Candidates for APhA Board of Trustees

President-elect

Sean M. Jeffery – Candidate for 2023-2024 President-elect

Biography:

Sean M. Jeffery, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF, is a tireless advocate for recognizing pharmacists as health care providers and for expanding pharmacist practice opportunities. He is director of pharmacy at Integrated Care Partners, Hartford HealthCare's clinically integrated delivery network. Jeffery oversees pharmacy quality measures and provides consultative services for primary care. Additionally, he is leading pharmacy clinical informatics efforts in Connecticut to create a best-possible medication history through the state's health information exchange. Jeffery is a cofunded clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. He was previously a consultant pharmacist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, where he served as a PGY-2 geriatrics residency program director. Jeffery earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut, PharmD from the Ohio State University, and completed a specialty residency in geriatrics at the Durham VA and Duke Center for Aging. His service to APhA includes one term as a trustee on the APhA Policy Committee and 3 years on the finance committee. Outside of APhA, Jeffery was president and chairman of the board of directors for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists from 2012 - 2014 and chair of the 2007–2008 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Geriatrics SIG. He also chaired the Polypharmacy Special Interest Group for the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). He was recognized as a fellow of the AGS, was an Ohio State University Distinguished Alumnus, and received the Elan Biopharmaceuticals Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award. In 2021, Jeffery and his daughter became first-time beekeepers.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

The pandemic shifted my daily work in ways I never imagined. I became immunization certified (thank you APhA) and vaccinated in mass clinics, homeless shelters, FEMA trailers and countless pop-up community sites. I can’t wait until the pandemic is over - it has severely stressed pharmacists everywhere. We need to improve working conditions, returning to normal isn't possible. In our nation's hour of need, Federal & State Governments called upon pharmacists to deliver vaccinations for 100's of millions. We earned new EUAs - test and treat saved lives, and we need to make this permanent! I am fighting to remove regulatory barriers to maximize the use of community pharmacists to achieve health equity in this country. Let’s not put that Genie back in the bottle! I am seeking your vote so I can continue pushing APhA forward. As a Trustee I have pushed the administration to deliver on provider status and expand scopes of practice. I supported the Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court that gave the PBMs their first defeat, yet DIR fees are still hurting our profession. I have helped APhA purposely and with intention address racism and health care disparities in our communities. We need an organization that better represents the diversity within our profession. Having served on the finance committee for three years I ask the tough questions to assure APhA delivers the products and services you need to succeed as we return to a better normal. As President-elect, I would bring to APhA the experience of being a past President and interim CEO for ASCP, being the Director of Pharmacy for a large, clinically integrated delivery network, two decades of experience in academia, starting and managing residency programs, and years of clinical practice within the VA system. I would greatly appreciate your vote, Thank You!

Alex C. Varkey – Candidate for 2023-2024 President-elect

Biography:

Alex C. Varkey, PharmD, MS, FAPhA, has dedicated his career to advancing the pharmacist's role in patient care. His passion for professional service began as a student pharmacist, when he served as national president of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA–ASP). As APhA–ASP president, Varkey initiated several new national patient care programs as part of his campaign to promote professional and public service for pharmacy. Varkey's service and dedication to APhA have continued for almost 2 decades, including his current service as trustee on the APhA Board of Trustees. Varkey is passionate about promoting practitioner well-being as an essential component to a well-functioning health care system. As chair of APhA's Well-Being Steering Committee, Varkey develops awareness of well-being concerns in pharmacy and resources to help individuals and organizations address these concerns. Recognized as a pharmacy thought leader on practitioner well-being, Varkey has been invited to speak at numerous conferences and has authored several publications. Varkey is director of pharmacy at Houston Methodist Hospital. In this 950-bed academic medical center, he has implemented innovative technologies to enhance efficiency and safety in medication-use processes and developed thriving learner programs including an award-winning 2-year Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership residency. Most recently, he has coordinated efforts to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to over 150,000 Houstonians. Varkey received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Houston and Master of Science in Health-System Pharmacy Administration from The Ohio State University. He completed a 2-year Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

Serving our members is a privilege I don’t take lightly. My 20 years of service to APhA are personally and professionally enriching and I want all our members to get the most from their membership also. Through my service in all three APhA academies and over 15 years as a delegate, I appreciate how important it is to have an association that represents all of us. This strength is how we get things done.

I’m a hospital pharmacy director who values and solicits different perspectives to find solutions for the entire team. I'm keenly aware of the challenges we face as a profession every day. Making a difference requires seeing the bigger picture, celebrating successes, learning from failure, and being resourceful. This is how I lead. I will be no different if entrusted to lead APhA.

As APhA-ASP President, we implemented new student programs, more award recognition, grew membership, and served more patients and communities than we had ever before. Serving APhA-APRS, we underwent efforts to further integrate science into practice in greater collaboration with APhA-APPM. Serving APhA-APPM, we implemented structural changes to rollout our ever-growing special interest groups giving more members the chance to be involved. And as Trustee, we built tools focused on you: The Pharmacist Well Being Index, the profession’s first Pharmacists Fundamental Responsibilities and Rights, and the Pharmacy Workplace and Well Being Reporting (PWWR) tool. Your well-being is at the core of APhA’s strategic plan, and we are committed to advocating for the policies and resources you need to provide the best care for ALL patients.

I will ensure the future of APhA continues to mold around what our members need and want. This is YOUR association, and it takes all of us to get things done. It would be an honor to lead those efforts.

Pair One

Scott Tomerlin - Candidate for 2023-2026 Trustee

Biography:

Scott Tomerlin, PharmD, CPh, is a Florida-licensed pharmacist. He is the pharmacy manager for Walgreens Pharmacy in Rockledge, FL. Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Tomerlin is a 2006 graduate of the Mercer University College of Pharmacy in Atlanta. There, he met his future wife, Teresa, during their first semester of pharmacy school. Teresa is a pharmacist for MTT Corp. He and his wife have 3 children: John, Nathan, and Isabella. Tomerlin is a 2006 graduate of Mercer University College of Pharmacy and has had training in the independent and chain community, hospital, ambulatory and nuclear settings. He also had the opportunity to complete a 5-week international rotation in Hiroshima, Japan, at the University of Hiroshima during his fourth year of rotations. Tomerlin has served in numerous leadership roles within the profession of pharmacy, including president of the Florida Pharmacy Association, president of the Brevard County Pharmacy Association, and, most recently, on the APhA Political Action Committee Board of Governors. Tomerlin was the recipient of the Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award by the Florida Pharmacy Association in 2007 and the Mercer University College of Pharmacy Young Alumni of the Year award in 2016. He most recently served on the Mercer University College of Pharmacy Alumni Association Board. Tomerlin is an Eagle Scout and proudly gives back to the community through his involvement in the American Cancer Society and serving as the treasurer of his son's Boy Scout troop.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

Hello, I'm Scott Tomerlin and it would be a privilege to serve on the APhA Board of Trustees. I have been an APhA member since I was a Student Pharmacist at Mercer University, which is where my passion for Pharmacy advocacy began. Upon graduation and later through my experience as Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of the Florida Pharmacy Association, I have had extensive experience in multilateral team building across a state as large as Florida with many different backgrounds of Pharmacy practice, including community, hospital, academic, nuclear and more. I am a strong advocate for independent community pharmacy, as exemplified through my leadership as the President of the Florida Pharmacy Association in fighting PBM threats to locally-owned pharmacies throughout our communities. A threat to Pharmacy, regardless of setting, is a threat to all of us in the Profession. My leadership experience has involved substantial key decision-making with regard to financial and operational directives. I am a strong supporter of our local and state pharmacy associations, as I wholeheartedly feel they are the backbone of effective pharmacy advocacy. Throughout my service to the Profession, I have attended numerous visits to the U.S. Capitol alongside many diverse groups from different pharmacy practice settings, including NCPA and other pharmacy stakeholders. I currently serve on the American Pharmacists Association PAC Board of Governors and the Florida Pharmacists Political Action Committee. I am a front-line every-day

employee Pharmacist who has real-time experience working through the challenging COVID pandemic in the community pharmacy setting and works tirelessly to help protect our communities through my involvement in numerous immunization clinics and thousands of COVID testing that I have helped conduct. Let's work together to build an even stronger APhA and empower our nation's Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, and Student Pharmacists to a better tomorrow.

Cathy L. Worrall - Candidate for 2023-2026 Trustee

Biography:

Cathy L. Worrall, BSN, PharmD, BCPS, FAPhA, is the associate dean for admissions and student affairs and a professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Pharmacy. Formerly a critical care registered nurse, Worrall earned her PharmD at the University of Florida then completed a residency in critical care and nutrition support therapeutics at the University of Tennessee—Memphis. Following residency training, Worrall worked as a critical care clinical pharmacy specialist at the Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, MN, where she started Mayo's critical care pharmacy residency program. She later accepted a position at MUSC, where she specialized in burn, trauma, and nutrition support until she transitioned 12 years ago to the dean's office at the College of Pharmacy. Worrall is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist. Her current research interests focus on student pharmacist personal and professional development, including professionalism, self-awareness, leadership development, emotional intelligence, and wellness and resiliency. Worrall is an active member of AACP, APhA, Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS), Rho Chi, the South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA), and the South Carolina Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. She has served in numerous leadership roles in these organizations. Worrall is an APhA Fellow, a past recipient of APhA's Distinguished Achievement Award in Hospital/Institutional Practice, SCPhA's Kenneth Couch Distinguished Mentor Award, and the 2021 recipient of the PLS Proctor and Gamble National Leadership Award.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

As a member of the APhA Board of Trustees, I would bring perspectives and experiences from over 28 years working in health-systems pharmacy and academia, in addition to my former experience as a critical care nurse. During my career, I have been fortunate to work as a respected member of an interdisciplinary patient care team that allowed me to practice at the top of my license. This patient care model can be applied outside the health-systems setting with appropriate tools and technology.

I have been a member of APhA for 32 years and served this organization in a variety of leadership roles, including a student national officer, new practitioner officer, and APPM officer. I have attended 29 APhA Annual Meetings and served as a delegate and member of many committees through the years. This longevity of service to APhA gives me a unique perspective regarding where we have been, where we are, and where we need to be.

My leadership experienced extends beyond APhA and includes leadership roles in AACP, Phi Lambda Sigma, the Rho Chi Society and South Carolina’s state pharmacy associations. These and other professional experiences have given me a broad perspective regarding the pharmacy profession and the healthcare system.

As a member of the leadership team in a public university, I have faced financial challenges resulting from reductions in state appropriations, competition for prospective students and research funding, and other factors, requiring effective problem-solving. These challenges have resulted in greater innovation and creative thinking to advance the college’s strategic plan.

My membership in APhA has been the one professional membership I have maintained throughout my pharmacy career. I am a huge advocate for APhA and firmly believe it is the one professional pharmacy organization that can and should be the voice for the pharmacy profession.

Pair Two

Lauren E. Bode – Candidate for 2023-2026 Trustee

Biography:

Lauren E. Bode, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the Vermont campus of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and practices with the University of Vermont Department of Family Medicine as an ambulatory care clinical specialist. In 2010, she graduated summa cum laude from Boston University with a degree in art conservation but realized she wanted to use chemistry to restore people instead of art and went to the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, graduating with the highest honors in 2016. After graduation, she completed a PGY-1 and PGY-2 pharmacotherapy residency at the University of North Carolina Medical Center. Involvement in APhA and state pharmacy organizations has been a feature of her career since being a student, serving as the APhA–ASP Speaker of the House and then in various state and national leadership positions, including chair of the APhA New Practitioner Advisory Committee. She is unwavering in her belief that pharmacists are central to improving patients' lives and seeks to create opportunities for pharmacists to do so in innovative and fulfilling ways. For her efforts, Bode was awarded the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award from the Vermont Pharmacists Association in 2019.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

What I bring to the APhA Board of Trustees is notable for being “and” not “or”. I bring breadth and focus, optimism and practicality, youth, and experience to serve patients and serve the profession while being a mom and a pharmacist. Additionally, with extensive experience in APhA, I respect greatly the history of the association and recognize that shifts need to be made to maintain relevance and secure the preeminence of this organization in the future.

Though currently practicing in academia and ambulatory care in New England, my experience is considerably broader. Through my education, training, and practice I have crossed regions and practice settings, from city to rural, North to South, federal pharmacy to pharmacy chains, from staff pharmacist to clinical specialist and everything in between. Through all these transitions what has stayed the most constant is my involvement with APhA. I have served on the local, regional, and national levels in APhA-ASP, in the House of Delegates, and on House committees. I have been active in member-focused groups such as the SIGs and the New Practitioner Network as well as in association-level committees like the Strategic Directions Committee and Government Affairs. In addition to this varied experience in the profession and APhA, what I bring is the perspective of an early career practitioner. Having been in practice for just over five years, I have the recent lived experience of a student, resident, new practitioner, and new parent, a voice that has been disproportionately underrepresented in the past. I bring the insight of an early career practitioner along with an experience level that outpaces my numerical years in the profession, and for this reason would be a strategic addition to the Board of Trustees. It would be my honor to serve.

Parth D. Shah – Candidate for 2023-2026 Trustee

Biography:

Parth D. Shah, PharmD, PhD, is a pharmacist, behavioral scientist, and faculty member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch). Shah conducts implementation science and health services research, evaluating and designing programs and interventions that aim to improve the impact of pharmacists in cancer prevention and control and public health. Shah has a national reputation as a vaccination researcher. His work has informed national policy recommendations from the president's cancer panel and National Vaccine Advisory Committee to expand the role of pharmacists in adolescent immunizations. Additionally, he is currently an implementation scientist with the COVID-19 Prevention Network headquartered at Fred Hutch, responsible for several U.S.-sponsored COVID-19 vaccine trials. He has fostered multidisciplinary collaborations to advance public health efforts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, he has spearheaded projects with the Washington State Department of Health to expand COVID-19 testing and vaccination implementation in community pharmacies. His research has helped establish reimbursement models to sustain COVID-19 services. As a member of APhA for the past 14 years, he has held a variety of elected and appointed leadership positions, notably as APhA–ASP national member-at-large, as well as a member of the APhA Taskforce on Systemic Racism, the APhA Member Engagement Structure Redesign Taskforce, and the APhA New Business Review Committee. Additionally, Shah has served as a delegate for APhA–ASP and APhA–APRS for several years and has been dedicated to student pharmacist professional development, serving multiple times as a National Patient Counseling Competition judge.

Candidate statement in response to the following question:

What unique attributes and skills would you bring to the APhA Board to support the advancement of the Association's priorities?

I believe I can contribute to the diversity of thought and leadership to the APhA Board of Trusties in two distinct and integral ways. First, I can provide a non-traditional perspective to pharmacy practice since I primarily work as a public health scientist. I have opportunities to interface and collaborate with a bevy of stakeholders (e.g., patient advocates, providers, industry leaders, payers, and policymakers) on research projects and programs to advance public health initiatives. As such, I view the pharmacist role in the broader context of public health and healthcare delivery and have learned to make a strong case for pharmacy practice among non-pharmacist stakeholders. The impact of my research program is exemplified by my work in HPV vaccination, of which my work has contributed to national recommendations to include pharmacists as adolescent and pediatric vaccine providers. As another example, I established a strategic partnership with Walgreens on behalf of the COVID-19 Prevention Network to collaborate on national COVID-19 vaccine trials and studies, leveraging the reach that community pharmacies have in promoting and recruiting participants for these critical studies in the midst of the pandemic. These experiences and expertise make me a critical, out-of-the box thinker, which I believe will be greatly valued at the Board Table when devising strategic directions for APhA.

Second, I know what it means to be a disengaged member of APhA. Having been a committed student leader in APhA, and then questioning the value of APhA as a practitioner, I intrinsically understand when a professional association’s mission does not align with a person’s vocational needs and ethics. As such, I can relay the perspective of those disaffected members with APhA leadership and staff and device strategies that can bring tangible benefits that broadly speak to the personal and professional development that students and practitioners seek.

Honorary President

James A. Ponto - Candidate for 2023-2024 Honorary President

Biography:

James A. Ponto, BSPharm, MS, RPh, FAPhA, is emeritus clinical professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. He earned his BSPharm from University of Iowa and MS in radiopharmacy from the University of Southern California. Ponto completed a short residency in nuclear pharmacy at Duke University Medical Center. He then spent his career at the University of Iowa, where he was chief nuclear pharmacist at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and clinical professor at the college of pharmacy until his recent retirement. Ponto has been a continuously board-certified nuclear pharmacist since the inaugural BPS certification exam in 1982. In APhA, he served on numerous APhA–APPM and nuclear pharmacy committees, including chair of the Section on Nuclear Pharmacy. He also served on various BPS groups, including as Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty Council chair, non-specialist member on the Nutrition Support Specialty Council, and 2 terms on the BPS Board of Directors. He has also served on several United States Pharmacopeia (USP) expert committees and expert panels. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, 40 abstracts, 20 book chapters, and numerous CE lessons. Honors received from APhA include fellow, Distinguished Achievement Award in Nuclear Pharmacy Practice, Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award, and 4 poster Presentation Merit Awards. Other honors include ASHP Fellow, Society of Nuclear Medicine Presidential Distinguished Service Award, and USP Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Standards. As a practitioner and educator, he strove to advance nuclear pharmacy specialty practice and recognize, promote, and advance other practice specialties in pharmacy.