some of the most vulnerable and difficult moments in life—and does so with grace, empathy, and a steady presence that helps make the patient and family feel supported and less anxious. Whether it’s a complex case or a family in crisis, Marilyn brings wisdom, compassion, and a deeply human touch. Her colleagues look to her not just as a mentor, but as someone who always knows just what to say—or simply when to listen. “Marilyn is often given the most difficult cases,” notes a fellow social worker. “Her clinical skills are exemplary, and her calm, her gentle sense of humor, and her ability to get along with anyone has always been inspiring to me. To this day, I will often call her for guidance and support.”

Christine Garcia

Christine Garcia is one of those rare leaders who makes everyone around her feel seen, supported, and empowered. As a supervisor and program manager on our Behavioral Health team, Christine brings a calm confidence and deep authenticity to everything she does. When she meets with new team members, Christine makes sure they feel grounded and ready for the work ahead, because she genuinely cares about their growth and well-being. As one fellow team member notes, “No matter what day it is or what time it is, you can always count on her to answer the phone and provide support—which is especially important for crisis teams.” Another colleague adds, “Christine fosters a working environment that welcomes critical thinking and individuality, allowing everyone’s unique skills to shine. She is truly an expert in her field as a practitioner and as a leader.”

Elsa Lam

Elsa Lam doesn’t just lead—she connects. As Vice President of Regional Patient Care Services, Elsa has helped guide the Home Care team through major changes with compassion, transparency, and a deep respect for the clinicians on the front lines as well as their patients. Among other accomplishments, she was a key player in VNS Health’s adoption of the Homecare Homebase EMR, helping to ensure that this transition was not only smooth but successful through her foresight, patience and steady guidance. Elsa is a trusted voice for our field team members, a steady advocate for patients, and a thoughtful strategist who always keeps the human side of health care front and center. Whether she’s rolling out a major initiative or simply checking in on a team, Elsa shows leadership, integrity, and kindness. In the words of one colleague, “Her work has had a lasting impact on her team, our patients, and the broader community we serve.”

Rosa Marcus

For over four decades, Rosa Marcus has been a legend on the Personal Care team, and for good reason. She’s the kind of leader who makes everyone feel like family—offering help, encouragement, and a warm smile, no matter the circumstance. Rosa’s dedication runs deep, and her quiet acts of generosity and support have touched countless lives over the decades. She’s the first to lend a hand, the colleague people turn to for guidance, and a constant source of strength and grace. Indeed, Rosa’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of Personal Care. (To read more about Rosa, see her write-up in the ESPRIT Awards section.)

Grace McGhee

In her 27 years with VNS Health, Grace McGhee has served in multiple departments, each one benefiting from her deep expertise, collaborative spirit, and commitment to excellence. In her current position as Director of Care Management, MLTC Care Coordination for our Health Plans team, Grace leads with empathy, integrity, and vision—ensuring that every plan member feels supported and valued. Over her years at VNS Health, she has also elevated the quality of care and strengthened our organizational culture by playing a pivotal role in shaping services, policies and practices. To quote from her nominating letter, “Grace’s ability to adapt, innovate, and inspire others has made her a cornerstone of our team and a role model for future generations of VNS Health professionals.”

Laura O’Connor

During her 19 years at VNS Health, Laura O’Connor has made notable and lasting contributions across numerous parts of the organization. In her present role as Clinical Evaluation Manager, MLTC Care Coordination for our Health Plans team, she consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that plan members feel heard, supported, and cared for—handling even the most challenging calls with members in a way that is both respectful and compassionate. Laura also mentors new team members and serves as a calm and steady presence for her entire team, no matter how stressful the circumstances. A colleague writes, “Whether improving our service delivery, supporting the integration of new policies, or enhancing our team practices, Laura brings a thoughtful and solutions-focused approach that has a positive ripple effect throughout our organization.”

Susan Rabinowitz

As a member of VNS Health’s Behavioral Health team for 29 years, Susan Rabinowitz, Associate Vice President of Quality & Data Management, has been a key contributor to the team’s success. Her colleagues note, “With her knowledge of business, data, workflows, and tools—combined with her deep expertise in compliance and audit—Susan has guided our division through decades of change.” Known for her unwavering commitment to clients and her thoughtful mentorship of colleagues, Susan’s achievements include helping to modernize Behavioral Health’s infrastructure, improve data integrity, and enhance care coordination across the organization, A strategic thinker and skilled problem-solver, she has also served as Behavioral Health’s liaison for organization-wide initiatives, working seamlessly with stakeholders across departments to build consensus, foster collaboration, and drive results.

Shannon Whittington

A VNS Health team member for 27 years, Shannon Whittington is the founder and Clinical Director of VNS Health’s Gender Affirmation Program (GAP). In that role, she has built GAP into a nationally recognized model—developing clinical standards and protocols, creating comprehensive interdisciplinary training for nurses, social workers, and rehab therapists, and forging strong partnerships with community organizations and health care providers. In so doing, Shannon has established VNS Health as a preferred provider of post-acute care following gender-affirmation surgery, as well as “a beacon of training and education for nurses eager to provide inclusive care,” in the words of her colleagues. A published author and recipient of the Independent Book Author of the Year Award, Shannon continues to advocate at all levels of government for greater health equity for the transgender community, while also elevating the national profile of GAP through presentations and trainings in various forums.

Ada Wong

For 16 years, Ada Wong has been a cornerstone of the Talent Acquisition group for VNS Health’s Human Resources team. Often the first point of contact for job candidates, she’s played a key role in improving candidate experience and onboarding workflows, as well as enhancing applicant tracking and coordination with hiring managers to reduce processing delays and ensure timely placements and smooth transitions for new hires. She’s also strengthened collaboration among HR and operational teams, and has championed equitable recruitment practices that support a strong and diverse workforce. Ada’s collaborative spirit, attention to detail, and proactive approach to problem-solving make her an invaluable asset to her fellow team members. “Her willingness to assist and her calm, dependable presence has been instrumental in helping me manage my responsibilities more effectively,” notes one fellow team member.