One Tells Stories. One Runs Marathons. One Collects Memories. Meet Our Latest Hidden Talents!

VNS Health has some truly talented team members! 

Do you have a hidden talent that you’d like to share in Frontline, or do you know someone else at VNS Health who does? We’d love to hear about it! Just send us a message by clicking here.

To go directly to a Hidden Talent, click on the names below—or just scroll down.

Michelle Antonucci, Podcast Storyteller

Kathy Holloman, Elite Marathon Runner

Erika Eskowitz, Photo Album Designer

Sharing Her Experiences as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults): Storyteller Michelle Antonucci

Sometimes you have a life story so unique, filled with experiences so important to share, that you get up on a stage and tell it—and in so doing, you discover a hidden talent you didn’t know you had.

Such was the case with Director of HR Shared Services Michelle Antonucci, who last year did just that:  She got up in front of an audience and told her personal story of being a child of deaf adults (CODA).

For as long as Michelle can remember, she’s been her parents’ voice and ears. To help her parents, who were both born deaf, communicate with the world around them, Michelle became their interpreter and advocate from an early age, translating everything from financial documents to doctor’s visits.

“I was their parent as much as they were mine,” Michelle recalls.

After her father passed away in 2001, Michelle was left with a heightened sense of responsibility for her mother. A few years ago, Michelle’s mother suffered a series of strokes that helped bring on dementia. It soon became clear that Michelle’s mother needed specialized care, but finding a nursing home willing to accept a deaf patient proved nearly impossible. In fact, her applications were denied 46 times before a facility finally admitted her.

Last year, Michelle shared her experiences as a CODA on a Story Collider podcast that was recorded before a live audience at the Kraine Theater in lower Manhattan. Appearing on stage without notes, Michelle told her personal story of her unique struggle caring for a deaf parent with dementia.

Through her storytelling, Michelle aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by deaf individuals and their caregivers—but that’s not all. “By telling my story and spreading the word, I also hope to change the way the medical community interacts with the deaf community,” she says.

Her own experience underscores the urgent need for systemic changes, Michelle adds, from increasing access to American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters in health care to establishing more deaf-friendly senior care facilities—changes that will hopefully lead to “a world where communication accessibility is a standard, not a luxury.”

Today, Michelle’s mother is still adjusting to life in the nursing home, and misunderstandings about her condition remain common. Undaunted, Michelle tirelessly advocates for her, reminding the nursing home staff to face her when speaking or to pull down their masks for clear communication.

For Michelle, it’s a labor of love. “My mother taught me that love is an emotion far deeper than words,” she says. “And that’s what keeps me fighting for her every day.”

To hear the Story Collider podcast of Michelle’s appearance at the Kraine Theater, click here.

Going the Distance (All 26.2 Miles): Elite Marathon Runner Kathy Holloman

As Manager of Partnership Development for our Health Plans, Kathy Holloman works with a dynamic team of five account managers across New York State to ensure seamless service for our network providers.

Outside the office, Kathy brings that same energy and commitment to long distance running.

Kathy took up running in 2011, at a pivotal moment in her life. Coping with both the loss of her mother and a divorce, she decided she needed to do something for herself. “I had always been someone who helped others, but this was for me,” she recalls. That decision led her to join Black Girls Run, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging women, particularly women of color, to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle.

Since then, Kathy has transformed her passion for running into an impressive record of achievements. She’s completed 16 full marathons, 76 half-marathons and countless other races, and is a member of the New York Road Runners, the organization behind the New York City Marathon.

“The journey has been incredible,” says Kathy. “From running past Big Ben and Buckingham Palace in London to experiencing the strict, eco-conscious culture in Tokyo, every marathon has left a lasting impression.”

Kathy’s running reached new heights not long ago when she decided to tackle the Abbott World Marathon Majors—a series of six renowned marathons that take place around the world. With encouragement from friends, she set her sights on completing marathons in New York, Chicago, Boston, London, Tokyo and Berlin. In 2024, Kathy reached her goal when she finished the Boston Marathon, her sixth and final race in the series, earning her place among an elite group of runners who have achieved this milestone.

For Kathy, running isn’t about how fast her time is—it’s about the experience itself. Whether taking photos during a race, cheering on her fellow runners, or soaking up the crowd’s support, what’s important to Kathy is creating memories. “We have a saying: ‘Your race, your pace.’ I’ve learned to let go of time pressures and focus on enjoying the journey.”

Balancing marathon training with her responsibilities at VNS Health and her educational pursuits—she’s currently working on her doctorate—requires careful planning and dedication. Kathy works out early in the morning, often starting her runs before dawn. “The hardest part is the training,” she admits. “But the marathon itself is the reward for all those weeks of hard work.”

Kathy is also proud to serve as a guide for Achilles International, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programs and social connections. As a guide, she regularly runs alongside two individuals who are blind.

As Kathy prepares for her next adventure—the Sydney Marathon—she continues to inspire everyone around her to dream big and stay committed. “I love seeing the outcomes of my efforts,” she says, “whether it’s in running, or strengthening provider relationships, or helping my team at VNS Health grow.”

Every Picture Tells a Story: Erika Eskowitz, Photo Album Designer

In an age where digital photos are often stored and just as often forgotten in email threads and cloud drives, the IT team’s Erika Eskowitz, Manager, Provider Data Integrity, is reviving the lost art of creating beautiful photo albums that you hold in your hands and leaf through.

Erika’s journey into photo album design has its origins in her family’s love for photography. Growing up in a household where pictures held a special place, she was especially influenced by her brother, a professional photographer who once had his own photo studio. “Back then, everything was negatives and physical albums,” Erika recalls. “I helped put together photo albums, taking notes and organizing images.”

When her brother decided to get out of the photography business, one of his former clients asked Erika to create a photo album. What began as a favor quickly turned into a hobby—and later, a side business with a name: Albums by Erika. Using her IT background, Erika purchased professional design software and developed a streamlined workflow that allows her to create custom, heirloom-worthy albums depicting weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, vacations, and other milestone events.

“It’s all about understanding each client’s personality,” she explains. “Some people want clean, traditional designs, while others love vibrant layouts with layered backgrounds.”

Erika’s IT expertise has been instrumental in her success as a photo album designer. “My background helps me use professional software effectively and organize every project like a software development process,” she says.

Over the past five years, Erika has designed more than 200 photo albums, each one filled with pictures that tell stories and capture memories. “Every album is a new challenge,” she notes, “and I’ve become more creative with each project. It’s a perfect balance of my IT technical skills and my love for design.”

For Erika, creating photo albums is a true passion—a way for her to preserve meaningful, heartfelt moments of a client’s life in a tangible form. “One woman asked me to create a wedding album for her parents’ 50th anniversary,” she says, recalling a particularly touching project. “They had never had an album, just a collection of black-and-white photos. When they saw the album, the mother cried. Moments like that remind me why I do this.”

To learn more about Erika’s photo albums, follow @albumsbyerika on Instagram.