CopperSands Management Team
Mary Leach, RN, President
Mary is responsible for conducting the overall orchestration of services and providing Financial/Operation Management. Her experience includes management of skilled, subacute, assisted living, independent and campus of care. Prior to CopperSands, Inc., Mrs. Leach was Divisional Vice President for a major corporation and responsible for the management of 43 facilities located nationwide. In her capacity as Vice President, she developed aggressive Medicare programs, initiated contractual agreements with managed care companies, and pursued the development of specialty services, such as subacute care. In addition, she has a successful history as a Director of Nursing, Administrator and Regional Director in long term and subacute care.
Ronald Leach, Sr. Vice President
Ron is responsible for company development of facilities and diversified services for seniors. He provides experience and knowledge in construction costs and regulatory requirements on independent, assisted living, and skilled facilities. In addition, he has experience and knowledge in facility plant, renovations and environmental services. His successful career includes Ownership of Businesses, Assistant Administrator, Operations Manager and multi-facility consulting and training and contract purchasing. He has been Regional Manager of Facility Renovations and Construction for a large Health Care company.
Cindy Leach, RN, Vice President of Operations
Cindy is responsible for facility finance and operations in Arizona. She has a special expertise in Medicare systems, Regulatory compliance, and MDA documentation and reimbursement. Prior to joining CopperSands, Inc. Management, she was successful as a multi-facility quality manager and responsible for training, pre-surveys, quality assurance, and assistance in developing subacute programs and Medicare monitoring for 20 facilities in several states. She has a highly successful track record as a Director of Clinical Services in skilled, assisted living and subacute care and is a recipient of the national “Quality of Care in Long Term Care” award through the American College of Health Care Administrators. In addition, Cindy is a Licensed Administrator with experience in skilled care.
Michelle Hill, BS, Director of Information Systems
Michelle, as the Director of Information Systems, is building a responsive IT organization that consistently delivers results by aligning technology initiatives with business goals, providing substantial improvement of service delivery, standardization, and business systems performance. She has over 10 years of diverse IT experience working for several large international corporations. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Regis University in Denver, Colorado and maintains active membership in the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
Patty Freeman, Director of Acquisitions
Patty is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of Human Resources, support staff functions, and directs the financing process for the acquisition and refinancing of new construction and existing communities. She has over 30 years of experience managing the lending and closing procedures of real estate transactions with specific knowledge and expertise in VA, conventional and HUD financed properties. Prior to CopperSands, Inc. Mrs. Freeman was Vice President of a large escrow and title company where she successfully managed the day to day operations, legal claims, loss mitigation, internal auditing, and worked closely with the Department of Financial Institutions and the Attorney General’s Office. She has been recognized nationally for her expertise and dedication and is a past Board Member of the Arizona State Escrow Association.
Vern Johnson, Director of Marketing
Vern has been actively involved in the healthcare industry for over 25 years, beginning his career as a nursing home social worker. Currently, Vern is a partner in several projects regionally, including two large local facilities in Mesa, Arizona. He also owns a small assisted living center in Scottsdale, AZ. Vern has been involved in many development and acquisition projects related to health care for 15 years, through his consulting company in which he developed new health care programs and assisted troubled programs. Vern has placed himself in a niche market, focusing in the areas of strategic planning, macro-marketing and marketing positioning. Prior to his consulting days, Vern worked with HCR Manor Care in a consulting role for seven years where he developed and implemented 17 Hospice and Home Care start ups. With these new buildings, Vern implemented a new business model which was designed so that Hospice and Home Health programs met the needs of the skilled nursing facilities. He has also owned several hospice programs around the country, and although he has since moved more into acquisitions and development, Vern stays plugged into the industry.
Ron Baran, Director of Finance
Ron Baran joined the CopperSands team in February of 2011. Ron has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Phoenix in BSBA and a Masters Degree in Organizational Management. He has been a business owner and has spent 10 years in the hospitality industry. In his spare time, Ron enjoys golfing, fishing, watching movies, and spending time with his family. Ron is married with two children and a grandson.
