Naftali Zanziper Prioritizes Practical Skills and Lifelong Learning
Naftali Zanziper has built a career shaped not only by leadership and service but by an enduring emphasis on learning through action. While his responsibilities range from executive decision-making to emergency medical care, he attributes much of his success to a mindset that values acquiring practical skills and expanding knowledge beyond natural strengths. This philosophy informs both his personal development and the guidance he offers to his children, employees, and peers.
Throughout his early career, Naftali Zanziper leaned heavily into his strengths—strong interpersonal abilities, confidence in communication, and a comfort with leadership roles. Yet over time, he recognized that relying solely on what came naturally limited his professional growth. One clear example was his early avoidance of software tools like Excel. Though he thrived in sales and management, he acknowledges that stronger proficiency in data management could have broadened his opportunities. Today, he views that gap as a formative experience and encourages younger professionals to engage with what challenges them, not just what feels easy.
This belief in skill-building is more than theoretical. At age 41, Naftali Zanziper enrolled in a year-long program to become a certified paramedic—despite already having 16 years of volunteer EMT experience. The decision required significant time, energy, and humility, yet it reinforced his core conviction that learning does not stop with career success. The certification expanded his role in community service and deepened his ability to provide high-level care during emergencies, further intertwining his medical responsibilities with his leadership style.
Education, for Naftali Zanziper, is also a principle he instills in others. At work, he encourages administrators and team members to learn about areas outside their job descriptions. In the nursing home environment, this might include understanding how insurance reimbursement works, how to fight billing denials, or how to measure facility performance against regulatory standards. He believes that broader knowledge enables better decision-making and creates more resilient organizations.
In his home life, these lessons carry through. He urges his children to master foundational skills early, seeing them as tools they’ll carry throughout their lives. Whether it’s encouraging a high school course in Excel or supporting them in unfamiliar pursuits, he advocates for a mindset of openness and curiosity. This approach mirrors the structure of his own day: early mornings begin with synagogue study, followed by involvement in his children’s morning routines, a full workday, and evening time dedicated to bonding, reflection, and shared learning.
Naftali Zanziper also values the importance of modeling what he teaches. He doesn’t ask others to do what he isn’t willing to do himself. That’s why physical activity, mental discipline, and self-awareness are all integrated into his lifestyle. When faced with difficult tasks or mental fatigue, he relies on either doubling down with focus or stepping back to reset through exercise—typically a run or a game of hockey, a sport he took up recently to connect with his son and stay active.
This personal growth philosophy extends to his emerging nonprofit initiative, Beacon of Life. Still under development, the organization is designed to support families facing mental illness through case management. Its mission is not to offer clinical services but to guide families through the maze of psychiatric care, drawing on Naftali Zanziper’s belief that structured support can dramatically improve outcomes for patients and caregivers alike.
Underlying all of this is a simple principle: trust your judgment, even when it leads you into uncomfortable territory. Naftali Zanziper does not shy away from challenges. Instead, he uses them to expand his capacity and inform his leadership. His belief that education is not confined to youth or classrooms has shaped his life’s direction and continues to influence how he operates in every sphere—personal, professional, and communal.
