Spotlight on Andrew Wise, Chief People Officer

This past April, Andrew Wise became VNS Health’s Chief People Officer, following more than 26 years with the organization. Recently, Frontline spoke with Andrew about his career journey, his vision for supporting VNS Health team members, and what he’d like his colleagues—us—to know about him.

You’ve been with VNS Health for more than 26 years. What brought you here, and how has your career evolved?

I came to VNS Health somewhat by happenstance. I was working in HR at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and my director of recruitment took a job here and brought me along. I started out recruiting rehabilitation therapists and eventually became a recruitment manager. Once I got here, I realized what an incredible impact VNS Health has on New York City and the community, which is something that has continued to inspire me.

In time, I became interested in other areas of HR. I transitioned to our Organizational Development team in 2008, and since then I’ve worked in a number of areas, including Learning and Development, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Talent Management, and Employee Engagement. It’s been quite a journey!

Having spent so much of your career here, what perspective do you bring to your new role?

One thing I’ve learned is that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Our workforce is incredibly diverse, and different groups have different needs and perspectives. Having been part of the organization for so long helps me think through how we engage people and help them adapt as we move forward.

What are some of your priorities as Chief People Officer?

We’ve developed a People Strategy that aligns closely with the organization’s Path to 2030 Strategic Plan. One component I’m excited about is workforce planning—being more proactive about anticipating the talent and skills we’ll need in six months, a year, or even several years from now, rather than simply responding to immediate needs.

Other areas we’re focused on include talent management and learning and development. For example, we recently launched the VNS Health Academy, which brings together learning resources from across the organization in one place. Team members can use it to develop skills for their current roles or explore areas that might help them pursue future opportunities. And of course, we’re continuing to focus on employee well-being, compensation and benefits, while balancing those priorities with the organization’s long-term financial sustainability.

Focusing for a moment on our home health aide team members, how are you working to support that part of our workforce?

We’ve brought together a cross-organizational workgroup focused specifically on our home health aide team members. One area we’re looking at is the onboarding experience, particularly the first 90 days. We want to give supervisors better tools to engage with new aides and help them feel supported from the beginning.

We’re also working on ways to help aides take full advantage of scheduling tools like Caribou, so we can better understand when and where they want to work and connect them with available cases. And we’re focused on making sure HHAs are clear on their career options, whether that’s developing advanced caregiving skills or moving into other roles within VNS Health, including non-clinical roles.

What would you most like VNS Health team members to know about you?

When I speak at employee events, I always try to emphasize that I’m your Chief People Officer. That’s an important distinction to me. My role is really about our team members and their experience here. It’s about listening to team members, understanding their needs, and working with our leaders to make VNS Health a place where everyone feels engaged, supported and able to do their best work.

Looking back over your career, what are you especially proud of?

I’m very proud of the entire HR team and the work they’re doing today. Our organization is going through a lot of transformation, and that isn’t always easy. But the team has remained focused on supporting our team members and becoming even stronger partners to the different business lines.

I’m also proud of the Organizational Effectiveness, Learning and Development team that I helped build over the years. I think the programs they’ve developed have made a real difference in people’s careers.

And I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built across VNS Health. Those relationships go both ways, of course, and they say a lot about the people who work here. They’re a big part of why I’ve stayed for 26 years.

You’re a classical musician as well, correct?

Yes, I’m a classical violinist, and I’ve also led orchestras. There’s a true connection between conducting an orchestra—getting everyone to play together, creating the sound you’re looking for, and moving in the same direction—and leading a team or an organization.

Being a musician also teaches you how to manage competing priorities. As a working musician, you might have a symphony, a concerto and an overture to learn in a week, with just one rehearsal before performing them all. You have to look at the music, figure out which passages will be most challenging, and focus your energy there, while keeping the whole performance in mind. I think that’s helped me tremendously in my work. There are always many initiatives underway, and you have to know where to focus your attention while keeping sight of the bigger picture.

Last question. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

Music is still a big part of my life, and I have very eclectic tastes. I love classical music, jazz and pop. I’m a big fan of the French composer Francis Poulenc, but I also love the Great American Songbook and enjoy going to Birdland to hear jazz. And I listen to everything from Jessie Ware to Stacey Kent. I’ve even played bluegrass gigs on the Lower East Side, improvising with a band around the time Lady Gaga was performing in that neighborhood. I didn’t play with Lady Gaga, but she was around!

I’m also fascinated by languages and different cultures. I speak French and Russian, in addition to English, and can get by in German. I love words and the way languages work. I suppose that’s something that connects my personal interests and my professional life: I enjoy learning, understanding how things work, and bringing different perspectives together.