Nextiva hires new CFO

Nextiva (www.nextiva.com), a leading business communications company, announced that Anne Brennan has joined the company’s leadership team as Chief Financial Officer. In her new role, she will be responsible for optimizing the company’s financial performance.

Anne comes to Nextiva from leading artificial intelligence start-up Sentient Technologies, where she served as CFO. Prior to that, Anne worked as CFO at SaaS startup Emotient Technologies, residential solar energy leader Sunrun, and telecom software innovator Unwired Planet/Openwave. She has spent most of her career helping high-growth companies successfully scale in global markets. Anne brings more than 25 years of experience to her new position.

As one of the fastest-growing cloud communications companies in the U.S. with more than 1,000 team members worldwide, Nextiva is a perfect fit for Anne’s experience.

“Nextiva is an outstanding company that’s transforming the way businesses interact with their customers,” said Anne. “I’m very excited to contribute my collective experience in finance and operational excellence to drive company-wide expansion. Nextiva has a unique opportunity for growth, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.”

LevRose Commercial Real Estate welcomes Nate Goldfarb

LevRose Commercial Real Estate, one of the Valley’s leading commercial real estate firms, recently added CBRE veteran Nate Goldfarb as a Senior Vice President to its growing team. Goldfarb will specialize in building sales, and both landlord and tenant representation for office properties in the greater Phoenix area.

With more than 14 years in the industry, Goldfarb spent the majority of his career at CBRE focusing in landlord leasing services. Prior to CBRE, he began his career as a retail broker in 2004 at DeRito Partners, Inc. Now at LevRose, Goldfarb will continue his focus on office properties throughout the Valley.

“I really want to further my relationships and business throughout the Valley,” Goldfarb said. “LevRose has the resources, relationships and reputation to help me attain my goals as a leading commercial real estate professional. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such an established and respected firm.”

Originally from Illinois, Goldfarb moved to the Valley of the Sun after earning his degree in business and communications at the University of Arizona. 

“Bringing Nate onto our team unlocks many more possibilities for us and our clients,” said Jon Rosenberg, designated broker managing partner and co-founder of LevRose. “His knowledge and experience will help us continue to grow while also providing new and innovative services for our clients.”

Stephen Thompson joins SB&H board of directors

Southwest Behavioral & Health Services (SB&H), an innovative leader in behavioral health, today announced that Stephen Thompson has joined the organization’s board of directors.

“Stephen brings a wealth of financial management experience to the board,” said CEO of Southwest Behavioral & Health Services Steven Sheets. “He is a seasoned executive with ‘Big Four’ accounting experience. The unique perspectives and experience he will bring will continue to support our efforts to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities we serve.”

Thompson currently owns a franchise of SYNERGY HomeCare that operates in the Phoenix metro area; SYNERGY is a non-medical home care agency that provides respite, personal care and companionship for the elderly or those recovering from illness, surgery and childbirth and the disabled. His past professional experience includes executive positions with OneWest Bank, Countrywide Bank and Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

Greenberg Traurig’s Andrew Yocopis elected to board

Andrew X. Yocopis of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s Phoenix office has been elected to the Board of Directors of Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona, a non-profit organization dedicated to using the creative arts to help abused and homeless children build resiliency, learn to trust, and heal.

For over 25 years, according to the organization’s website, Free Arts programs have helped more than 110,000 children by providing mentoring, a caring community, and instruction in new skills. The organization works with children who have experienced combinations of homelessness, family trauma, and violence.

Yocopis, an associate in Greenberg Traurig’s Real Estate and Real Estate Finance Practices, focuses his practice on a wide-range of real estate matters. He represents clients in the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and disposition of various commercial properties, including multifamily and mixed-use developments, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial sites, and hotels. Andrew also has experience representing financial institutions, REITs, CMBS trusts, homebuilders, commercial developers, and various non-real estate-related companies in Arizona, Colorado, and other jurisdictions throughout the country.

Noted cardiothoracic surgeon joining the All of Us Research Program

Irving Kron, MD, professor of surgery and senior associate vice president for health sciences at the University of Arizona, has been named the new contact principal investigator (PI) for the All of Us Research Program at the University of Arizona Health Sciences and Banner Health. 

In his new role, Dr. Kron will lead the multiple PI leadership team established by the UA and Banner Health. This includes the ongoing efforts of Principal Investigators Eric M. Reiman, MD, executive director of Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Banner Research and professor of psychiatry, and Andreas Theodorou, MD, chief clinical education officer for Banner University Medical Group and professor of pediatrics, joined by PIs Rachele Peterson, MS, executive director of the All of Us Research Program, and Francisco Moreno, MD, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion at the UA Health Sciences and professor of psychiatry. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) leads the All of Us Research Program. Since 2017, the UA and Banner Health have partnered in this precision medicine effort that aims to accelerate biomedical research and advance the health of future generations. Unlike a single research study focused on a specific disease or population, All of Us will serve as a national research resource to inform thousands of studies, covering a wide variety of health conditions that affect many different people. The All of Us Research Program has made strong progress in its efforts to advance precision medicine, according to a report recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. As of August 2019, more than 193,000 participants have completed the core protocol nationwide.