Daniel E. Buffington, PharmD, MBA, FAPhA, is President of Clinical Pharmacology Services, an ambulatory care specialty practice in Tampa, FL. He is on faculty at University of South Florida Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, served as a Medication Safety Expert with the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for nearly 5 years, focused on innovation projects that feature medication safety and MTM services. He is serving his second term on the APhA Board of Trustees and the Florida Pharmacy Foundation’s board. He has previously served as President of both the Florida Society of Health- System Pharmacists (FSHP) and the American Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AIPS). He serves on the Pharmacy HIT Collaborative, the American Medical Association (AMA) Current Procedural Terminology Panel, and the RBRVS Update Committee (RUC) focused on pharmacist billing. Buffington has practice experience in ambulatory care, drug information, hospital, managed care, clinical research, health information technology and forensic pharmacology. He received his PharmD and MBA degrees from Mercer University and completed a residency and clinical pharmacology fellowship from Emory University. He has been recognized as an APhA Fellow and has received numerous professional awards including the APhA Pinnacle Award, Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award, the ASHP Award of Excellence and has been recognized multiple times as Florida Pharmacist of the year (FPA and FSHP). He is committed to expanding the utilization and impact of pharmacist’s services to improve health outcomes and patient safety, as well as assisting to reduce the total cost of care.

Email: danbuffington@cpshealth.com

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

My primary areas of focus are tied directly to some of professional associations’ current highest priority organizational needs and include:

1. Membership Growth and Engagement:
Every professional organization struggles to reach and engage a high percentage of their potential nationwide membership base. I am confident that we can promote the significant value of APhA membership through aggressive new member recruitment campaigns and modern membership and service payment models. Enhancing personal career development, customized continuing education tracks, and increased professional advocacy as our high priority areas for success. Making member engagement a more personal and need-specific experience is critical (i.e., website personas, customized learning opportunities, and increased opportunities for personal participation). We have a wide diversity of practice settings and practitioner types. APhA can meet the needs of all pharmacists and can be the nexus of our professional.

2. Innovative Revenue Models:
As state and national professional associations deal with evolving revenue challenges it is critical to reevaluate historical revenue models (i.e., dues, publications, and meetings) and seek out new and innovative revenue generating programs and membership services. Changes in technology, knowledge bases, and health information technology applications are creating an array of new enterprise level ventures suitable for APhA. It is essential that APhA strives to collaborate with other pharmacy organizations and our membership to capitalize on high priority functions that result in win-win scenarios by producing sustainable revenue and simultaneously advancing the practice of pharmacy and pharmacists’ clinical services.

3. Leadership:
APhA is well positioned and effectively serving as the “leading voice” for our profession. Mirroring the role of the AMA as the national voice of physician, APhA can leverage enhanced collaboration with other specialty and subspecialty pharmacy organizations to increase awareness of the value and role of pharmacists’ services and contribution to patient care settings. Alignment of our professional goals, global advocacy initiatives, and demonstration of the collective return-on-investment impact of pharmacists on the health care system will lead increased payer acceptance (i.e., CMS and commercial markets) and integration of pharmacists into evolving healthcare innovation modeling.

Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP is Professor of Pharmacy and Associate Dean at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama. He is highly regarded as an expert in the area of
immunization practice, vaccines, and vaccine-preventable diseases. He is currently the Speaker of the APhA House of Delegates and Trustee for APhA. He formerly served as the APhA-APPM President, and was the APhA-ASP National President. Dr. Hogue was awarded the APhA Practice Management Excellence Award in 2015. Dr. Hogue has practice experience in Ambulatory Care
practice with CHD Meridian Healthcare, a closed-model HMO; and with the Jefferson County (AL) Department of Public Health where he worked with the under- and uninsured. He is a previous independent pharmacy owner, and co-owner of a home infusion company. In addition, Dr. Hogue has experience in chain community pharmacy as a staff pharmacist and clinical coordinator. He was on the APhA staff in industry relations, and completed an executive residency in association
management with APhA and NCSPAE (now NASPA). He is active in the Alabama Pharmacy Association where he has served on the Board of Trustees and chaired numerous committees in the past. He has served as APA’s parliamentarian for the past 10 years. Dr. Hogue is a member of the Gardendale City School Board where he is currently serving as Board President and he is active in his church and community.

Email: mdhogue@samford.edu

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

Provider status will be a reality for our profession. The question is, therefore, are the members of our profession fully prepared to meet the patient care needs of our society? It is my belief that APhA must undertake a focused effort to provide comprehensive support to practicing  pharmacists to take advantage of their emerging role on the healthcare team. The concept of being held accountable to the outcomes of a patient is not something with which most pharmacists are familiar; yet pharmacists are going to be held accountable. APhA needs to prepare pharmacists now for this reality. Additionally, the credentialing of pharmacists as care providers as a part of an already well-credentialed medical team will be of paramount concern. APhA needs to fully develop the APhA Profiles Project and use it to support the clinical credentialing of pharmacists so that payment is a reality in practice and not just a dream. Beyond payment for non-dispensing services, APhA needs to more prominently engage in identifying and promoting best practices which ensure safe medication use systems. Medication safety, while a responsibility in part to all members of the team, is primarily the responsibility of the pharmacists. Our profession has not taken a strong enough stand against activities and practices
which jeopardize patient safety, and we’ve not adequately highlighted the best practices in patient safety. Finally, I believe APhA through BPS needs to develop even more specialties and perhaps new opportunities beyond board certification for pharmacists to earn credentials for
their knowledge and experiences in practice.

Sean Jeffery, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF, is Director of Pharmacy Services at Integrated Care Partners, a physician-led, clinically integrated network responsible for Hartford Healthcare’s
value-based practice transformation. His career has focused on implementing innovative patient care services that promote the value of pharmacists in care coordination. Currently, he oversees
pharmacy network development and strategy, population health management, and provides clinical support to the care-management team. He is also a Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. Previously, Dr. Jeffery was a consultant pharmacist at the VA
Connecticut Healthcare System where he served as a PGY2 Geriatrics Residency Program Director. Dr. Jeffery has served on the APhA Policy Committee (’16), chaired the Polypharmacy Special Interest Group (SIG) for the American Geriatrics Society, chaired the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Geriatrics SIG, and served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. He co-founded the Coalition for Senior Medication Safety to raise awareness among seniors about medication safety in New Haven, CT. He was recognized as a Fellow of the American Geriatrics Society (2016), an Ohio State University Distinguished Alumni (2013). Dr. Jeffery earned his bachelor of science from the University of Connecticut and PharmD from the Ohio State University.

Email: sean.jeffery@uconn.edu

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

APhA’s membership is diverse, spanning all practice settings and generations. Supporting such a diverse membership is expensive and requires careful attention and understanding of each member’s needs. Being nimble and responsive to APhA member’s professional needs helps create enduring relationships. A member’s expectations of APhA changes as they progress from student membership to full membership. Given the APhA’s limited resources, it is critical to reduce membership turnover, and the most challenging group to keep are those who are just graduating. Ensuring the 30,000 student members become ‘active, engaged and contributing’ full members is very important. Growing membership through retention of current members will amplify our voice on Capitol Hill, helping turn advocacy efforts into legislative success.

Every APhA member is important! However, Millennials are making associations re-think how they have historically operated. Much has been written about millennials. They are more “civic-minded” akin to the G.I. Generation with a strong sense of community, both locally and globally. They connect with causes in ways that significantly differ from previous generations of pharmacists. For  instance, promotional mailings and annual meetings may not translate into membership. What is certain is that Millennial’s will become the economic engine of all pharmacy associations. The more APhA can authentically connect with this generation the greater the chances of developing life-long members. Many of the things millennials value most, including connection, collaboration and community outreach, are in the DNA of APhA! I would direct our limited resources on defining a “pharmacist movement” that captures their attention and harnesses their social connections to advance our profession. This is not a one-year initiative; it will require vision and execution over the long run. It also requires
rethinking what membership means in APhA in the 21st century.

Brian Hille, BSPharm, is the Vice President of Pharmacy, Patient Care Services at Albertsons Companies, overseeing patient care services, specialty pharmacy operations, and wellness services. Albertsons Companies operates almost 1,800 supermarket-based pharmacies in 36 different states under 18 well known banner names, including Safeway. Brian joined Safeway in 1998 and has led the expansion and pioneering of innovative direct patient care services such as adult and adolescent immunizations, travel health services, medication therapy management, medication administration, diabetes education, and pharmacist prescribing. With a patient centered approach and a focus on quality, Brian also built the company’s specialty pharmacy offering from the ground up, which included leading the remodeling of the company’s pharmacies nationwide to create private patient care rooms, transforming the pharmacy space into the anchor for health and wellness within each store. Over the years, Brian’s innovative work has been recognized in the profession and healthcare, with him and his team being awarded the National Immunization Champion Award by APhA three times and the Immunization Excellence Award by the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit twice. Brian has been an active member of the American Pharmacists Association for over 15 years, serving on numerous advisory boards and committees. He also serves on committees for the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy and the Pharmacy Quality Alliance. Brian graduated from Oregon State University in 1991 with his pharmacy degree.

Email: brian.hille@safeway.com

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

I have spent my entire career advancing pharmacy practice through pioneering innovative community-based patient care services. Significant advancements in pharmacy practice have had one thing in common—patients derive value from the services provided by pharmacists. Through APhA’s leadership, pharmacy practice has seen tremendous change and the future looks bright with opportunity for pharmacists to deliver even greater value to the patient and the health care system. Such a future can be realized by focusing APhA’s resources on membership, policy and compensation for pharmacist provided services.

Critical to my success is the team I’ve built around me. I’ve always prioritized promoting strong leaders that influence change. To do that effectively, leaders must set a clear vision with an executable strategy to steer the organization as it moves together in the same direction to fulfill the vision. These same principles hold true with APhA. The organization has strong leaders and a clear vision, but we need to drive membership to get more pharmacists engaged and unified in fulfilling the organization’s vision.

Policy change has opened the door for pharmacists to provide valuable services for their patients. Throughout my career I have taken full advantage of the widening scope of practice and implemented these new services as standard at Albertsons Companies. APhA’s role in policy change ensures that the profession can rally behind scope of practice expansion and recognize pharmacists as providers.

The value of pharmacist delivered services is well documented and needs to be met with proper compensation. Legislation that recognizes pharmacists as providers is a great first step, but we must also integrate into value based payment models and equip the profession with the tools for credentialing and privileging.

It would be an honor to represent you, thank you for your consideration.

Brandi Hamilton, PharmD, MS, is the Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Adventist Health Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA, a position she has held since completing her Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency at CHI St. Luke’s Health–Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, TX. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy Practice at The University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Her practice focuses on elevating clinical pharmacy specialists in integrated roles in the inpatient setting and fostering excellence in interdisciplinary patient care, as well as expanding pharmacy services into ambulatory care to improve population health. Her leadership experience began rather early in her pharmacy career and includes serving as APhA-ASP National President and an APhA Trustee, as well as on the APhA New Practitioner Advisory Committee, APhA Policy Review Committee, APhA New Business Review Committee, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Clinical Administration PRN Student and Resident Subcommittee, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Section of Pharmacy Practice Managers’ Advisory Group on Patient Care Quality. She has been recognized as a Pharmacists Provide Care Champion for her ongoing professional advocacy efforts. Brandi completed her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy and her Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy.

Email: brandi.hamilton.2014@gmail.com

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

Priority one is continuing our efforts toward provider status for pharmacists; it is what is best for both our patients and our profession. Studies continually show that when pharmacists are intimately involved in patient care, outcomes improve. We must continue using our resources to achieve this goal for as long as it takes to reach it.

Beyond provider status legislation, I would advocate for policies that would improve working conditions for pharmacists, particularly in the community setting. My community colleagues are working extensive hours without breaks or proper support, being evaluated on pure volume and dollars, and treated like machines. This endangers them and the patients they serve, and while this is a more pronounced issue in the community practice arena, we certainly see it in the hospital setting, as well. A pooled approach with our colleagues in other associations can make this goal more attainable.

Third, APhA’s endeavors to increase and engage membership must not only continue but evolve. Our most vulnerable group is the New Practitioners; this group has considerable adjustments to do after graduation and while beginning careers. They benefit tremendously from knowing they are truly supported. We have an excellent New Practitioner Network in place that is continually improving, and I think we can do more. To that end, I believe that I am uniquely positioned to help elucidate and strengthen APhA’s value to this group of pharmacists, positioning them and the Association for success.

Wendy Weber, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, FAPhA, is a clinical pharmacist at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center—Bergan Mercy. Her practice areas over the years include internal medicine, emergency medicine, trauma intensive care, pediatrics and neonatology. Other areas of interest include clinical research, precepting pharmacy practice residents and student pharmacists, and leadership development. While she has spent the majority of her career in the inpatient  clinical environment, Wendy has also practiced in community pharmacy and worked as a government contractor developing educational materials for providers. Her practice experience has given her a front row seat to the opportunities and challenges facing pharmacy in both acute care and community practice. Wendy has served in numerous leadership roles within the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the APhA Foundation, including APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM) President, APhA Trustee, and APhA Foundation Director. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from North Dakota State University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Wendy is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Fellow of the APhA.

Email: wendy.weber@alegent.org

Recognizing that a strong association supports the advancement of the profession, what areas would you focus the organization’s limited resources on to achieve APhA’s current mission and vision and to advance the profession?

APhA needs to continue to be the leader in advocating for our profession. There are many legislative and regulatory issues facing pharmacists every day that require a unified voice of the profession to make a positive change. Significant work has been done with other pharmacy organizations on many of the issues. APhA needs to continue to lead the efforts to present a unified voice with the other pharmacy organizations.

APhA also needs to continue to provide high quality educational opportunities to our members that focus on clinical, regulatory, and practice topics. As we continue our quest for provider status, members will need resources and tools to change their practice model to obtain reimbursement for the many services they already provide or to expand services to help their patients take control of their health—regardless of practice environment. Acute care, ambulatory care, and community-based pharmacists need to have the same opportunities to bill and be reimbursed for the services they provide as other providers.

As the professional association that represents all pharmacists, we need to continue to develop the leaders of tomorrow. Our student pharmacists and new practitioners are an incredibly energetic group of people. We need to harness that energy and keep them engaged. We do that by providing opportunities for them to stay involved, develop their leadership skills, and surround them with passionate members who are positive role models and mentors. Leadership development is crucial for every pharmacist regardless of how long they have been in practice. When we lead by example, we keep people engaged and excited about what the future holds.

Dorothy L. Smith, PharmD, is CEO of Consumer Health Information Corporation. She has dedicated her career to developing patient education programs that patients can “understand” so they can make informed decisions about their medications, medical devices, and disease management. Dorothy has been a champion for patient-centered pharmacy practice since completion of her BSP degree and residency at the University of Saskatchewan. After watching patients suffer from a lack of medication management and being told “do not counsel patients”, she realized that looking at healthcare problems from the “patient’s point of view” was the answer. Dorothy later received her Pharm. D. degree from the University of Cincinnati, and went on to develop one of the first clinical pharmacy training programs at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital. She also developed one of the first ambulatory patient pharmacies where every patient was counseled by a pharmacist in a private room and given written instructions to take home. She has been active in APhA as a pharmacist and former staff member serving as Director of Clinical Affairs. She represented APhA as a founding member of the National Council on Patient Information and Education and has continued to serve APhA on many committees including APhA’s recent Policy Report on Patient Safety. She has written 23 books including “Medication Guide for Patient Counseling” and “Understanding Prescription Drugs” for health professionals and consumers across the U.S. and Canada and has published 125 articles and presented more than 200 presentations to professional and consumer organizations. In 1983, Dorothy founded Consumer Health Information Corporation. The company has developed more than 1000 patient education programs that have significantly increased patient adherence. She has collaborated with many national organizations, FDA, academia, pharmaceutical companies, publishing companies, consumer associations, and the mass media to promote the role of the pharmacist in patient education and helped decrease the communications gap between patients and their health care providers. She is the recipient of multiple awards including the APhA Foundation Pinnacle Award; University of Cincinnati Master Alumni Award, Honorary Life Membership of the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA); and The Honorable Paul G. Rogers Medication Communicator Award. She has served on many national professional committees. She was a founding member of ACCP.

Dorothy is a stalwart patient advocate believing that “Patients are smart and always have a reason for not following the prescription label instructions. As health care providers, we just need to learn what their daily hurdles are and figure out how to provide the information they need. I am convinced that consumers hold the key to controlling health care costs.”

Patricia H. Fabel, PharmD, BCPS, of Columbia, SC was born and raised on the cost of Maine. She received her PharmD from the University of Rhode Island and completed a community pharmacy practice residency at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy and Kroger Pharmacy. She is a Clinical Associate Professor and the Executive Director of the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. She also serves as the Director for the USCCOP Community-Based Residency Programs. Patti has over 10 years of experience developing and implementing value-added services in the community
pharmacy setting. She has published articles in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education on MTM, pharmacy advocacy, and the Birkman Assessment. She has also written book chapters on vaccines, GI disorders, and managing insect bites and stings. She has given several presentations on immunizations, MTM, and selfcare related topics. Patti is a former president of the South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA) and is also actively involved in the American Pharmacist Association, serving on committees and as a delegate in previous years. On a personal note, Patti lives on 100 acres with her husband, Josh, and numerous animals (goats, sheep, chickens, dogs, honey bees, and cats)!

Email: fabelp@kennedycenter.sc.edu

Statement of Candidacy

The three top priorities for the Academy are to create opportunities for pharmacists to expand patient care services, advocate for equitable reimbursement for patient care services provided by pharmacists, and to educate members on how to perform and bill for these services. As a faculty member at a college of pharmacy, I am able to network with pharmacists who are offering innovative services in various practice settings. As the residency program director, I oversee residency projects that involve implementing patient care services. I have been responsible for implementing and growing sustainable patient care services in community pharmacies for the past 11 years. I am able to bring innovative ideas to the table and adapt them for use in a community practice, based on my own experience and those of our residents. As a former president of SCPhA and in my current role as Executive Director of the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, I have experience advocating for pharmacist-provided patient care services to legislators, employer groups and third-party payers. I will use this experience to continue to advocate for equitable reimbursement at the regional and national level. Lastly, with busy professional and personal lives, our members need access to education programs that provide explicit instructions and guidance on how to implement patient care services. My extensive experience providing education programs to student pharmacists, technicians, and pharmacists will help me assist the Academy in developing their education agenda and member resources. I
would welcome the opportunity to continue to serve the profession and APhA as a Member-at-Large for the APPM Executive Committee.

G. Blair Sarbacker, PharmD, BCACP, of Clinton, SC is currently working as an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy. She is practicing as a clinical pharmacist at Advanced Family Medicine, a rural primary care clinic. Here she practices medication and disease state management. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Wingate University School of Pharmacy in 2008. She completed an ASHP-accredited residency in Community Pharmacy Practice at the Community Healthcare Center by Kerr Drug in Lenoir, NC, in association with Wingate University School of Pharmacy. She obtained her Board Certification in Ambulatory Care in addition to completing certificate training in the areas of over-the-counter medication, immunizations, and diabetes. She is also trained to teach APhA’s Immunizations and Diabetes Certificate Program. She has served as an advisor for APhA-ASP for 3 years. She is the coordinator for the APhA-APPM Diabetes Management Special Interest Group and a director for the Texas Pharmacy Association.

Email: gbsarback@presby.edu

Statement of Candidacy

My journey to my current role in the profession of pharmacy is one that I never would have imagined. I have had opportunities in many different types of pharmacy roles: hospital compounding, children’s hospital, retail, hospital, long-term care, inpatient and outpatient clinical pharmacy, and academia. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every step. I absolutely love my profession. I also love to serve, which is perhaps why my greatest passions are teaching, patient care, and professional involvement. I want others to love this profession as much as I do, which is why I teach. There is nothing more satisfying than mentoring a student to a career that they love. I cherish opportunities to reinforce professionals’ knowledge. I feel strongly that pharmacists are in the perfect position to immerse ourselves in improving primary care. We can do this through increased access to patient care and clinical pharmacy services. The Academy’s dedication to assisting members in enhancing the profession of pharmacy, improving medication use, and advancing patient care closely align with my professional priorities.

I have been actively involved in leadership with APhA-APPM via the Diabetes Management SIG, the Texas Pharmacy Association and the Bexar County Pharmacy Association. I look forward to the opportunity to continue my service within APhA on the academy level.

Michael Blaire, BSPharm, FIACP, of Scottsdale, AZ founded and served as supervising pharmacist for three pharmacies in New York before adopting Arizona as his home state. From 1993 to 1999, he spearheaded operations and profitability initiatives for several Walgreens pharmacy locations in the Phoenix area. In 2001, Michael moved on to co-found Diamondback Drugs, a veterinary compounding pharmacy that serves zoos, aquariums and veterinarians nationwide. Michael’s academic background spans a wide range of professional interests. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction)
in Literature at the University of Rochester. He holds a BS in Pharmacy from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and has completed graduate studies in literature at Arizona State University.

Michael has been Chairman of the Arizona Pharmacy Alliance Political Action Committee, and Chairman of COMP-PAC, political action committee for the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists. Likewise, Michael is a member of both, the APhA Political Action Committee and the NCPA PAC. Michael has acted as a preceptor for students from several colleges of pharmacy, offering rotations in compounding and veterinary medicine. In 2015, Michael received a governor’s appointment to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, where he is currently Vice-President. Most recently, Michael became a Fellow of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists.

At APhA, Michael has been involved in the APPM Compounding SIG and is currently the Coordinator. He is a member of both the APhA Political Action Committee and the Government Affairs Committee. Michael was also the recipient of the 2017 APhA Good Government Pharmacist-of-the-Year Award.

Email: michael.blaire@diamondbackdrugs.com

Statement of Candidacy

The top 3 priorities of the Academy should be what they have always been: to enhance the profession of pharmacy; to improve medication usage; and to advance patient care.

To enhance the profession of pharmacy, I would increase APhA’s advocacy activities. Nothing will enhance the profession more than obtaining provider status. As a member of the Government Affairs Committee and the Political Action Committee, I will use my knowledge and expertise in pursuit of this goal. I would also work with the staff, membership and corporate sponsors to launch a series of public awareness initiatives to increase input from the general public. I would also utilize this approach to improve and develop a positive public impression of pharmacist services like compounding, vaccinations and MTM.

To improve medication usage, I would engage staff, members and sponsors to investigate new technologies to both increase pharmacist efficiency and to improve patient access to monitoring and compliance aids. I believe that a strong relationship with Boards of Pharmacy and NABP will be important to achieve this, and I will use my involvement with NABP and the AZ Board of Pharmacy to that end.

If these achievements can be met, then patient care will certainly be advanced and improved.

LTC(P) Jeffrey J. Neigh, PharmD, MBA, MHA, BCPS, of Annandale, VA was very active in pharmacy organizations as a student many years ago. After coming into the Army he became swept up in the day to day operations of the military healthcare system and became focused on advancing Army Pharmacy and military healthcare. In this capacity, he has had the opportunity to work in numerous practice settings: ambulatory, inpatient, oncology, clinical pharmacist rounding on burn units, MICUs, SICUs, and Emergency departments and privileged provider in Internal medicine, as well as numerous years of administration experience. He also has a strong foundation in Pharmacy Management and Leadership from his experiences in the Army. Last year he had the privilege to come to APhA as a Federal Fellow. His year there opened his eyes to what the profession of pharmacy is, and can be. He realized that the silo of military healthcare, while notable and innovative, is just one part of the bigger picture. His time at APhA made him want to share his experiences and energy to help the profession advance. This desire led him to submitting this application in hopes of playing a larger role in shaping the future of our profession.

Email: pharmneigh@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

First and foremost, I feel that the Academy needs to continue the push for provider status for pharmacists. We are the most highly educated, underutilized profession in healthcare today. In the Federal system, pharmacists have had provider status for several decades. I hope to share our success stories and experiences to help facilitate the changes to come in the broader healthcare discussion. Secondly, in order to help show the value of pharmacists, we need to continue to conduct and publish articles showcasing the work pharmacists do. By building the data repository, we can build a stronger basis for justifying our value. I would like to have APPM work collaboratively with APRS to create tools and resources designed to help pharmacists working in practice to design, conduct, and hopefully publish practice related outcomes research. My third and final priority would be to continue to educate and advocate. I would like to work to develop collaborative educational programs for our membership that showcases the value of the pharmacist and how to sell that story. In my current role at the Office of the Army Surgeon General, my job is to advocate for pharmacists in the Army and the impact they have on healthcare. I hope to utilize this experience to enhance the role APPM plays in advancing and advocating for our profession.

Cortney M. Mospan, PharmD, BCACP, BCGP, of Indian Trail, NC is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at Wingate University School of Pharmacy. She earned a PharmD from Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy and completed a PGY-1 Community Care Pharmacy Practice Residency at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy with practice sites at Uptown Pharmacy and the Ohio Pharmacists Association. Throughout her career, Cortney has focused on providing care for underserved patient populations and working to establish innovative and sustainable clinical services in the community pharmacy setting. She established
ETSU Charitable Pharmacy in 2014, and maintains active service in free clinics in the greater Charlotte area. Further, Cortney teaches management at Wingate University, pushing student pharmacists to challenge the status quo and strive to innovate and create new sustainable business models for all practice areas to expand the role of the pharmacist on the health care team. In 2017, she joined Dilworth Drug & Wellness Center as a clinical pharmacist. Cortney is an active member of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP). She served as chair of the Policy and Advocacy committee in 2017 and as Chair of the Community Care Practice Forum in 2018 within NCAP. Cortney has served APhA in numerous capacities, including New Practitioner Advisory Committee Chair in 2017–2018, Strategic Directions Committee member, APhA-APPM Policy Committee member, and will serve as Coordinator of the Preceptor SIG in 2018–2019. She also serves as Co-Advisor of the Wingate University chapter of APhA-ASP, being recognized by the university as Student Organization Advisor of the Year in 2017.

Email: cortneymospan@gmail.com

I believe the top 3 priorities of the Academy are:
1. To establish advocacy a professional obligation of all pharmacists. APhA has invested significant financial and manpower resources to achieve Provider Status. Once we are successful, that advocacy momentum cannot cease. I have chaired the Policy and Advocacy committee in my state association, contribute monthly to the APhA PAC, have served in the APhA House of Delegates, and teach and promote advocacy to my students. I believe I can use my experiences to engage and empower our members to be advocates for our profession and patients.

2. To develop resources and share these resources with key stakeholders highlighting the value proposition of pharmacists on the health care team. APhA members are aware of the needs for better communication methods, greater involvement in the health care team, and other barriers to fully realize optimal patient care that pharmacists can offer. To see success in achieving Provider Status and having pharmacists be fully utilized across all spectrums of the health care system, pharmacists must be able to communicate the value they offer. As a management educator, I believe each and every pharmacist should be equipped to communicate their value proposition to their key stakeholders: their patients, their collaborators (prescribers, health care organization), and their payers.

3. To engage members through transition points in association membership by provision of resources, support, and opportunities members seek in gaining value in their membership. Membership is key to the success of an association. As the Immediate Past Chair of the New Practitioner Advisory Committee, I feel that I can offer perspective of value to APPM on the needs of student pharmacists transitioning to new practitioners and new practitioners transitioning out of the New Practitioner Network to maintain better engagement and retention of these members.

Kimberly Shepherd Thompkins, PharmD, of Moseley, VA is a licensed professional Pharmacist at Wal-mart Stores, Inc. Her extensive knowledge and expertise in pharmacy practice includes pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics. Dr. Thompkins earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in 1994. After working as a Chemical Engineer, she pursued her Doctorate of Pharmacy at Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Homewood, Alabama. Dr. Thompkins served at Vice President of her pharmacy school class, as well as Vice President and President of the student chapter of APhA. Dr. Thompkins was also the founder and first President of the student chapter of SNPhA at Samford University. Upon her graduation in 2001, Dr. Thompkins was awarded the Eli Lilly & Company Achievement Award and SNPhA Founding Member Award. She also received award for New Practitioner of APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Section. Dr. Kimberly Thompkins began practicing Pharmacy at Rite Aid in 2001, where she excelled as both Pharmacist and Pharmacy Manager. In 2006, Dr. Thompkins begin her career at Wal-mart Pharmacy; throughout her tenure at Wal-mart, she has exceptionally served as Pharmacist, Pharmacy Manager, and Preceptor. Dr. Thompkins is responsible for analyzing real and potential drug-related medical problems and implementing corrective actions, to ensure that patients receive optimal drug therapies. She assures the safe and appropriate use of medications, and acts as an advocate of rational drug therapies. She achieves this objective through the evaluation of appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient-specific factors such as drug therapy individualization; evaluation, dispensing and providing medications, and drug information. Dr. Kimberly Thompkins has over 16 years’ experience as pharmacist, with a focus in clinical pharmacy during the last 10 years of her professional career. She is the married mother of three who resides in Moseley, Virginia.

Email: kimshepherd26@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

When I joined APhA in pharmacy school, I desired to represent the ideals of pharmacy, ensure student representation and serve others. I still desire to advance our profession beyond its traditional mission. To do so, my focus would be on these priorities: KNOW, SHOW, & GROW

KNOW
1. Training, Education
I would further promote pharmacists as healthcare leaders by helping develop interactive career path models for options at various stages of a pharmacist’s career. These would include mentorships, blogs and/or additional training. I will share ideas for small group activities to effect management training; student-to-pharmacist transition initiatives; and resources for ALL  pharmacists to use APhA to research summaries on the latest drug information, etc. Additionally, I will provide avenues to become more engaged in managing change, such as collaboration in emergency situations; helping the underserved; providing information to all health care professionals to improve outcomes; and technician training and workplace integration.

SHOW
2. Community Resources, Knowledge Sharing, Community Services
We can greatly increase pharmacist visibility by serving communities in areas of dire need, such as shelters and natural disasters. How can we rally our colleagues to action? How should we deliver training for these specialized needs? How can we make information immediately accessible? How can we include students and others to provide a multidisciplinary approach? By addressing these questions and others, we could promote the values of our profession.

GROW
3. Incentives, Promotion
We will increase the perceived value of pharmacists, gain provider status and federal recognition of pharmacy services. It is important to rally pharmacists and others to the quality outcomes realized from pharmacist interactions. We also need to reach those not currently engaged in ways that can be incorporated in everyday practice, such as career training and networking, particularly student groups and alumni associations.

Tram M. Nguyen, PharmD, MBA, of San Diego, CA says passion has always been the invisible force behind her internal drive with 3 main ingredients: commitment, devotion, and motivation.

First, commitment to high standard of advanced training in pharmacy, business, and research is the reason why she obtained dual degrees in PharmD & MBA.

Second, devotion to continuous quality improvement is how she can contribute to the organization. She wants to be involved in making strides toward APhA’s goals and strategic planning. As a personal contribution, she definitely can devise an annual development or assessment plan for any existing or new program, in which will showcase her business skills. Moreover, she wishes to be present and help the profession to persevere through potential changes and future challenges in the field of pharmacy.

Third, motivation to become one of the leaders in the profession is exactly where her future plans are heading. Focusing on team accomplishments, she also hopes to collaborate with other well-seasoned professionals within the same field. As a long-term investment, she definitely wants to continue to optimize her business background and knowledge. Furthermore, she also has experience in the pharmaceutical industry in addition to business and research experiences.

Email: tramnguyen8248@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

The primary priority should address the topic of advancing MTM services. With experience as a MTM pharmacist, I realize that most CMRs mainly focus only on the medications and not enough on non-pharmacological options. I believe that patients should have an understanding of their medication regimens as well as the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. The future of preventative care should look at the root cause of the disease states in order to prevent further chronic illnesses and complications. As co-founder & CEO of Track MTM, I am ready to redefine MTM and take therapeutic lifestyle counseling to the next level.

The second priority should be about leadership training and development. My goal is to increase the pharmacy presence and image on various social medias. Not only will such platforms connect the pharmacy profession to the general public but also permit interdisciplinary engagement. Expansion of the SIGs program could provide the opportunity for networking and collaboration with like-minded practitioners.

The third priority should revolve around community involvement. I envision future pharmacists hosting nationwide informational sessions and leading by example in healthy lifestyle choices. At Track MTM, we offer hiking, nature walks, exercise classes, and healthy eating tips in addition to medication education to local participants with similar health and wellness mindset. Going above and beyond the role of a consultant, pharmacists can proactively participate in patients’ success stories and help them reach their personal goals. Tomorrow depends on the steps taken today.

Stephanie M. White, PharmD, of Little Rock, AR was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. From there, she earned her B.S. in Biochemistry at Elon University before continuing her education at Mercer University College of Pharmacy, where she earned her doctorate of pharmacy. After completing a PGY-1 in community pharmacy with the University of South Carolina, she moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where she is completing a PGY-2 in ambulatory care. The reason for these career choices are to further enhance her skills with the goal of working under collaborative practice agreements with physicians in an office setting.

While at both University of South Carolina and now University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, she has chosen to become heavily involved with the student pharmacists at the university through serving as their new practitioner mentor. Serving as a mentor and preceptor allows her more opportunities to volunteer within the community while also helping to shape the future pharmacists. Outside of pharmacy, she enjoys playing kickball and tennis, watching the Jacksonville Jaguars, baking, and exploring the area through hiking and attending community events. In addition, she enjoys running and plans to run her second half-marathon this spring. Overall, she enjoys staying very active and is always looking for ways to progress the pharmacy profession forward.

Email: white.stephanie14@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

Improving medication adherence, advancing transitions of care, and enhancing patient care should be the academy’s top priorities. Through aligning our goals with other organizations, together we can make a difference.

First, medication non-adherence is an underlying issue for many patients. Last year, my research focused on implementing medication synchronization into the pharmacy while documenting the barriers encountered. As a result of synchronization, the staff pharmacists had more time to spend with patients. To implement this large scale, a tool kit would be posted to slowly expand the number of synchronization programs.

Second, transitions of care between facilities is extremely poor overall. With inaccurate or incomplete medication lists, a prescribing cascade develops. Hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities are a few areas needing better transitions of care. Pharmacists play an active role here. During my PGY-1 residency, I started a transitions of care program with a local assisted living facility. With collaboration, a toolkit for creating a transitions of care program could be posted. Community pharmacy residents are now required to participate in transitions of care. Thus, they are excellent resources to lay the groundwork.

Third, in the day and age where we are moving from a fee for service to an enhanced quality of care model, pharmacists now, more than ever, have the opportunity to enhance care collaboratively. During my residency, I have learned how to assess a clinic’s needs and ultimately impact patient care through measurable outcomes. Through offering a series of webinars, pharmacy innovators from a variety of settings can weigh in on how they have been successful. Together, we can make a difference.

With a goal of improving patient medication adherence, transitions of care, and ultimately enhancing patient care, we will  demonstrate the need for pharmacist provider status.

Eric J. Jarvi, MFS, PhD, FAPhA, of Hampden, ME was Associate Dean of the Husson School of Pharmacy beginning in June, 2008 until his retirement in December, 2106. Eric holds a BS in Health Care Services from Southern Illinois University (1979), a MFS from George Washington University (1981), and a PhD in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Oregon State University (1985).

From 1985 to 1989, he was Assistant Professor and Manager of the Drug Research Laboratory in
the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. From 1990 to 2002 he was Associate Professor/Professor and Director of the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Laboratory in the College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. From 2002 to 2008 he served as Assistant Dean and Department Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy at Ferris State University.

His research career has resulted in excess of $3 million in extramural funding and his (co)authoring 43 abstracts, seven invited presentations, and 25 publications.

He received Idaho State University’s OAS Influential Professor Award (1994, 1996, 1999, 2001), was named College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year (1997, 1999) and received the ISU Outstanding Public Service Award (1997, 1999). He was honored with the Sigma Xi Jerry Bigelow Award for Teaching and Research in 2000. In 2010 he received Husson’s William H. Beardsley Teaching Excellence Award and in 2016 he was recognized as an APhA-APRS Fellow.

Eric is active in soccer serving for many years as a coach, holding a National Youth License, and 15 years as a certified soccer official at both the high school and club level. He was recognized in 2001 as the Coach of the Year in Idaho and in 2005 received an award as Volunteer of the Year for the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association. Outside of soccer he enjoys playing racquetball, fly fishing, and backpacking.

Email: ericjarvi1973@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

1. APhA Leadership 360 Institute (Lead 360, Mentor 360, Manage 360)—As a former PLEI facilitator in Phi Delta Chi’s Leadership Development Seminar in 2014, I have seen the power of this programming in the formative development of future leaders. While I commend the adoption of this programming by APhA, as an association we have not done a good job in marketing this series to non-pharmacists. If you look on the APhA website, every module speaks to providing “pharmacists with opportunities to develop highly-valued leadership and management skills that will enable them to reach their full leadership potential.” This could be particularly rewarding avenue as we seek to identify future candidates for our various APRS leadership roles.

2. Retired non-pharmacist membership fees—The current fee structure allows for a 50% reduction in annual dues for a retired pharmacist but does nothing to address retired non-pharmacists.

3. Recognition/utilization of past APhA Fellows—As a relatively new APhAAPRS Fellow, I know we are beginning to recognize the value of these members through recognition ribbons, special seating in the opening General Session and a designated reception. I believe we must continue to create a process to ensure a strong applicant pool each year for this award as well as develop a comprehensive process to recognize past recipients at our annual meeting and utilize their expertise in targeted APhA proposals (e.g. white papers) as in done by AACP’s Argus Commission.

David P. Nau, BSPharm, MS, PhD, FAPhA, of Pembroke Pines, FL is Assistant Dean for Assessment & Accreditation at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Pharmacy where he also holds an appointment as Professor within the Department of Sociobehavioral & Administrative Pharmacy. Prior to joining NSU, he was the founding President of Pharmacy Quality Solutions and also served as Senior Director at PQA where he was responsible for development of quality measures related to medication use. He has worked with health plans and pharmacies across the nation on innovative models for improving the quality of medication use and implementation of quality-based payment models for pharmacists.

Statement of Candidacy

The Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) plays a vital role in guiding APhA strategy and policies related to scientific issues involving pharmaceuticals and pharmacists. Given the fast-changing environment for health care, I believe the most important priorities for APhA-APRS will be:

1. Leadership development of scientists. It will be important for APhA to support the development of scientific leaders who understand the practice of pharmacy and the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals. These leaders are needed to guide the scientific community in the appropriate research on novel models of care to improve the appropriate use of medications. The Academy should encourage the use of APhA’s Leadership 360 Institute by members of the Academy and support other programming that develops leadership skills of our scientist members.

2. Support rigorous evaluation of new models of care. Tremendous innovation is occurring with inter-professional models of care wherein pharmacists play a critical role in managing drug therapy and optimizing health outcomes. However, the evaluation of these models requires scholars who understand pharmacy practice as well as scientific methods for evaluation of healthcare services so that valid assessments of impact on quality and value can be conducted. The Academy should serve as a resource for scholars who wish to engage in the evaluation of these novel models of care.

3. Build Bridges to other scientific/professional organizations. The delivery of care is shifting towards inter-professional models that require collaboration amongst providers and research is increasingly done by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists. It is important that APhA have good relationships with other professional organizations to promote further collaboration of our members with other providers and scientists. Joining forces with other professions may also strengthen our ability to impact legislation and regulation.

Anna Ratka, PhD, PharmD, RPh, CPE, of Rochester, NY is Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher College. Dr. Ratka earned M.S. in pharmacy and Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences (pharmacology) from Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, and PharmD from Idaho State University. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships. She was a pharmacy faculty at Idaho State University for 11 years. At University of North Texas Health Science Center, she was founding Director of Clinical Research at
Institute for Aging and Alzheimer’s disease Research. Dr. Ratka was founding chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Texas A&M College of Pharmacy. At Chicago State University, she chaired the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and held the position of interim associate dean of academic affairs. Dr. Ratka is a graduate from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Academic Leadership Fellows Program. She serves as team evaluator for Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education. Dr. Ratka has taught pharmacology, basic pharmacokinetics, pain pharmacotherapy and management, and sterile compounding. She is Certified Pain Educator. Her research is in neuropharmacology, neuroscience, and pain. Dr. Ratka authored over peer-reviewed 100 publications and presentations. She has served in leadership positions in professional organizations. As a leader, Dr. Ratka is productive, focused on tasks and results, good problem solver, and effective in developing partnerships and collaborations. As pharmacist, she practiced in community and hospital pharmacies. She is engaged in volunteer service to underserved communities.

Email: aratka@sjfc.edu

Top priorities:

1. Develop programmatic activities that support development of faculty in areas of pharmacy sciences.

2. Create opportunities for student pharmacists and residents to showcase and disseminate their accomplishments in research.

3. Develop a strategic plan focused on expansion of APRS contributions to American Pharmacists Association.

Ryan C. Costantino, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, of Glen Burnie, MD is a Pharmacist on active duty in
the United States Army. He most recently served as the Assistant Director of Pharmacy at Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, GA. He maintained a clinical practice in a patient centered medical home focused on the medical management of soldiers on multiple psychotropic medications. Also serving as the clinical manager, he lead a team of pharmacists committed to increasing data integrity and pharmacy coding compliance successfully demonstrating the positive impact clinical pharmacy services can have on Diabetes A1C HEDIS measures and hospital HCAHPS scores. Dr. Costantino completed a pharmacy practice residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center and is a board certified in pharmacotherapy and
geriatrics. He is an active member of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) as well as numerous other professional and philanthropic organizations in which he has held numerous regional and national leadership positions. Committed to the future of the profession, Ryan continually mentors and serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students sharing his love for good data with anyone who will listen! Outside of pharmacy, he can be found exercising the privileges of his private pilot license, or volunteering with the Civil Air Patrol.

Email: rccpharmd@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

I believe the top 3 priorities of the Academy should be to: 1) Increase member engagement 2) Improve available pharmacy practice tools 3) Expand access to quality leader development programming.

Increasing member engagement is key to ensuring the organization has the necessary insights from the front lines of our profession when making key decisions that will shape the health care landscape. Having practiced in a variety of pharmacy practice settings (Community, Inpatient, Administrative), I feel I can provide unique insight into the needs of our members, and the profession as a whole.

Improving the available pharmacy practice tools is essential to improving patient care. We need to create practice tools that enable pharmacists to engage the patient with high yield questions, which are able to implement in “real world”
pharmacy environments taking into consideration our pharmacy colleagues with limited resources (financial, time, manpower). It can be extremely challenging to stay relevant, and current in a fast paced healthcare environment. Having completed post graduate training as well as practicing for several years, I feel I have a good sense of what it takes to translate ideas into action. Over my 4 years at a small community hospital, we were able to implement an inpatient
patient education program that has been sustained, and made measurable improvements in the quality of care delivered by our organization.

In order to accomplish the goals we set, we must have resilient pharmacy leaders. I hope to foster and support Leaders in Pharmacy through continuing support for APhA programs like Lead360. Having gone through the program myself, I strongly believe it fills a unique gap and provides participants with skills and insight that promote grit and resilience, and will ultimately ensure we maintain the quality Leaders we need in our profession.

Amanda Meeker, PharmD, of Portland, OR is a Clinical Coordinator with CareOregon, a managed care organization. There, she works with the Medicare and Medicaid population and collaborates with healthcare providers on various initiatives aimed at improving cost effectiveness and the quality of care. She earned her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from the Oregon State  University/Oregon Health & Science University (OSU/OHSU) College of Pharmacy. After graduation, she completed a two-year Clinical Fellowship with the OSU/OHSU College of Pharmacy focused on Drug Policy. Her fellowship training was in literature evaluation, biostatistics and clinical research design to which she is currently applying these research principles to formulary development and cost savings initiatives in her current role. Dr. Meeker enjoys serving as a mentor to both student pharmacists and residents. Throughout her career, she has continued to foster a learning environment to help others expand their knowledge of the aspects of managed care and evidence-based pharmacy practice. Dr. Meeker is passionate about professional organizations such as the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), as she sees the value they can add to your growth as a pharmacist as well as growing your professional network.
As a student, Dr. Meeker was actively involved with APhA leadership at the chapter, state, and national levels. She continues to stay involved in the Oregon Pharmacy Coalition, APhA, and the Oregon State Pharmacy Association.

Email: mandameeker@gmail.com

Statement of Candidacy

As an Academy whose mission is to stimulate the discovery, dissemination and application of research to improve patient health, APhA-APRS should prioritize the development of pharmacists and student pharmacists as researchers, sharing that research, and then using that research to advance the profession.

Often the biggest barrier to becoming a researcher is knowledge. Once pharmacists know that they do not have to devote their profession to designing experiments and writing papers, they can see how they can contribute to increasing our common knowledge. Programming through webinars, articles in pharmacist-focused magazines and programming at pharmacy meetings can help teach pharmacists how they can participate in research. As both a practicing pharmacist and a researcher, I can highlight where the barriers are and help strategize how to break those down. Additionally, I can provide insight into programming that will be helpful to these efforts.

It is important to highlight and disseminate research that shows what pharmacists can do, not just amongst our profession but, more importantly, for those who are not in the profession. As an academy, we can help highlight well done research about pharmacists to other professions, stakeholders, and policy makers.

Decision makers use data and research to make decisions. An increase in research will help convince decision makers to recognize pharmacists as providers, leading to expanded roles for pharmacists and payment for our services. As a pharmacist who has worked for healthcare payers and been involved in statewide legislative efforts, I understand how these decisions are made and what data is important to use to get policy makers to make favorable decisions for pharmacy. I will use this knowledge to help design strategies for sharing this information.

Mary K. Gurney, BSPharm, MS, PhD, of Peoria, AZ is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Administration within the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy—Glendale where she teaches two required courses, pharmacy law and public policy, and patient decision-making, and a book club elective. Dr. Gurney holds a BS in Pharmacy from Drake University. She earned her MS and PhD in Social and Administrative Sciences in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Her research interests include pharmacy law, interprofessional education, and patient-centered care. Dr. Gurney frequently collaborates with colleagues in various practice settings to evaluate the impact of pharmacy services on pharmacy personnel and patients. Her research has resulted in peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national meetings. Dr. Gurney has served on committees for several professional organizations. From 1999–2000, she served as the APhA-APRS ESAS Post-Graduate Officer and served on the APRS Executive Committee from 2000–2001. From 2009–2011, she served on the APRS-ESAS Contributed Papers Review Committee and chaired the committee from 2010–2011. From 2011–2012, Dr. Gurney served as the Chair of the Wiederholt Prize Screening Committee. From 2012–2013 she served on the APhA Education Committee. In 2015–2016, she served on the APRS Awards Committee. In addition, Dr. Gurney served on the editorial board of Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (RSAP) from 2006–2015. She continues to serve a peer-reviewer for RSAP, Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning (CPTL), the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA), and Innovations in Pharmacy. Also, Dr. Gurney currently serves on an AHRQ grant review panel.

Email: mkgurney@uwalumni.com

Statement of Candidacy

APhA is at the forefront of efforts to gain provider status for pharmacists and advance the pharmacy profession. Within ESAS, our ability to leverage our skills, expertise, and experience, will support APhA’s strategic efforts in three key areas: collaboration, preparation, and professional development. Collaboration is critical when working with diverse groups within and outside of the profession of pharmacy, including collaborations with patients and patient-focused organizations. The membership of the ESAS section is diverse and that diversity is seen in the different pathways for professional training, experiences, and research interests. By working together and using our unique mix of skills in the areas of research, marketing, patient safety and quality, and education we can benefit the other sections and APhA overall. Regarding preparation, our individual professional development is required to assist the section and support APhA’s mission. This will continue to require reflection and action on how to better meet the needs of ESAS members through communication across social media channels, Annual Meeting programming, mentoring, and sharing of ideas. By addressing these first two priorities, collaboration and preparation, we as a section can help advance pharmacy as a profession to inside stakeholders including students, graduate students, and residents, and to outside stakeholders through our research and collaborations. Regarding my personal experience and expertise, I have a history of collaborating with others in research, practice, and education to meet collective goals. As an educator, I have helped to prepare students to keep the patient at the center of care and improve practice. As a reviewer for several journals, including JAPhA, I have helped others tell their stories more effectively. I am excited to be considered for this position and look forward to bringing a spirit of collaboration, communication, and dedication to others should I be elected.

Terri L. Warholak, PhD, RPh, CPHQ, FAPhA, of Tuscon, AZ is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson and serves as the director of the Health Outcomes & PharmacoEconomics Center Research Team for the University of Arizona Medication Management Center and SinfoníaRx. She received her BS, MS, and PhD from Purdue University. From 1990 to 1997, Dr. Warholak served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service where her clinical pharmacy experience spanned from inpatient to community practice and included 5 years in the Indian Health Service and an assignment at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2003, Dr. Warholak was recognized as winner of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Faculties Innovations in Teaching Competition for her work titled “Application of Quality Assurance Principles: Reducing Medication Errors in 30 Pharmacy Practice Settings.” Subsequently, the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) awarded Dr. Warholak and colleagues a grant to create the Educating Pharmacists in Quality (EPIQ) Program, which is available as open source educational materials on the PQA website. She serves on many national committees including: the FDA Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee (DSaRM) since 2016; the US Pharmacopeial Convention Healthcare Quality Expert Committee since 2015; and the PQA Research Coordinating Committee. Her teaching and research interests include medication error reduction, health information technology, and measure development. She has participated in studies evaluating the quality of patient care, techniques for reducing medication errors, and served as Lead Researcher on the AHRQ funded project concerning e-prescribing. Dr. Warholak is involved in health information technology projects on the state and national levels including the Arizona Medicaid Transformation Grant. She has edited a book, published over 80 papers and has been invited to present at the local, state, and national levels.

Email: warholak@pharmacy.arizona.edu

Statement of Candidacy

I believe the top 3 Priorities of the Academy should be quality improvement, safety, and mentoring students and the next generation of social and administrative sciences pharmacy faculty.

My healthcare career began when I served as a pharmacist Commissioned Officer in the United States (US) Public Health Service in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I left the IHS to peruse my Doctor of Philosophy Degree because I recognized a need for systematic improvements in healthcare.

Since entering academia, my mission is to improve the quality and safety of pharmacy practice through: leadership and organizational service; research and dissemination of quality and safety techniques; and educating the next generation of pharmacists to be leaders in patient safety.

I am recognized as a leader in quality and safety and I have been asked to serve on national committees including: the FDA Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; the US Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention Healthcare Quality Expert Committee; and the Pharmacy Quality Alliance Research Coordinating Committee.

I incorporate active learning into my classroom activities and “real world” projects for which the students must utilize concepts learned in class.

I feel that individual attention is essential for professional development. Therefore, my independent study and teaching rotation students spend a great deal of time with me. During these times, I expose them to all facets of pharmacy education (i.e., teaching, research, and service) to broaden their perspective.

If selected as Chair, I will work tirelessly to use my experiences as described above to serve the Section, the Academy and the Profession.

Tessa J. Hastings, BSPS, MS, of Auburn, AL is a native of Dalton, Ohio. Prior to moving to Alabama, she received her BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Toledo in 2013 as well as her MS in Health Outcomes and Socioeconomic Sciences in 2015. She is currently a third-year PhD student in the Department of Health Outcomes Research and Policy at Auburn University. Her research interest as a graduate student has been focused on improving healthcare safety and effectiveness through the adoption of innovations in community pharmacies. Throughout her time at Auburn she has gained experience working with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians practicing in community pharmacies, as well as student pharmacists, to improve pharmacy care in Alabama. Hastings is currently working with the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Immunization Division to examine the adoption of immunization registries in independent community pharmacies. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career in academic pharmacy. Hastings has been an active member of APhA for the past five years, currently serving on the APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APRS) Postgraduate Committee. She is also active in several other professional organizations. These include the American Association for Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), Rho Chi, and the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), where she served as an ISPOR Student Chapter President for four consecutive years (2013–2015 University of Toledo and 2015–2017
Auburn University), as well as Student Network North American Meeting Planning Committee Co-chair for 2016–2017 and Chair for 2014–2015.

Email: tjh0043@auburn.edu

My priorities as APhA-APRS Postgraduate Officer would be as follows:

1. Support the development of current postgraduate members, creating strong leaders for tomorrow.
2. Promote the benefits and increase the visibility of postgraduate opportunities to current student pharmacists.
3. Improve collaboration between academies and other professional organizations.

As a member of the APhA-APRS Postgraduate Committee I am working to improve communication and interaction between postgraduate members. The Postgraduate Initiative has the potential to become an invaluable resource to postgraduate members. This can be accomplished through increased provision of networking, professional development, and educational opportunities geared toward postgraduates in order to promote excellence in pharmaceutical research and science and the development of our researchers and leaders of tomorrow. Establishing routes of communication and dissemination of information above and beyond the annual meeting would greatly benefit this group and establish a “Postgraduate Network.” This network would then serve as a resource for graduate students, residents, fellows, and postdoctoral scholars year round, providing educational opportunities, professional development, and the facilitation of networking, all while simultaneously improving the visibility of postgraduate opportunities for current student pharmacists. Improving communication and collaboration between our postgraduate members, as well as between academies and other professional organizations, strengthens the individual and the Academy as a whole, creating strong connections between potential future colleagues that will serve us throughout our careers. My passion, strong work ethic, and previous leadership experience will allow me to be successful in this role, serving the postgraduate members and our Academy. I thank you for your consideration and with your support I would be honored to serve as APhA-APRS Postgraduate Officer.

Logan Murry, PharmD, of Iowa City, IA is a current PhD student at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in the Department of Health Services Research. He received his PharmD from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in May 2017. Upon graduation, he accepted a Relief Pharmacist position at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City where he works part time. Prior to graduation, Murry was actively involved in the APhA-ASP Iowa chapter, serving as Policy Vice President for two terms. During his time as a student, he organized letter-writing campaigns to seek co-sponsors for legislation seeking Pharmacist recognition as providers under Medicare Part B. Additionally, Murry sought to increase donations to the APhA-PAC (Political Action Committee) in order to help the organization elect “pharmacy friendly” leadership on a national level. While serving as Policy Vice President, the University of Iowa consistently placed in the top five chapters for total PAC donations, a tradition that he is proud carries on today. While early in his PhD pursuit, Murry’s primary research interests pertain to patient access to and utilization of healthcare, specifically Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and their interactions with Pharmacists. In addition to this research, Murry continues to work on research he began as a pharmacy student, looking at community pharmacy reimbursement and how the current landscape of reimbursement has been impacting pharmacy revenue and operations. Through his research interests, Murry hopes to continue to advocate for patients as well as pharmacists, ultimately working to improve the healthcare system.

Email: logan-murry@uiowa.edu

Statement of Candidacy

As a recent pharmacy graduate, it was only through mentorship and networking that I ultimately found APhA-APRS, specifically the ESAS division, during my time as a pharmacy student. I attended the meetings and inquired about the “Day of Science.” I have had conversations with a number of other students with similar interests, and many have had a similar experience, often without the opportunity to participate. Based on this information, my three priorities will largely pertain to engagement and recruitment of Pharmacy students to become future scientists. Improve outreach to Pharmacy students: during my time as an APhA-ASP
member, I wish more options for contact or insight from an APRS member was available. For example, while I enjoy reading the Student Pharmacist publications, more stories pertaining to pharmacy research would be welcomed to increase student pharmacist awareness and encouragement to pursue research. Development of a mentorship program: I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Julie Urmie encourage my learning and guide me through the graduate education and research process. Not all students are as dedicated in finding such mentorship, nor are mentors always readily available to guide student. A more formalized process may help encourage students that show promise and interest in a research route. Provide an opportunity to engage students during the ASP programming: an informative session showing the importance of research in pharmacy practice or even a keynote/panel discussion by APhA-APRS members would be incredibly beneficial for providing a different APhA experience for students that were seeking out such opportunities.