City of Hope has appointed Virginia A. Opipare executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO).
In this capacity, she oversees the operational activities within City of Hope’s National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute, including patient care and support programs, human resources, safety, facilities, construction, information technology, finance, annual and capital budgets, quality and the implementation of the institution’s research and clinical strategic plans. She joins City of Hope from Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., where she served as executive vice president and COO.
"Virginia Opipare brings a wealth of operational vision and practical expertise that is ideally suited to fulfilling City of Hope’s mission of performing outstanding research and providing exceptional patient care," said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., president and chief executive officer, City of Hope. "Her proven experience and leadership make her a strong addition to the institution at this very important moment."
"City of Hope is well regarded by patients and peers for scientific excellence and outstanding care," Opipare said. "I'm delighted to become a part of this dynamic academic institution and am looking forward to contributing to City of Hope’s programmatic advancement."
Opipare has worked in health care research and education for more than 22 years. Prior to her time at Roswell Park, she was COO at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, and held leadership positions at other medical institutions, including Allegheny General Hospital and Divine Providence Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Among Opipare's accomplishments at Roswell Park was the design and launch of a new system to monitor both the clinical and financial progress of the organization. She also built strong partnerships with doctors, integrated and aligned key stakeholders to further the institutional mission, promoted excellence and created an accountable environment to measure success. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology from the University of Dayton and her master’s degree from the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh.
