Stacy Peercy Zopfi, RD

I’m a Tucson native and first-generation college graduate. I’m a mother of two and wife of a first responder. First responder and military families are near and dear to my heart, as my family and I have walked through some of the challenges that come with dedicating your life to the service of others. 

Over the last decade, I’ve been gathering nutrition and health knowledge to bring my patients reasonable and actionable guidance that will have a lasting impact on their health and the health of their family.   

My philosophy is rooted in the belief that my role is to facilitate, not dictate, skill-building and promote behavior change in accordance with my client’s beliefs and desires for change.  I believe in a patient-centered approach, utilizing the individual’s life experiences and knowledge to promote self-efficacy and encourage motivation. 

My nutrition career started with the University of Arizona Garden Kitchen program, a dynamic program; offering physical activity, gardening, and cooking classes for low-income Tucsonans. It was with this program and team that I learned the foundation of cooking and exploring flavors from cultures across the world. 

After my dietetic internship with Carondelet Hospital Network (now Dignity Health), I joined the Pascua Yaqui Tribe Diabetes Prevention Program. Here I taught a variety of nutrition classes and led community events, such as Desert Foods for Better Blood Sugar along with community leaders. I learned to meet the nutritional needs of all ages, from birth to elders as a part of various programs provided to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.  

From there I went to work for Canyon Ranch and El Rio Community Health as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) supporting behavior change and the medical management of diabetes to improve long-term outcomes for patients.

In the last several years, I became a mother, learned to breastfeed, and became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Breastfeeding can be a wonderful gift to both mom and baby, but it’s not effortless and can take a trained professional to help achieve your goals. I know with both of my children IBCLC’s were a big part of why we were successful.