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AzHHA leadership transitions within Care Improvement

Care Improvement leadership transitions
After more than four decades of service to the healthcare community, Vicki Buchda, M.S., R.N., NEA-BC, will retire from her role as senior vice president of care improvement at the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) at the end of this year.

Vicki’s career has been defined by her unwavering commitment to advancing health and healthcare in Arizona.

Since joining AzHHA in 2017, she has led statewide collaboratives focused on quality and patient safety, health equity and workforce development. Her leadership has been instrumental in securing funding for, and the creation of, the Arizona Transition to Practice program to support and develop new nurses entering the profession. Vicki is also a champion for improving maternal health in Arizona, having led implementation of the Arizona AIM program. She was instrumental in recruiting and enrolling hospitals during the pandemic, securing ongoing funding and meeting and even exceeding specific program goals known as “safety bundles” to drive down mortality rates in the state, making care safer for moms and babies in our communities.

Vicki also oversaw federal programs for AzHHA, including the Hospital Innovation Improvement Network (HIIN) and the Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC), with meaningful results in lives saved and harms avoided. She has been an incredible fiscal steward of AzHHA’s Care Improvement program by securing funding with Contexture for work with the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry. And she continued the great work of our advance care planning efforts through Thoughtful Life Conversations and serves as the state representative for the national POLST Collaborative Board.

Vicki set a foundation of bringing all partners to the table with the shared purpose of improving the healthcare system for the benefit of the patients we serve. Her ability to inspire teams and drive results has left a lasting impact on the organizations she served and the communities they support. Vicki’s legacy is one of compassion, excellence and visionary leadership as she cultivated a dynamic team within AzHHA’s Care Improvement program.

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Karen Ofafa, EdD, MPH, BSN, R.N., to vice president of care improvement starting Sept. 29, 2025. Karen has been a driving force behind AzHHA’s workforce initiatives, including the development of the Transition to Practice Program, which supports new nurses as they enter the field.

Her academic and professional credentials reflect a deep commitment to providing workforce solutions, supporting healthcare quality and clinical excellence. Karen brings energy, insight and a collaborative spirit to this new role, and we are confident she will continue to build on Vicki’s foundation and lead with distinction. Vicki will remain in a senior advisor capacity through the end of this year.

Please join us in thanking Vicki for her extraordinary contributions and congratulating Karen on this well-deserved promotion.