What is your ICHP leadership position?
I am the Director-Elect of Government Affairs
Where is your practice site?
I am the Director of Pharmacy Services at Rush Copley Medical Center.
How would you change pharmacy if you could?
I would allow pharmacists to obtain provider status with expanded prescribing rights. If allowed, pharmacists could be employed in many different adapted roles, such as medical groups, to develop disease-management programs. If implemented, this would help alleviate the oversupply of pharmacists and further expand and solidify the importance of our profession on the health care team.
What pharmacy-related issues keep you up at night?
I’m concerned about the recent change regarding the decision of certain pharmaceutical manufacturers to exclude their products from the 340B program. In 2020, these manufacturers announced they would be implementing various restrictions on 340B pricing discounts offered to contract pharmacies across the United States. These changes have adversely impacted the program and the populations that the 340B program aims to serve.
What makes ICHP great?
ICHP is great because it provides an easy way to obtain necessary continuing education hours. ICHP also offers the opportunity to network with peers. There are also many opportunities to become more engaged in a professional capacity, such as various committees or leadership roles within the organization. Another great thing is that you are not limited to serve on a single committee. There are opportunities to join multiple different committees or leadership roles within ICHP.
What initially motivated you to get involved in ICHP?
My previous manager told me about ICHP and mentioned that it was a great way to network and obtain continuing education. I was interested in becoming more involved in a pharmacy organization; ICHP has been a great one.
Is there an individual you admire or a mentor that has influenced your career?
There is not just one mentor that has influenced my career. I have had the pleasure of working for many great managers and directors in my pharmacy career, and I am thankful for all of them. This dates back to when I was just 18 years old. Over time, some leaders have positively influenced my path and helped guide me, modeling excellent professional practice. I’ve also observed some leadership practices that were not excellent examples, yet I still learned from these experiences regarding conducting myself and interacting with others in practice. We can learn from both positive and negative experiences, and I have taken all of these lessons and created my leadership methods/approaches with my Pharmacy Team.
What advice would you give to student pharmacists?
I’d advise them to specialize in something about which they are passionate. Students, you have a long professional career ahead of you, so do something that brings you happiness, brings you a sense of satisfaction, or always makes you curious for more knowledge on the subject. Also, if you are thinking about getting your Master’s degree, get it early on and don’t wait. I am currently completing my MS degree this October, and while I’m happy to be doing it, I wish I did so earlier in my career.
Do you have any special interests or hobbies outside of work?
I like going on bike rides with the family, duck hunting, and fishing. I also enjoy helping coach my son in baseball and being a Cub Scout Leader for his Den.
Where is your favorite place to vacation?
I love going on cruises and have been on 15 so far. My favorite cruise to date was the Disney Star Wars cruise we went on a few years back.
