Executive Team

Chief Executive Officer

Debbie joined Hospice of the Valley in 1994 and served in various leadership roles, including senior vice president and chief financial officer, before being appointed CEO in 2016. In 2022, she oversaw the opening of the Dementia Care and Education Campus, designed to support caregivers and individuals living with dementia while training a dementia-capable workforce. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting and Finance, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Chief Operating Officer

Rachel oversees all clinical operations. A doctor of nursing practice, Behrendt’s career spans more than 25 years in a variety of roles, including staff nurse, nurse educator, clinical nurse specialist, VP of nursing and chief nursing officer. Her clinical background is primarily oncology and palliative care. She joined Hospice of the Valley in 2016. Behrendt received her doctorate in nursing practice from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey. She received her master of science in nursing, nursing education at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ.

Chief Financial Officer

Mary brings extensive executive experience in finance, operations and organizational leadership to one of the country’s leading nonprofit hospices. Her career spans public accounting, professional sports and senior leadership roles in both nonprofit and corporate settings, including positions as controller, chief accounting officer and chief financial officer. She has been a committed volunteer and advocate for Hospice of the Valley through her long‑standing involvement with Ryan House. She holds a degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California, an MBA from Arizona State University and an active CPA license Arizona.

Chief Information Officer

Bob has led the Information Technology team at Hospice of the Valley since 2016. He brings extensive experience from the healthcare industry, where he has served as vice president and chief information officer. Before joining the nonprofit agency, he held senior leadership roles at companies including Andersen Consulting (Accenture), Ernst & Young and Oracle. He focused on helping Fortune 500 companies improve business processes, embrace new technologies and manage post‑merger transitions. Bob holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Accounting from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Executive Medical Director

Dr. Stolzberg has served as Executive Medical Director at Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona, since 2015. He has been with the agency since 2007, practicing in-home and inpatient hospice and performing palliative consults at a local community hospital. Board-certified in both Palliative and Family Medicine, he owned a private family practice for 20 years before pursuing his hospice practice full time. He previously served as Chief of Staff at Arrowhead Hospital in Glendale, Arizona, where he continues to serve on the Board of Trustees. He is on the faculties of the Dignity Health/St. Joseph’s and HonorHealth Palliative Medicine Fellowships; coordinates the Phoenix Palliative Educational Consortium; and has presented at numerous regional and national conferences. His training consisted of an undergraduate degree from The University of Texas, medical degree from The University of Massachusetts and residency at Phoenix Baptist Hospital.

Medical Director, Supportive Care for Dementia

Dr. Hamilton received board certification in internal medicine, geriatrics and palliative medicine.  She is Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, is Professor of Practice at ASU, oversees HOV’s Supportive Care for Dementia program; and teaches Mindfulness, among other projects. Dr. Hamilton was listed for over 10 years in Phoenix Magazine’s “Best Docs of Phoenix”, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including National Library of Congress’s Local Legend award.

Vice President of Human Resources

Sabrina joined Hospice of the Valley in 1994 to establish the agency’s first human resources department. Since then she has created state-of-the-art programs and systems supporting the agency’s strategic initiatives and goals.

Vice President of Quality and Compliance

Sofia serves as an advisor to executive and clinical leadership, focusing on regulatory compliance, strategic legal transactions and corporate governance. In addition to providing legal counsel, she leads Hospice of the Valley’s Quality and Compliance department. She joined the organization in 2012. Sofia is a graduate of Northwestern University and Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

Director of Community Engagement

Lin Sue oversees marketing, community partnerships, fundraising for charity care and volunteer programs, including music and pet therapy and tributes for military veterans. Before joining the agency in 2015, she spent 31 years as a newscaster for 12News, where she was a nine-time Emmy award-winning reporter. She graduated from Willamette University and received her Master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.