Az Business and AZRE magazines announced the publications’ lists of the Most Influential Women in Arizona of 2022 including, Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD, CEO, Copa Health. In celebration of the 11th anniversary of the Most Influential Women program, azbigmedia.com is profiling one of the Most Influential Women of 2022 each day leading up to the Most Influential Women of 2022 dinner and reception.


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The Most Influential Women for 2022 will be honored at a reception on August 25 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. For sponsorship information, email [email protected]. For information about the event honoring the Most Influential Women, email [email protected] or click here. To buy tickets, click here.

Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD, CEO, Copa Health

BACKGROUND: Shar Najafi-Piper, Ph.D. was appointed as CEO of Copa Health in 2019. She is a licensed psychologist with upwards of 23 years of experience in behavioral health. As a clinical executive over the past 14 years, she has demonstrated notable skills on the business side of the health and human services industry as a strategic and innovative visionary.

SOURCE OF PRIDE: Getting my appointment as CEO of Copa Health. The organization has a long history and solid reputation in the community and I am grateful to lead it into the future.”  

SURPRISING FACT: “English is my second language. I’m from Iran and Farsi is my first language. For fun, my first job at the age of 16 was at Chuck E Cheese (the mascot) and I shared the costume with the state wrestling champion who used the Chuck E suit as a way to drop weight for his upcoming matches (by running miles in the suit in the heat). Needless to say, I earned my tips!”

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: “Madeleine Albright has been an inspiring female figure in my life. She comes from humbling beginnings and became the first female Secretary of State. She advocated for education, hard work, equality and inclusion. She was an example for many young aspiring female leaders. She also was the keynote speaker when I graduated with my doctorate in psychology..”

Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2022

Dr. Suzanne Bentz, Red Mountain Weight Loss

Stephanie A. Bivens, Bivens & Associates

Rachel M. Bond, MD, Dignity Health

Suzanne Boyles, City of Buckeye

Alaina Chabrier, SRP

Margaret Chamberlain, OneAZ Credit Union

Rachel Davis-Schultz, CopperPoint Insurance Companies 

Jennifer Delgado, Burch & Cracchiolo

Brigitte Finley Green, Engelman Berger

Lin Sue Flood, Hospice of the Valley

Christine Gannon, BrightWorks Consulting

Karen Hoffman Tepper, PhD, Terros Health

Dawn Jones, Intel

Lisa Lovallo, Cox Communications

Lyndel Manson, Arizona Board of Regents

Carli Ann McClure, Grant Thornton

Karla Morales, Arizona Technology Council

Emily Nachlas, Western Alliance Bancorporation

Breanna Naegeli, PhD, Grand Canyon University

Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD, Copa Health

Christina Noyes, Gust Rosenfeld

Grace O’Sullivan, Arizona State University

Reena Rastogi, MD, Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Sara Regan, Desert Financial Credit Union

Karen Roch,  Credit Union West

Lisa Rulney, University of Arizona

Melanie Smihula, Edkey Sequoia Schools

Sherry Stotler, Valleywise Health

Lynn Toler, TV judge and host 

Kelli Tonkin, Enterprise Bank & Trust

Telle VanTrojen, Geneva Financial

Ruth Veloria, University of Phoenix

Amy Walters, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Annabel Whiting, PNC

Reine Yazbeck Hamilton, Wells Fargo 

Sandra Zebrowski, MD, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate for 2022

Morgan Betancourt, project director, Okland Construction 

Keri Davies, partner, LevRose Commercial Real Estate

Alicia Hardwick, leasing manager, Prologis

Michelle Heeb, president and CEO, Forward Tilt

Dani Huval, business development director, Chasse Building Team

Bev Jensen, regional operations manager, Colliers

Carrie Kelly, executive director, Arizona Association for Economic Development

Alexandra Loye, executive managing director, Cushman & Wakefield

Stephanie Maderazzo-Hughes, CEO and COO, Canyon State Electric

Nancy McClure, first vice president, CBRE

Kathleen Morgan, managing director, Newmark

Vicki Robinson, senior vice president, JLL

Heather Skinner, vice president of global real estate, JP Morgan Chase

Angela Watson, president and CEO, Shepley Bulfinch