Members of the Livonia community will see a familiar face in this week’s Crain’s Detroit Business, Angela Hospice President & CEO, Marti Coplai, who was named one of this year’s Notable Women in Non-Profits.
“It’s truly an honor to be on this list with so many other amazing women who also work in non-profits,” Coplai said. “I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition, and would be remiss to not also mention how grateful I am to work with such an incredible team of staff and volunteers, and those who support us every day at Angela Hospice.”
Coplai has been leading the team at Angela Hospice since 2019, and was the Executive Director from 2015-2019 before becoming their President and CEO. After only a year in the new position the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and she demonstrated great strength and grace during such a tumultuous time, making sure patients, their loved ones, and staff felt safe and cared for. Her career in hospice and senior living spans decades, with Coplai’s specialty being end-of-life care, dementia care, and leading culture transformation.
Like many others who work at Angela Hospice, Coplai felt called to the field, leaving a successful career in marketing to work in hospice and end-of-life care after watching her mother-in-law be cared for by Angela Hospice, a moment that awakened a calling to work with and support others going through the end-of-life.
“It was during that time period when we were dealing with her dying – and also trying to come together as a family to care for her at home – that I realized that I had a skill or a gift or just an ability to deal with what was happening, and to be able to support her and the rest of the family in a way that I hadn’t realized that I had that in me until I had that experience,” Coplai said.
Those who’ve worked with Coplai at Angela Hospice can confirm this is indeed where she was meant to be.
“Marti is the kind of President & CEO where you can see and hear her passion about Angela Hospice – and making sure we’re one of the best hospices in the area – within seconds of meeting her, how invested her heart and soul are,” said Jennifer Dale, Angela Hospice Directory of Community Outreach and Philanthropy. “She’s done so much in her time, and I’m excited to see what innovative ways she will continue to move Angela Hospice forward.”
Since becoming President & CEO Coplai has embarked on a very intentional DE&I initiative at Angela Hospice, making sure everyone feels welcome, whether they be staff, patients, or their loved ones. The journey has just begun but Coplai is working to change the way Angela Hospice thinks, operates, and supports team members and the communities they serve. Coplai also played a key role in rolling out Angela Hospice’s telehospice program, Angela’s Virtual Assist (AVA), that has provided patients and their families immediate video connection with Angela Hospice nurses and staff. This became critical at the height of the pandemic and is still utilized today.
Crain’s Detroit BUsiness Article
