Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD was appointed to the position of CEO of Copa Health in May of 2019. She is exceptionally qualified to lead the organization into the future while honoring and building upon its excellent history and tradition of health and human services.
Serving both intellectual and developmentally disabled and behavioral health populations, Copa Health provides housing, employment-related services, day treatment services, and integrated clinical care (behavioral and physical health) to individuals requiring complex care. Based in Mesa, AZ, the organization serves a third of the severely mentally ill population in Maricopa County and provides integrated clinical care in northern Arizona and Salt Lake County, UT. Services for intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals are provided within the state of Arizona.
A clinical psychologist, Dr. Najafi-Piper has expertise in fully integrated continuums of care for complex-needs individuals and believes in a whole-person health care model that supports successful outcomes.
In leadership roles since 2008, she has also demonstrated notable talent and skill on the business side of the health and human services industry. This ranges from the implementation of quality assurance functions, peer review, utilization review, as well as service and clinical protocols. In addition, Dr. Najafi-Piper has demonstrated success in the areas of program development, contract development/negotiations, public relations, media development, and business growth through revenue diversification including both traditional and non-traditional sources.
Most recently, Dr. Najafi-Piper led in the creation of the first behavioral health Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in Maricopa County. Consisting of six multi-disciplinary providers, the ACO works collaboratively to reduce gaps in care and provide better outcomes while reducing the overall cost of providing services.
She serves on several boards in the Valley and is a member of an American-based worldwide leadership community of chief executives with more than 34,000 global members in more than 142 countries.
Dr. Najafi-Piper is married with two children. She enjoys exercising, reading a good book, and cooking Persian food.