Shar Najafi-Piper, PhD

Sharareh Najafi-Piper, PhD is the co-founder and CEO of Roya Health, an integrated behavioral health company delivering whole-person care to children, families, and underserved communities across Arizona. A licensed clinical psychologist by training, Dr. Najafi-Piper founded Roya Health out of a conviction that was forged during the pandemic: that children and families in crisis deserved access to high-quality mental and behavioral health care in the places they already trusted, their pediatric and primary care offices, not as a referral afterthought, but as an integrated part of their healthcare experience.

Roya Health, whose name means “dream” in Persian, operates at the intersection of behavioral health, primary care, and community-based support. Its programs serve children, adolescents, pregnant women in recovery, and families navigating substance use, trauma, and serious mental health challenges. Through partnerships with schools, health plans, and healthcare providers, Roya Health brings care directly to underserved communities that have historically lacked access to it.

Dr. Najafi-Piper has been a leader in Arizona’s behavioral health ecosystem since 2008, with expertise spanning integrated care models, Medicaid managed care, contract development, and building organizations that serve complex-needs populations. Her track record includes driving significant revenue growth, partnering with all major health plans, and expanding access to care for populations that traditional healthcare systems routinely underserve.

Her work has been recognized across Arizona’s business and healthcare community: she has been named among Arizona’s Most Influential Women, received the Athena Award, been recognized as one of the Top 10 Leaders in Healthcare, earned the Phoenix Business Journal Corporate Excellence Award, and been named to the ASU 100 Club in both 2024 and 2025.

At Afterburner Capital, Dr. Najafi-Piper’s combination of clinical expertise, regulatory fluency, and proven growth leadership enables sophisticated evaluation of healthcare and human services investment opportunities. Her hands-on experience building integrated care systems from the ground up, navigating complex payor relationships, regulatory environments, and underserved population needs, provides direct operational insight for portfolio companies at every stage.

Learn more about Roya Health at roya.health