2022-2023 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2023 Recipients
Breonna Harrison
University of Florida College of Pharmacy - Orlando
Breonna Harrison is a fourth-year (Class of 2023) student pharmacist from the University of Florida (UF) College of Pharmacy. Her involvement with ASHP began with UF’s Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) Orlando Chapter, where she served as president and as a member of the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (FSHP) student board committee. Those positions have inspired her to become involved with ASHP on a national level. Breonna was a member of the Pharmacy Student Forum in the Residency Preparation Advisory Group. She now serves as the chair of the Residency Preparation Advisory Group and leads a group of pharmacy students across the nation to create residency-focused projects for ASHP members. During pharmacy school, Breonna has served in a wide variety of professional student organizations including the Black Student Lives Coalition, Kappa Psi, Phi Lambda Sigma, Student National Pharmaceutical Association Orlando chapter, American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, and as a student ambassador for the college. Outside of her student organization involvement, Breonna interns at AdventHealth Waterman and BayCare Winter Haven Hospital.
Breonna has a passion for service and a huge interest in working with underserved and vulnerable populations. She is excited to continue her pharmacy journey as an incoming PGY-1 Resident at Whiteriver Indian Hospital, where she looks forward to serving the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
Gisoo Imani
University of Utah College of Pharmacy
Gisoo is a fourth-year PharmD candidate (class of 2023) at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy (U of U CoP). She was born in Iran and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to pharmacy school, she attended the University of Utah for her undergraduate studies and obtained her BS in psychology. She graduated in May and looks forward to continuing her pharmacy training as a PGY-1 acute care resident at the University of California Davis Medical Center. Her clinical areas of interest include hematology and oncology.
Gisoo initially served as chair of the Career Development & Continuing Education Committee for the ASHP-SSHP chapter at the U of U CoP, then was elected to serve a two-year presidency term from 2020-2022. She also served as the student representative for the U of U CoP on the board of directors for Utah Society of Health-System Pharmacists. What motivated her to join ASHP and take on a leadership role within its student chapter was her passion for pursuing a career within integrated health systems, which stemmed from her experiences as an inpatient pharmacy technician for the newborn ICU and the emergency department at a local community hospital prior to pharmacy school. Through this work, she recognized the importance of the role of health-system pharmacists in interdisciplinary teams and the significant impact they can have on patient outcomes. This presidency term helped her gain leadership skills that she will use to continue advocating for the pharmacy profession. Additionally, she established the first designated diversity student representative position with the U of U CoP's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. She also served as a pharmacy student representative on the University of Utah Health Sciences Anti-Racism Commission and as president of the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society, Beta Epsilon Chapter.
Tierra N. Jackson
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy
Tierra Jackson is a 2023 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) candidate at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy in Athens, Georgia. Tierra currently serves as the national president of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), supporting thousands of student pharmacists who are helping underserved communities and advancing minority professionals in pharmacy. She is also an advisory group member for the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum and recently completed an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) with ASHP in the Office of Practice Advancement. Tierra served as co-founder and vice president of the Black Student Pharmacists Organization at the University of Georgia, the program coordinator for APhA-ASP, and a College of Pharmacy student ambassador. She was a spring 2021 inductee of Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS).
Tierra was selected as the medication safety Intern at Johns Hopkins Homecare Group during the summer of 2021, where she had several projects that focused on quality improvement and safety for patients in the specialty, and outpatient infusions centers. She also gained research experience with Augusta University Medical Center and Athens Neighborhood Health Clinic focused on optimizing patient outcomes.
Tierra served as a weekly clinic manager for Mercy Health Center in Athens for two years and as a volunteer with Athens Nurses Clinic, where she supported indigent patient populations affected by hepatitis C. At the height of the pandemic, Tierra worked with various local churches, such as Bethel Baptist Church, and community partners to coordinate several vaccine clinics to increase vaccine accessibility and decrease vaccine hesitancy in communities of color. Tierra is ecstatic to be continuing her professional journey with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center as a PGY1/PGY2 resident in health administration and leadership. Tierra is eager to gain experience in leadership, policy development, and health outcome optimization so she can continue advocating for safe, accessible, and equitable health care for all.
Shirly Ly
University of Florida College of Pharmacy - Gainesville
Shirly Ly is a final-year student pharmacist at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in Gainesville, Florida. Prior to attending pharmacy school, she graduated from the University of Florida, where she received a BS in microbiology and cell science and a minor in nutritional sciences. During her time in pharmacy school, Shirly has been passionately involved with ASHP. Shirly completed ASHP’s internship in national association management in the summer of 2021. She assumed roles within the Pharmacy Student Forum as the chapter advancement workgroup chair for the Student Society Development Advisory Group and the PAI2030 workgroup chair for the Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group. At the state level with the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FSHP), Shirly serves on the Communications Council and the Legal and Regulatory Affairs Council and served in various leadership positions within the Gainesville SSHP chapter. Shirly’s demonstrated passion for the advancement of the profession includes service with APhA-ASP, ACCP, Kappa Epsilon, and PLS.
Outside of school, Shirly enjoys volunteering at Equal Access Clinic, which is a student-run free clinic aimed to serve the underserved population. She is engaged in various community service projects and hopes to improve access to healthcare within her community. Shirly is excited to continue her pharmacy journey as an incoming MS/Health-Administration Pharmacy and Leadership resident at the UNC Medical Center. Her professional interests include increasing access to care, leadership development, oncology, and pharmacogenomics. Shirly is grateful to her family, friends, and mentors for their unwavering support in her endeavors as a life-long learner in this rewarding profession.
Travis VanOtterloo
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
Travis VanOtterloo is a 2023 PharmD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. He grew up in Northwest Arkansas, where he obtained his BS in biochemistry from the University of Arkansas.
During his academic journey Travis served as Pitt’s SSHP P1-Representative, president-elect, and president when they were awarded ASHP’s Outstanding Professional Development Award for their collaborative efforts with other student leaders and faculty members. Aside from his role in SSHP, he was the chair of the transfer students committee for the pharmacy school, educating prospective students about the career paths available within pharmacy. He was involved with Kappa Psi, SCCP, and APhA-ASP.
Recently, Travis matched to University Health System in San Antonio for an acute care PGY1 residency. Long term, he plans to complete PGY2 training in critical care or solid organ transplantation and pursue a career in academia.
Adriana Penn Weiser
University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy
Adriana Weiser is a member of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy Class of 2023. Her experience as a lead inventory management technician at Dell Children's Medical Center and passion for health systems pharmacy inspired her to become involved in ASHP during pharmacy school. Her involvement began with UT's SSHP, where she served as co-chair of the Pediatrics Committee in her first year of school. As she became more involved in UT-SSHP, transitioning into committee coordinator and president consecutively, she was inspired to become involved in the local, state, and national levels of ASHP.
As she progressed through school, Adriana served in a variety of capacities, including within the AASHP technician-at-large role, TSHP Student Section Executive Committee, ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group, and ASHP Council on Pharmacy Practice. In her third year, she was a member of the inaugural ASHP Foundation Medication Safety Scholars Program in partnership with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the Emily Jerry Foundation. Through this program, she learned about the importance of medication safety and process improvement for delivering care to patients. She also helped develop resources for students to learn more about this area of pharmacy practice. She currently serves as chair of the TSHP Student Section Executive Committee, using her leadership experiences to serve and advocate for all students across Texas.
Additionally, she completed an APPE in association management at ASHP, where she gained invaluable experiences in leadership, professional advocacy, and project management. Upon graduating, she looks forward to continuing to develop into a future leader in the profession. As an aspiring pharmacy director, Adriana's mission is to foster an inclusive environment while promoting a just culture and practice advancement to provide safe, high-quality patient care for all patients.
Class of 2024 Recipients
Alexis Axtell
Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy
Alexis Axtell is a PharmD Candidate at Northeast Ohio Medical University in the Class of 2024. Alexis currently serves as her school's SSHP chapter president and has been involved in the organization since her P1 year. She has been given the opportunity to attend ASHP's Summer Meetings & Exhibition and Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, where she learned valuable information and made connections with pharmacists across the country. She has been able to successfully bring this information back to her chapter and connect students with pharmacists that she has been introduced to through these events. Additionally, she has leadership roles in the American Pharmacists Association student chapter as well as Industry Pharmacists Organization at her school. Alexis is a clinical intern at the Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, where she has spent time rotating through multiple clinical specialties and conducting research in the neurology department. Alexis is extremely passionate about pharmacy and is ecstatic to see where this career takes her.
Allison M. Bicker
Northeastern University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Allison Bicker is a 2024 PharmD candidate at Northeastern University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is currently finishing her term as president of the Northeastern SSHP chapter. During her tenure, she created a novel state-wide student-pharmacist mentorship program in association with the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP). In its first year, the program connected 75 pairs of practicing pharmacists with students from each of the four pharmacy schools in Massachusetts. Allison’s experiences with her local SSHP chapter inspired her to become more involved within ASHP at both the state and national level. She currently serves on the MSHP Student Committee as a student representative and is a member of the Pharmacy Student Forum serving on the Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group.
Throughout her time at Northeastern, Allison has participated in myriad professional student organizations, including serving as vice president of Phi Delta Chi professional pharmacy fraternity as well as a member of the Rho Chi Honor Society and Phi Lambda Sigma. She also concurrently serves on the Northeastern University College of Health Science Student Advisory Council and School of Pharmacy Assessment Committee. Allison has also represented the Class of 2024 as an elected class representative for four consecutive years. Outside of Northeastern, Allison’s passion for health-system pharmacy has grown through her internships at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she has worked in the central pharmacy, emergency department, and now works as an intern for the health-system pharmacy administration, a position that she created. Following graduation, Allison hopes to pursue a residency in health-system administration.
Jordan Fortunato
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy
Jordan Fortunato is a Class of 2024 PharmD candidate at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. Ever since the beginning of his pharmacy journey, Jordan has expressed passion for health-system pharmacy and the various opportunities to lead teams, serve the community, and advocate for the profession. Specifically, Jordan is a clinical pharmacy intern at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, where he supported diverse interdisciplinary teams, learning from inspiring and supportive preceptors, and completing various research projects and projects to advance current pharmacy practice. Additionally, Jordan is heavily involved within his college’s SSHP chapter, serving as P1 liaison, president-elect, and president, to inspire and support fellow students with a passion for advancing patient care.
Jordan is also involved in both his OSHP state affiliate through the professional affairs division and ASHP on the national level by serving as a member of the Pharmacy Student Forum’s Student Society Development Advisory Group. Jordan is also president and founder of the first oncology-focused organization at the college of pharmacy. He looks forward to using these leadership and clinical experiences to best support future healthcare teams and pay it forward to those in need.
Michael Nnamdi Nome
University Wisconsin Madison School of Pharmacy
Michael Nnamdi Nome is a PharmD candidate at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Pharmacy, set to graduate in 2024. Michael's journey in the healthcare field began with a BS in general studies, specializing in nuclear medicine technology, with minors in biology and chemistry, at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. He achieved the highest honors.
Michael is a leader among his peers and is actively engaged in SSHP, serving as the chapter's president. Michael has played a pivotal role in promoting ASHP’s PAI, professional development programs, professional advocacy initiatives, and health-system pharmacy in his chapter. He has also designed and executed strategies to enhance student collaborations and bridge health disparity gaps.
In addition to his involvement with SSHP, Michael is president of his APhA-ASP chapter. He also represents his chapter's Rho Chi Pharmacy Honors Society as a student senate representative and as the Christian Pharmacy Fellowship International hospitality coordinator. Michael advocates for the pharmacy profession by participating on the student board of directors at the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin and publishing in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin.
In addition to his active involvement in various student organizations, Michael holds positions as a clinical research associate, a pharmacy intern at CVS Pharmacy and the William Middleton Madison VA, a teacher's assistant at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Pharmacy, and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Divine Trinity Schools in Nigeria. Michael's passion and dedication to the pharmacy profession and the healthcare community are evident in his diverse and multifaceted contributions.
Nicholas P. Sandusky
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
Nick Sandusky is a 2024 PharmD candidate at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP). He completed two years of pre-pharmacy coursework at the University of Kentucky. Nick serves as president of the UKCOP SSHP. He is also very involved with the Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Kentucky Pharmacists Association.
Nick has served in ASHP at the national level, first as a member and work group leader for the Pharmacy Student Forum’s Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group and now as the vice chair of the Residency Preparation Advisory Group. Additionally, Nick is the current treasurer for the UKCOP Chi Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma. Beyond school involvement, Nick works as a pharmacist intern at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Medical Center. Following graduation, he hopes to complete a PGY1 residency followed by a PGY2 specialty residency in emergency medicine.
Heather Yen
University of Southern California School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Heather Yen is in the Class of 2024 at the University of Southern California Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She was born and raised in Clovis, New Mexico, and received a BS in biochemistry in 2019 from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Now attending USC as a PharmD candidate, Heather has been heavily involved with the American Pharmacy Student Alliance (APSA), serving as a representative in her first year, ASHP/California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) president-elect in her second year, and finally as the ASHP/CSHP president during her third year. During her time in APSA, Heather has had many opportunities to foster professional development, host networking events with pharmacy professionals, serve as a liaison at the local, state, and national level, as well as oversee nearly 40 board members. She now currently serves as the president of the Phi Lambda Sigma Phi Chapter at USC and as a co-chair of CSHP’s Student Section Executive Committee. She is also actively involved as a Margaret and John Biles Student Ambassador, South Bay/Long Beach Society of Health-System Pharmacists student liaison and communications chair, Rho Chi Society member, and student admissions committee member.
Heather is currently an intern pharmacist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, which became a pivotal point in her pharmacy journey, as it inspired her to pursue a PGY-1 acute care residency upon graduation, and potentially a PGY-2 in pharmacy administration. She is passionate about serving others, building connections, and mentoring peers to pursue leadership in pharmacy to further advocate for the profession. Heather hopes to share her various experiences as a student leader with others to encourage involvement and inspire professional growth.
2021-2022 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2022 Recipients
Aliyah Cruz
University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Aliyah Cruz is a fourth-year student pharmacist from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Originally from Cherry Point, NC, a small military base on the coast of North Carolina. It was her experience growing up as a Latinx female in a predominately white, southern, rural town where she learned how diverse the underserved community could really be.
Upon entering pharmacy school, Aliyah knew that she wanted to be involved in her community and serve not only the underserved, but also help promote minority healthcare professionals that she did not see growing up. Following this mission, Aliyah quickly joined initiatives that allowed her to pursue her passions and interests. This included being involved as an Outreach Director for a local free clinic in the Triangle area of North Carolina, as well as being involved in national leadership for the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), with her serving as National President for the 21-22 years. With her involvement in SNPhA, Aliyah has been able to serve as a voice on DEI initiatives in other spaces, such as ASHP. Through ASHP, Aliyah has been able to work on a podcast and a recorded webinar on DEI in pharmacy spaces, serve on the Pharmacy Student Forum in the DEI subcommittee of the Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group, as well as work as an Extern for ASHP and develop materials for the DEI focused Guided Mentorship program.
Moving forward, Aliyah is excited to continue her journey of leadership and advocacy as an incoming HSPAL resident at UW Health. While her interests vary across the pharmacy professions in topics such as population health, informatics, policy, and 340B, Aliyah is steady in her desire of support minority populations and making an impact on each community she is in.
Christopher Hall
University of Florida College of Pharmacy
Chris is member of the University of Florida (UF) College of Pharmacy Class of 2022. His involvement with ASHP began with UF’s SSHP chapter where he served as the vice president of oncology and the clinical skills competition coordinator simultaneously for two years. Through those positions he was inspired to become involved with ASHP on a regional and national level and currently serves on the Professional Affairs Council for FSHP and the Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group (APPAG) for ASHP. During his time at UF, Chris has served in a wide variety of professional student organizations including Phi Delta Chi, Phi Lambda Sigma, Student Council, NCODA, HOPA, APhA, and as a student ambassador for the college. Chris has also been completing a longitudinal pharmacy internship at UF Health and UF Health Jacksonville over the past 4 years. Chris has matched with the University of Kansas Health System (KU) to pursue his PGY1 & PGY2 in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership with a master’s degree. He strives to continue learning and developing his leadership skills at KU over the next two years.
Brian Kam
Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Brian Kam is a fourth-year pharmacy student (Class of 2022) at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Before pharmacy school, he chartered Binghamton University’s Pre-Pharmacy Association where he found a passion for leadership and inspiring others. During pharmacy school, Brian assumed the roles of P1 Liaison (2018-2019), President-Elect (2019-2020), and President (2020-2021) for the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy. He also served the Student Liaison role for the Southern Tier Society of Health-System Pharmacists (STSHP) and the Southern Tier Grassroots Advocacy Committee. In these roles, Brian coordinated a webinar with Miss America, raised money for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, and helped organize legislative meetings with local senators and assemblypersons for the New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists (NYSCHP) Advocacy Week. Other leadership roles outside of ASHP include serving as the Student Dean for the Pharmacy School (2019-2020), Secretary for Phi Lambda Sigma Epsilon Iota (2021-2022), and a member of Phi Lambda Sigma’s National Communications Committee (2020-2021). Following graduation, Brian will be a PGY-1 pharmacy resident at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital where he hopes to continue to develop my leadership skills and advocate for the pharmacy profession.
Class of 2023 Recipients
Diana Dang
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy
Diana Dang is a 2023 PharmD candidate at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Pharmacy. Her passion for health-system pharmacy has led her to become involved through serving as President of her SSHP and UGA Student Representative of the Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists Board of Directors. At the national level, she is a member of the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Student Society Development Advisory Group. She also holds leadership positions in other student organizations. Currently, she serves as the Vice-President of the Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Society and Secretary of the Rho Chi Honor Society. Outside of school, she works as a Pharmacy Intern at Wellstar Health System, and is involved with research in critical care pharmacotherapy. In the future, she hopes to pursue a residency with long-term goals of becoming a critical care pharmacist.
Lauren Dietz
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
Lauren Dietz and is a PharmD/MSPS candidate in the Class of 2023 at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP). She is currently finishing my term as the President of the UKCOP SSHP chapter. Lauren is also involved in ASHP at the national level as a member of the Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group, and with the Kentucky state affiliate, KSHP, as a member of the Pharmacy Practice Committee. Outside of ASHP, she serves as the Vice President of the UKCOP Rho Chi Chapter and spends her additional time working as inpatient intern at UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
Michelle Johnston
University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
Michelle Johnston is a 2023 PharmD candidate at the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. Her leadership experiences in pharmacy organizations this year include serving as the president of her SSHP chapter, Operation Diabetes Patient Care Chair for APhA, and Treasurer for ACCP. Outside of school, Michelle devotes her time to her internship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and serves as a Resident Advisor on campus.
Zachary Krauss
Cedarville University School of Pharmacy
Zach Krauss is a third-year student pharmacist at Cedarville University School of Pharmacy. Before pharmacy school he received a bachelor of science in pharmaceutical science, a bachelor of science in molecular biology, as well as a bachelor of arts in music. He received his MBA with a focus in healthcare administration in 2021.
Zach has been involved in the Cedarville University Student Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. He began his involvement as an undergraduate student as the Marketing and Engagement Committee Co-Chair, moving into a position as secretary, which he has held locally for the past three years during graduate school. He has also served in ASHP on the national scale, serving first as a member of the Pharmacy Student Forum Student Society Development Advisory Group (PSF SSDAG) where he served as the workgroup lead for the Liaison Webinar workgroup and as a member on the Spotlight workgroup. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the same advisory group and will be serving as the Chair during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Outside of his involvement in ASHP, Zach has also served in pharmacy organizations on campus including SNPhA, APhA-ASP, SCCP, CPFI, Kappa Psi, and his pharmacy student council. He currently holds a job at a local Walgreens pharmacy, a long-term care pharmacy, a managed care consulting company, and also works in research for his school of pharmacy. He is personally interested in ambulatory care pharmacy and mental health/psychiatric focus areas, with a strong passion for serving the underserved and offering affordable services to those in need.
Carolyn Kusoski
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy
Carolyn Kusoski is a Class of 2023 PharmD candidate at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. From the start of pharmacy school, her passion has been in health-system pharmacy, sparked by her first pharmacy experience as a pharmacy technician at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Carolyn continued on as a clinical inpatient intern, as well as began as a pharmacy administration intern at the James Cancer Hospital to expand her health-system pharmacy experiences. She immediately got involved in the SSHP chapter and served as P1 liaison, President-Elect, and currently as President to support and uplift students to stay curious and pursue their own individual passions. Carolyn also became involved in her ASHP state affiliate through their organizational divisions, and national involvement by serving as a member on the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum's Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group. Her experiences thus far have given her the skills and confidence to serve as an advocate for the profession.
Kaitlin McFarland
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego
Kaitlin McFarland is a PharmD candidate in the Class of 2023 at UC San Diego (UCSD) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She has enjoyed being an active member of professional pharmacy organization student chapters throughout her time in pharmacy school, particularly as President of UCSD’s ASHP Student Society. Kaitlin has also made an impact in her community as an immunization manager at the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinics, where she and her team were able to obtain and administer Shingrix, Pneumovax 23, and Prevnar 13 vaccines to many of San Diego’s undocumented folks. She also served as a member of the California Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (CSHP) Student Section Executive Committee, where she helped to implement student programming at the 2021 CSHP Seminar. Kaitlin has also enjoyed bonding with her classmates as the P3 Social Chair, and has grown her passion for inpatient pharmacy services and pediatrics as a pharmacist intern at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
Brittney Sjulstad
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Brittney is a third year pharmacy student at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, graduating in 2023. She has served on numerous organization executive boards throughout her time at CU, including her role as President of CU's student-society of health-systems pharmacists. She is an intern at Children's Hospital Colorado, and hopes to pursue a residency in pharmacy administration in her future.
Class of 2024 Recipients
Haley McKeefer
University of North Texas Health Science Center College of Pharmacy
Haley McKeefer is a Class of 2024 PharmD/MHA candidate at the University of North Texas Health Science Center College of Pharmacy in Fort Worth, TX. She currently serves ASHP as the PSF Advancement of Professional Practice Advisory Group’s Well-being & Resilience Charge Lead. Haley has held multiple pharmacy leadership roles, most notably as Student Editor of the Texas Journal of Health-Systems Pharmacists, Social Media Coordinator for Metroplex Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, and 2021 & 2022 APhA Region 6 Midyear Regional Meeting Coordinator. Her current practice interests include infectious disease, health-system administration, and pharmacy advocacy.
Khushali Sarnot
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville School of Pharmacy
Khushali Sarnot is a P2 at Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. Sarnot completed two years of the undergraduate prerequisites for the School of pharmacy on main campus at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Sarnot was the recipient of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) summer internship for summer 2021. She is also highly involved with the school of pharmacy serving as the Class Vice President and historian, President-Elect, and president for the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP), and Fundraising and Social Chair for the American Pharmacists Association- Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). Sarnot is the Secretary and treasurer for Phi Lambda Kappa and a member of the Rho Chi honor society and Lambda Kappa Sigma professional fraternity. Sarnot is also involved in her university’s Indian Student Association on main campus. Along with being involved at school and serving in many executive positions, Sarnot also brought her passion project Love For Our Elders volunteering program to her class and to SSHP. Aside from school, Sarnot works as a Pharmacy Intern in St. Louis, Missouri at a major level 1 trauma center at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. In her free time, Sarnot likes to give back to the community by volunteering at immunization clinics. Her hobbies include knitting, painting, and baking. After pharmacy school, Sarnot is planning on pursuing a residency and learning more about the profession of pharmacy. Sarnot is very grateful for the opportunity ASHP provided to her through the Student Leadership Award and hopes to use it in paving the path for the profession of pharmacy.
2020-2021 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2021 Recipients
Chloe Ortbals
University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
Chloe is a member University of Kansas (KU) School of Pharmacy Class of 2021. During 2019-2020 school year, Chloe assumed the role as President of the KU SSHP chapter. She also served as the student liaison to the Kansas Council of Health System Pharmacy (KCHP) Board of Directors. Chloe currently serves on the ASHP Student Leadership and Career Development Advisory Committee where she has had the opportunity to interact with other student pharmacists across the country. Victoria matched with a PGY1 & PGY2 Health-System Administration and Leadership with Masters Residency program where she hopes to continue to develop her leadership skills and advance the profession forward post-graduation.
Matty Zimmerman
Jefferson College of Pharmacy
Matty has a passion for serving her community, contributing to the field of pharmacy and empowering others. She found her professional home within ASHP early in her pharmacy career, serving as SSHP President at her university, joining the Delaware Valley Society of Health-System Pharmacists Student Workgroup, and expanding her leadership to ASHP national through her involvement in the Pharmacy Student Forum Residency Preparation Advisory Group. To further explore her interest in health-system pharmacy, Matty works as a pharmacy intern at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Matty also serves her community through her work with “C a Difference”, a hepatitis C testing and linkage-to-care program in Philadelphia. Looking to the future, Matty is excited to continue to refine her leadership skills and serve her community as a pharmacy resident at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Samantha Lewiston
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Samantha is a Class of 2021 Doctor of Pharmacy student at the University of Wisconsin. She has been involved extensively in professional organizations thus far in her career including ASHP, APhA, the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW), Phi Delta Chi, Rho Chi and Phi Lambda Sigma. She completed an internship at PSW and held leadership positions in her SSHP chapter. Samantha also recently completed an APPE rotation with ASHP's Government Relations team. She will soon be moving to Salt Lake City, UT for her Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) residency at the University of Utah.
Sara Leidy
Purdue University College of Pharmacy
Sara is a member of the Purdue University College of Pharmacy Class of 2021. Throughout her time at Purdue, Sara has served in a variety of exciting leadership positions. Her involvement with ASHP started by joining Purdue’s SSHP chapter during her pre-pharmacy years. Sara held a position as an event chair for two years, then served as president-elect, and president the following years. This experience sparked her interest to become in ASHP at the national level. She currently serves as a workgroup lead on the Residency Preparation Advisory Group (ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum). Sara is also a member of the Rho Chi Society, the Career Development Club, the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and the Academic Success Center at Purdue University.
Class of 2022 Recipients
Elizabeth Sauers
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, University of the Sciences
Elizabeth (Liz) is a 2022 Pharm.D candidate at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. After years of involvement and leadership within the student chapter and the state affiliate, Liz became the President as a P3 student and joined the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum's Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group. Outside of ASHP, Liz is a basic life support instructor on the University of the Sciences' CPR Leadership Team. She is a member of Rho Chi Honor Society, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, and volunteers in COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
Hana Sacic
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy
Hana Sacic is a 2022 Pharm.D. Candidate at The Ohio State University (OSU). Hana has served as the President, President-Elect, and Workforce Wellbeing and Resilience chair within her SSHP chapter. At the national level, Hana has been a member of the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum where she served on the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice Advisory Group. In the future, she hopes to pursue a residency with long-term goals of being a hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist specialist.
Kristine Nguyen
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy
Kristine is a 3rd year pharmacy student at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. She currently serves as student chapter president of the Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists, a recognized ASHP student society. Additionally, she is a member of ASHP's Pharmacy Student Forum Student Society Development Advisory Group.
Lauren Stigers
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
Lauren is a member of the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP) Class of 2022. She was the President-Elect of UKCOP's SSHP chapter her second year and the President during her third year. She also serves as a work group lead in the Pharmacy Student Forum Community and eCommunications Advisory Group. Within the state affiliate, Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Lauren is a board member as well as a member of the Membership and Marketing Committee. Outside of ASHP, Lauren provides physical wellness opportunities for students and is the social chair for her class.
Victoria Grusauskas
University of Florida College of Pharmacy - Gainesville Campus
Victoria is a third-year student at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy- Gainesville campus. Victoria’s current leadership experiences include SSHP chapter President, pharmacy intern at Select Medical, and Equal Access Clinic Operations Officer. Equal Access Clinic is the largest free, student run clinic across the nation. Most recently, she expanded the role of pharmacists by providing pharmacy services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virginia San Juan
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Virginia is a 2022 Doctor of Pharmacy candidate at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). Her involvement with ASHP started before matriculating into pharmacy school when she helped write and perform a song about the Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI) for NEOMEDs submission to the ASHP PAI video competition. She has served as P1 representative, President-Elect, and is the current President for the NEOMED SSHP chapter. Outside of school, Virginia devotes her time to volunteer service, her internship at University Hospitals Parma Medical Center, and her family’s Filipino food truck business as Head of Marketing and Communications. To assist with the COVID-19 vaccination efforts, Virginia has volunteered her time to prepare vaccines at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic in Cleveland, OH.
Class of 2023 Recipients
Nathan Falls
Mercer University College of Pharmacy
Nathan is a member of the Mercer University College of Pharmacy Class of 2023. Currently, Nathan has the privilege of serving as the President-elect of his school's chapter of the Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists as well as treasurer for the Class of 2023. He has a passion for institutional pharmacy and a strong desire to serve. In his spare time, Nathan enjoys watching Atlanta sports and spending time with my family and friends.
Neel Swamy
University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Neel is a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Public Health (MPH) dual degree candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with an anticipated graduation in May 2023. Neel is a firm believer of team-centered leadership, and strives to make a positive difference at UNC by leaning into his core values of generosity and inclusion. At the University of North Carolina, Neel has served in a number of student leadership roles, including Pharmacy Coordinator for the Student Health Action Coalition, the Director of Student Affairs for the Graduate and Professional Student Federation, and the President-Elect of the UNC chapter of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP). Neel was recently elected to serve as the 2021-2022 President of the UNC Graduate and Professional Student Government, in which he will lead graduate student government in advocating for the needs and interests of UNC's 10,000+ graduate and professional students.
2019-2020 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2020 Recipients
Leah Selznick
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Falls Church, VA
Leah’s leadership accomplishments began early in her pharmacy education, abiding by her school’s vision to become “a transformational leader in pharmacy education, clinical practice and clinical and pharmaceutical research.” Leah’s efforts have encompassed health-systems practice through her internships and rotations, a strong affinity for research, and numerous academic presentations. In addition to her robust academic record, she has stayed active through a number of volunteer positions. Leah began on a local level, serving as the treasurer for her student society, and later elevated her involvement nationally, by joining ASHP’s Pharmacy Student Forum Policy and Legislative Advocacy Advisory Group. Leah plans to continue to grow personally and professionally, as she pursues further training through residency.
Jessica Shelley
Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ada, OH
Jessica believes that in order to be a strong and successful leader it is essential to motivate others towards a shared goal. As a young leader, she has exemplified this belief on multiple accounts. Jessica actively took on the role of a mentor to younger students, helping them navigate both academics and volunteer opportunities. While guiding others, she became involved on a local level, in her role as SSHP President, state level through her ASHP State Affiliate, and expanded her leadership to ASHP national, through her involvement in the Pharmacy Student Forum Student Society Development Advisory Group. Her servant leadership is showcased beyond her formal leadership titles, as she took on a student internship to help manage patients on anticoagulation therapy, and continues to participate in multiple community projects providing for those in need.
Class of 2021 Recipients
Uzo Abajue
Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Houston, TX
Uzo has worked to cultivate her leadership skills and abilities from the very start of her pharmacy career, as a P1 student. Her first leadership role was serving as class president, from there, she became SSHP president, entered the Student Section Executive Committee of her ASHP State Affiliate, and joined ASHP national. Uzo’s passion for pharmacy is evident through not only her volunteer spirit, but also her active engagement with health-system practice. She was selected to complete a longitudinal, three-year internship with Houston Methodist Hospital and within one year earned the honor of “Intern of the Year” for her continued contributions to education, research and patient care. Uzo takes pride in her work but recognizes that leadership outcomes are the work of multiple people acting as a team. She intends to continue serving others and work towards advancing the pharmacy profession.
Alfred Awuah
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Augusta, GA
Alfred has had a passion for leadership and involvement in professional organizations since the beginning pharmacy school. Within the first month of school, he was admitted into the Dean’s Student Advisory Council as his class representative, and shortly after expanded his involvement through his SSHP and other pharmacy organizations. As his experience grew, so did his passion for giving back to the profession, eventually becoming a volunteer for ASHP on a national level, through participation in ASHP’s the Pharmacy Student Forum Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group. Aside from volunteering, Alfred has also dedicated his time to patient care, through a robust internship with the Augusta University Medical Center’s Pharmacy Internship Program, where he completes both clinical and operational tasks, such as sterile and nonsterile compounding. Alfred continues his pharmacy journey through hard work and volunteering, being a firm believer that true success stems from of being personable, open to suggestions, and leading by example.
Amy Guisinger
University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Amy’s strengths come from leading by example and through inclusion. Her strong volunteer spirit and dedication to pharmacy have been apparent in both her academic and work paths. Amy serves as Chief Pharmacy Intern for the UNC Medical Center, responsible for both clinical and administrative tasks. Her dedication to advancing pharmacy is displayed not only through her strong work ethic, but also through her academic accomplishments and volunteer leadership. Amy has been involved with multiple research projects and co-authored several articles and publications. She also serves as the Professional Development chair for the UNC Graduate and Professional Student Government, representing 11,000+ students, while engaging with ASHP as part of the Pharmacy Student Forum Community and eCommunications Advisory Group. Amy’s drive for involvement and a variety of experiences as a student stems from her strong belief that student experiences shape one’s entire career.
Morgan Jones
University of Cincinnati James L.Winkle College of Pharmacy, Cincinnati, OH
Morgan’s interest in health-system pharmacy was evident from the very start of her academic career. Over the past 3 years, she has been interning at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, a role that opened the doors for her volunteer involvement. Early on, Morgan joined her ASHP State Affiliate, and local SSHP, running for office and offering her time and energy to expand and improve student programs. Along with her work on a student level, and her clinical engagements through her internship, Morgan has been involved in research, with several active publications and additional projects in progress. Morgan’s drive and passion for pharmacy continue to get stronger as she continues to engage with the profession. She is an active patient advocate and feels that medication safety is vital to a pharmacist’s role.
Amee Joshi
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH
Amee’s primary interest has been in health-system pharmacy, ever since starting pharmacy school. Her passion led her to pursue a pharmacy internship program at Mount Carmel East Hospital, working alongside many clinical pharmacists in multiple satellites and services. Amee’s work extends beyond her time as an intern, through volunteering. Among multiple student roles, she was elected as her SSHP president, and helps represent her colleagues on a state level, through involvement with her ASHP State Affiliate. Amee plans to pursue a health-systems residency with emphasis on administration, in an effort to grow her clinical knowledge base but also expand on her leadership skills. As a leader, Amee believes that in order to advance and succeed, everyone on the team must be are able to invest in common goals.
Kaveh Oloumi
Midwestern University College of Pharmacy-Glendale, Glendale, AZ
Kaveh’s passion for the field of pharmacy, advocacy, and betterment of the ever-changing field of pharmacy practice is evident through his health-system involvement and volunteer leadership. Early on, he spent many years as a medical scribe and later pharmacy technician, earning his IV compounding certification and becoming a lead technician. After entering his professional studies, his passion lead him to pursue national and local involvement through ASHP’s Pharmacy Student Forum Career and Leadership Development Advisory Group, and active engagement with his student society. As Kaveh continues to grow professionally throughout his academic career, he attributes his most memorable milestones to his family and mentors who have supported him on a daily basis.
Class of 2022 Recipients
Athena Triglia
Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ada, OH
Athena has a love for learning, and excitement to continuously challenge herself, develop, and improve. Early in her pharmacy school career she obtained an internship with OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, working on sterile compounding and patient education. As a firm believer that learning does not stop outside the classroom, she set to develop and grow professionally by engaging in research and professional writing. She became an official writer for her university, joined a lab to study melanoma, and participated in practice-based research on medication reconciliation. Athena’s strong work ethic is translated in her internship, her academic, but also her extracurricular involvement. She is a student athlete, engages with numerous organizations, including ASHP national and her ASHP State Affiliate, and holds the role of President-Elect for her SSHP. From being part of a team, to leading a team Athena finds that uniting a group of individuals towards a shared goal is a strength she wants to continue to cultivate and apply both in the softball field and her clinical practice.
2018-2019 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2019 Recipients
Emily Buatois
Purdue University College of Pharmacy
Emily has proven herself to be a motivational leader and an inspiration to others. She was elected President-Elect of the Purdue Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists and served as President the following year. Emily has shown a passion for education as a teaching assistant at the Purdue University College of Pharmacy. She has also been involved in research with a focus on diabetes management and a focus on anticoagulation in rural western Kenya. Emily has held leadership positions in other organizations which include the Rho Chi Society as the Assisting Classmates to Elevate Success Chair, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society as the Secretary, Purdue Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists as the Red Dress and Tie Event Committee Chair, and the Purdue Pharmacy Ambassadors as a Recruitment Committee Member.
Geannette Green
University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy
Geannette is an inspiration to anyone that is interested in healthcare at the global level. Geannette’s passion for providing healthcare in global communities began with her participation in the Ecela Spanish Immersion Program in Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru. There Geannette volunteered and shadowed at a local clinic and hospital to gain healthcare experience in different cultural settings. Shortly after this experience, Geannette went to Piedras Negras, Mexico for a one day clinic with the Hill Country Bible Church Medical Mission. At this clinic, she collaborated with a team to develop a medication dispensing area, implemented a standardized medication formulary, updated medication inventory, dispensed medication, and counseled patients. The following year, Geannette travelled to Yangon, Myanmar to take part in a four day clinic for the Be the Change Global Outreach Medical Mission. There she collaborated with a team to prepare a medication dispensing area, perform physical assessments, dispense medication, counsel patients, and develop a dehydration prevention presentation for a clinic of 650 patients. Geannette has served as a Senior and Junior Project Collaborate Representative for the University of Texas at Austin Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (UTSSHP). She is the founding member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. She has also been a Student Ambassador, Mentor, Curriculum Committee Member, and Project Collaborate Co-Chair at her school. She was the Treasurer for The University of Texas at Austin Black Graduate Student Association.
Lauren Hammond
Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy
Lauren has been a leader since her first year in pharmacy school when she was elected as the Alpha Delta Pi Chapter President. This was only the beginning of Lauren’s leadership and involvement in the pharmacy profession. She is on the Medication Management Section Advisory Group Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners within ASHP and on the Student Affairs Standing Committee for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Lauren is on the Student and Resident Activities Committee as well as the Education Committee for the Alabama Society of Health-System Pharmacists. She is also on the Annual Meeting Campaign Team, the Operation Immunization Committee, and the “Mr. MSOP” Committee for APhA-ASP. She was elected to the Media Relations Coordinator position for APhA-ASP. Lauren is also the Class of 2019 Fundraising Chair and Student Ambassador. Lauren’s leadership is also exemplified by her involvement in many volunteer and community service activies. She frequently participates in immunization clinics and health screening fairs. She has volunteered as the ASHP Experience Center Volunteer at the Midyear Clinical Meeting in December of 2018. Lauren is also active in her community, giving her time at the Ronald McDonald House Charities, as an endocrinology clinic aide at Children’s of Alabama, as well as volunteering at various camps, a blood drive, and on a Mission Trip to Montrouis, Haiti.
Daniel Pons
University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
Daniel has taken an active leadership role in his school and community. He has served as the President of the Kansas University Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy and he is currently the Chair of the Career Development and Education Advisory Group within the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum. Daniel is also the Chair of the Professional Development and Student Subcommittee in the Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacy (KCHP), the Alumni Liaison of the Kansas University Phi Lambda Sigma Beta Iota Chapter, and a Mentor and Student Ambassador at the Kansas University School of Pharmacy. In addition to Daniel’s leadership positions he also finds time to volunteer in his community. Daniel has participated in community service projects such as the Kansas University Big Event where he helped to rake and clean yards for the elderly, through flu clinics and health fairs providing immunizations and health screenings to individuals in the community, as well as promoting the pharmacy profession at school science clubs.
Nicholas Pugliese
University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy
Nicholas has demonstrated his commitment to the pharmacy profession through his involvement in professional organizations as well as his volunteerism in his community. Nicholas was the President-Elect of the SSHP UConn Chapter where he scheduled and coordinated Clinical Specialist and Residency Director Nights. He is the founding member and secretary of the American College of Clinical Pharmacists - Student College of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy (SCCP UConn). Nicholas was also the Alumni Committee Chair for the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Secretary for the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, and a Representative for the class of 2019 UConn Pharmacy Alumni Association. Some of his volunteer work includes Presentations on Poison Prevention, conferences, and CE events. Nicholas has also worked in a multidisciplinary clinic and on interprofessional teams to evaluate and treat patients.
Class of 2020 Recipients
Justin Culshaw
University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy
Justin has an awareness of those surrounding him, making him an effective leader. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration amongst individuals in varying organizations and professions. Justin has served as the President and Professional Development Chair/President Elect of the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island. He is currently serving on the ASHP Student Society Development Advisory Group. He has a passion for interprofessional collaboration and expresses that passion through his volunteer activies and involvement in organizations. Justin holds several positions that promote collaboration, he is the Student Event Coordinator for the Interprofessional Education Task Force, Coordinator as well as past Student Pharmacist Team Member for the Rhode Island Care Planning Collaborative, a Scientific Collaborator and Academic/Creative Material Creator for the Creating Outreach About Addiction Together (COAAST) initiative, and as a Student Chair on the Diversity Committee at the University of Rhode Island. Justin also has the opportunity to obtain a global perspective while completing a semester at sea studying abroad during his pharmacy education. He is a talented individual, spending his free time as a singer, guitarist, leading actor, camp counselor, theatre director/intern, and run crew at the University of Rhode Island Theatre.
David Giang
University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy
David has embraced the role of leader and has never ceased to improve himself and those around him. David is the current President of the SSHP at University of Texas and previously served as Secretary. He previously served on the Student Society Development Advisory Group for ASHP. He was President of the Longhorn Pre-Pharmacy Association where he initiated the first pharmacy tours at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy. He has held positions at the St. David’s Medical Center Student Advisory Committee as a Board Member and Chair. He also served as the Community Service Chair at the Hispanic Association of Pharmacists, the P1 and P2 Class Representative for the Pharmacy Council, the Social Chair and local Mental Health Chair with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), part of the Core Team for Primary Care Progress, the Social Chair, Membership Vice President, and Communications Vice President for APhA-ASP. He was the Education Committee Chair for the Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA) and was part of the Student Section Executive Committee for the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP). David has served as the National Mental Health Chair for the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). David’s commitment to advancing the profession and developing others can be seen not only in his organizational involvement, but also through his teaching experience. David has served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. He has also provided Academic Tutoring in Biopharmaceutics, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Drug Targets, and Pharmaceutics Lab.
Hannah Hecht
University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Pharmacy
Hannah has a passion for research and helping others. She has worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator and Assistant at Froedtert and The Medical College of Wisconsin Division of Gynecological Oncology and as a Research Assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Pharmacy. She is a Student Connections Leader providing mentoring for first-year pharmacy students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Pharmacy Student Connections Program. She is also a Student Ambassador, assisting in mock interviews and campus tours for prospective pharmacy students as well as serving on the student-panel for pharmacy school admissions interviews. Hannah was also the President of the Wisconsin Society of Pharmacy Students (WSPS) where she served as the Chapter President of both APhA-ASP and SSHP. Hannah also had the opportunity to complete the Veteran Affairs Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) in Madison, MI where she was able to increase her clinical skills and clinical judgement.
Jenny Quynh Tho Nguyen
MCPHS University School of Pharmacy - Boston
Jenny has demonstrated excellence in pharmacy leadership. She is the current President of ASHP-SSHP at MCPHS University. She is the Chair for the Community and eCommunciation Advisory Group (CeCAG) within the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum. She is the Student Representative for the MCPHS University Vice President of Academic Affairs Search Committee. Jenny is also on the Outreach Committee for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy PK/PD/PG Practice and Research Network (PRN) where she utilizes social media to expand the visibility and utilization of PK/PD/PG PRN. She has served as the Student Representative for the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacy (MSHP) and the Treasurer of SSHP. Jenny also has an interest in Research and has been a Research Assistant at MCPHS University as well as the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA, and the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA. An interesting fact about Jenny is that she is fluent in English, Norwegian, Vietnamese, and is intermediate in Spanish.
Cassandra Schmitt
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy
Cassandra’s passion and dedication to the pharmacy profession has been demonstrated not only through her involvement but also through her work with Pfizer Consumer Healthcare where she was an Analytical R&D Contractor and Product Design Scientist. Cassandra is currently serving as the President of the Student Chapter of the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SVSHP). She simultaneously holds other leadership positions in the Virginia Pharmacists Association Academy of New and Future Practitioners (VPhA ANFP) as the Secretary and the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists as the VPhA Liaison. Last year, Cassandra completed the Veteran Affairs Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) in Ann Arbor, MI where she had the opportunity to increase her clinical skills and clinical judgement. Cassandra also volunteers her time by taking part in immunization and blood pressure clinics, the drug take-back day booth, advocating for the pharmacy profession at the Virginia State Capitol, and being a student volunteer.
2017-2018 Student Leadership Award Recipients
Class of 2018 Recipients
Allyssa R. Webb
University of Florida School of Pharmacy, St. Petersburg, FL
Allyssa has proven over the course of her education to not just be a motivational leader in the pharmacy profession but also one with the ability to inspire future leaders and strongly embrace the ideals of SSHP. She has served as Chair for the Pharmacy Student Forum Leadership Development Advisory Group, President of the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FSHP) at the University of Florida, and served as the historian for Rho Chi Iota. Among her many leadership roles, Allyssa has also presented several posters in numerous different forums from topics ranging from Medication Evaluations in Organ Transplant Recipients to the Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Led Prediabetes Education Consult Service. Allyssa continues to advance the field of pharmacy via her aforementioned posters, usage of clinical methods within her place of work, continued research, and encouragement of fellow students. As a former distance runner, Allyssa has proven that she can go the distance in any challenge she embarks on.
Ashley M. Lorenz
University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA
Ashley’s background has proven her a dominant force of Practice Advancement Initiative with instincts that should help to promote the future of PAI either via her ideas to spread the word through the student body in the way of added SSHP information or as a clinician as she steps out of the student sector and into the role of a practicing pharmacist. She has been a contributing member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists operating as a Student Forum member, namely sitting on the Student Leadership Development Committee. Ashley has also received her Master’s in Public Health while writing her practicum she had a strong desire to keep her writing revolving around the better good of the public, so she chose the topic of the relationship between time to a Pharmacist’s reaction/initiation of therapy post blood culture notification.
Elizabeth Kramer
Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ada, OH
The foundation of the Practice Advancement Initiative is realized and utilized by Elizabeth. She has been involved in numerous system-wide medication utilization evaluations to better benefit the health system. Professionally, she currently serves as the President of the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Kappa Psi Officer of Professional Affairs, Ohio Pharmacists Association Student Trustee, among many other accolades. Elizabeth helped coordinate the Ohio Northern University first strategic planning retreat as well as representing the school on a national level while participating at the Clinical Skills Competition at Midyear. Additionally, to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature that is required of the PAI, Elizabeth facilitated numerous activities between the College of Pharmacy and the Nursing students.
Hayley S. Brazeale
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Abilene, TX
Hayley has gone above and beyond to illustrate the pillars off the Practice Advancement Initiative. She served as the one of the primary liaisons between her hospital, Hendrick Medical Center, and her school by acting as the primary contact and promoting the addition of fellow interns to participate in the clinical setting at her hospital. Within the practice spectrum she has worked on numerous different publications, and journal articles from topics such as rivaroxaban usage in obese patients to the added fall risk when using benign prostatic hyperplasia medications in conjuncture with beta blockers. Elizabeth’s leadership ability is exemplified as she serves as the president of the Texas Tech Student Society of System-Health Pharmacists, Region 6 National Liaison Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, two separate chair positions within the American Pharmacist Association Academy of Student Pharmacists. A true embodiment of one of the pillars of PAI, Hayley founded the Interprofessional Ambassadors, which brings together nursing, pharmacy, public health, and biomedical sciences.
Kaitlyn E. Kowalski
Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Charleston, SC
The Medical University of South Carolina was able to successfully embrace many of the concepts of the Practice Advancement Initiative, but that success can be attributed to Kaitlyn and her team. As president of the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists she met with each individual board member to craft a shared vision and goals. She established an effective week of PAI celebrations by incorporating the community, other Pharmacy organizations, and any other professional students who happened to be in the library. In addition to her PAI week enhancements, Kaitlyn served as the National Speaker of the House for Phi Lambda Sigma.She helped enhance community involvement, student engagement, and leadership.
William J. Moore
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Athens, GA
William seeks to empower everyone around him to become a strong, capable leader. He demonstrates a firm grasp of the Practice Advancement Initiative and the relating five pillars and seeks to incorporate them into every facet of the organizations he is involved in. William currently serves as the President of the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, Leadership Development Advisory Group Lead for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Ambulatory, Infectious Disease, and Critical Care PRN for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and the former President of the Georgia Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy. He had the opportunity to hone his leadership and clinical experience while working as one of two individuals selected for the extremely competitive VALOR program.
Class of 2019 Recipients
Andrew J. Webb
University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, Kingston, RI
From his very first year at the University of Rhode Island, Andrew has embraced his role as a future leader and has never ceased to improve himself and those around him. His very first year he began as the Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternities pledge class president and since then worked his way through several positions becoming the president of the Student Society of System-Health Pharmacists at the University of Rhode Island as well as the liaison for the Rhode Island Society of System-Health Pharmacists. He has frequently engaged in interdisciplinary work amongst his medical team at the Westerly Hospital where he serves as the Pharmacy and Medication Reconciliation intern. Through Andrew’s continued endeavors through his role as SSHP president have ignited the passion of the members to be knowledgeable of PAI through initiatives that he started such as the video challenge, began an interdisciplinary challenge between fledgling pharmacy students and nursing students, and taking his chapter to the state house of Rhode Island to promote provider status.
Austin L. Green
University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX
An acute awareness of those surrounding him and embodying the most important qualities of a leader are a few things that can be said of Austin. Austin as a leader places massive emphasis on the utilization of groups, the shared idea of a common vision, and a unified collaboration amongst all levels of the organization. He presently holds the position of Pan-American Regional Office Regional Projects Officer in the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation which boasts over 300,000 members, Clinical Administration PRN Student and Resident Committee within the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and Advancement of Pharmacy Practice Advisory Group Work Group Lead in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. In addition to his numerous positions, Austin has also contributed copious amounts of effort to the American Academy of HIV Medicine helping to illustrate proper treatments and writing a protocol for dosage, as well as participating on a local level teaching methods of harm reduction, safe sex practices, and creating additional material for patients.
Jordan M. Mendkoff
University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Minneapolis, MN
The ability to amalgamate groups of individuals with a shared vision is one of the goals of an effective leader. Jordan embodies the traits of leadership, fostering relationships within his community and profession to vulcanize individuals and provide for the greater good of the health care profession. Jordan has established the Twin-Cities Inpatient Pharmacy Intern Collaborative that allows interns from different hospitals to meet up once a month and discuss best pharmacy practice ideas and future concerns. He also sat as the Facilitator of the Midyear Clinical Meeting SSHP Leaders Workshop with the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. In addition, he is heavily involved in the Minnesota Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists where he sits as the co-chair for Residency Research Forum Planning Committee. He believes to properly incorporate and promote the pillars of PAI; we should take a more affirmative stance and incorporate it into didactic learning as well as having a portion included in the IPPE/APPE rotations.
Laura Roccograndi
University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX
As a student leader with a variety of clinical, research, leadership and advocacy experiences Laura consistently used her platform to encourage involvement and professional development in student colleagues. Laura has promoted a history of excellent with her heavy involvement in her chapter of the Student Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, sat as a chair member for Pharmacy Student Forum Policy and Legislative Advocacy Advisory Group (PLAAG) and Pharmacy Student Forum Community and eCommunications Advisory Group (CeCAG) Member. Laura has an extensive research background pushing the foregrounds of medical science in the field of oncology which produced an impressive databank. Through her active role in the student government she also sat as an executive member and representative between the schools of nursing, medicine, and social work.
Class of 2020 Recipients
Jenna E. Summerlin
Union University College of Pharmacy, Jackson, TN
Jenna has the tenacity to pursue any goal that she lays before her while still having the consideration to observe around her and be a courteous and encouraging leader. Within her first year of pharmacy school she was elected the President-Elect of the Student Society of Health Systems Pharmacists for which she is currently the president. She also discovered a distinct need for a pediatric pharmacy society and thus she founded the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group. She continues to be adamant about research revolving around the efficacy of topiramate solutions as well as observing the surrounding populations motivation/apathy for vaccinations.
Jennifer S. Phillipon
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH
Jennifer knows no borders as she bounds forward in her pharmacy career and continuously challenging the status quo of the past. Jennifer strives to imbue her passionate, and leadership within everyone she interacts with by finding new and innovative ways that allow her fellow peers to become increasingly involved in the planning and execution of events. Jennifer served as the President-Elect for the Student Society of System-Health Pharmacists. She also intends to plan the 2018 Buckeyes Without Borders to plan her and 19 other students trip to Honduras. In addition to her aptitude for leading she has an extreme passion for the clinical sector with a focus in Oncological research having conducted over 100 articles of review regarding scope of a Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Practice, Medication Use and Evaluation of daptomycin which ended with an institutional change from 250 mg to 100 mg, amongst several other papers.
