Beyond the Board: Pamela Gubitosi

Pamela Gubitosi’s journey with VNA Health Group began through a chance reconnection with a former colleague. After retiring early from a 35-year career at The New York Times, Pamela ran into Jeanne Shanley, a coworker from the Times who was then a trustee at VNA Health Group, while shopping at Sickles Market in Little Silver. “I was looking for ways to fill my days,” Pamela recalled, “and Jeanne said, ‘I think I’m going to recommend you for the Foundation Board.’” 

Soon after, Pamela met with then-Foundation Board Chair Mindy Minerva and a member of the Philanthropy Team over lunch, and by November 2014, she was officially on the board. Her first big assignment? Chairing a committee for the Stately Homes By-the-Sea Designer Show House, which at the time was the organization’s signature fundraising event. The experience introduced her to VNA Health Group’s philanthropic work and helped her form lifelong friendships with fellow volunteers.

Since joining, Pamela has taken on multiple leadership roles, serving on the Finance Committee and vice chairing the Philanthropy Advisory Board—a role that also places her on the VNA Health Group Board. “Being part of the advisory board has been wonderful,” she said. “I’ve made amazing friends, and I’ve gotten to see firsthand how the organization impacts people’s lives.”

For Pamela, the work is deeply personal. She had long admired nurses, but her appreciation for VNA Health Group’s services deepened when her parents received hospice care at the end of their lives. “Hospice nurses are a special breed,” she reflected. “You see them make people comfortable, they see sadness every day, and they do it with such compassion. I revere them.”

Her board experience has also been a window into VNA Health Group’s lesser-known services. “Before joining, I thought I knew what hospice was,” she said, “but the VNA does so much more. From home health care to community programs through the Children & Family Health Institute, I’ve learned there’s a whole world of services many people don’t know about.” Tours of offices in Red Bank, Freehold, and Asbury opened her eyes to services like dental care, WIC, and early intervention programs. “These presentations help us understand what’s happening in the community so we can communicate it to our friends and support it at events. It’s amazing to see the breadth of impact.”

Pamela’s approach to board work blends her professional expertise with her appreciation for diverse perspectives. “At the Times, I worked in the newsroom as a finance professional, surrounded by journalists with very different brains than mine. I loved that experience,” she said. “At VNA Health Group, the board is similarly diverse, and it has taught me so much about collaboration and learning from others.” Her focus on philanthropy has also been personally rewarding. “There’s a discipline to it, and it’s been a wonderful learning experience,” she said.
Looking back, Pamela believes her journey illustrates how anyone can contribute to VNA Health Group’s mission. “You don’t need a healthcare background to make an impact,” she said. “If you have a passion for helping others and a willingness to learn, there’s room for you to get involved, and it’s an amazing feeling.”