In celebration of Veterans Day, ASHP Official is highlighting four pharmacist members who volunteered to join the military in service to our nation. In this episode, we speak with Peter Wills, Kaye Dunham, Norman Hooten, and David Price about their inspiring stories and the remarkable journeys they embarked on to become a pharmacist that all began with their decision to enter the military.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Peter Wills is originally from Roanoke, Virginia and enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from high school. He chose to enlist as an Armored Crewman (M1A1 Tank Member). During his enlistment, he also reclassified as a Cavalry Scout in order to join the newly developed Stryker Brigades. Dr. Wills attended Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, VA where he met his wife. He received his Associates Degree in Science and transferred to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Dr. Wills received his Pharm.D from the Medical College of Virginia (now Virginia Commonwealth School of Pharmacy) in Richmond, Virginia. He started his career in retail at Target Pharmacy as PIC of his hometown Target Pharmacy. His dream was to serve his fellow Veterans and accepted an inpatient/outpatient clinical pharmacist position at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Wills was promoted to Associate Chief of Pharmacy at the Salem VA Medical Center for 3 years. His family was intent on moving south where it was warmer year round and he accepted a position as the Lake Baldwin Outpatient Clinic Pharmacy Supervisor where he served for 4 years. He was promoted to the Associate Chief of Pharmacy Operations positions at the Orlando VA Medical Center and continued to oversee operations at each of its dispensing pharmacy locations within Central Florida. In 2019 the VISN 8 team had the vision to develop a modernized Clinical Contact Center for all Veterans in VISN 8. Dr. Wills was selected as the Chief of Pharmacy for the VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center and was tasked with developing the first fully virtual 24/7 pharmacy operation in Veterans Affairs. Since taking this position, Dr. Wills has stood up the VISN 8 Pharmacy Contact Center which strives to provide 95% first contact resolution for all Veteran Pharmacy phone calls. Dr. Wills is married, has 2 boys (8 and 10), and 3 dogs. He enjoys coaching football and mentoring.
Kaye Dunham is a 1994 graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point. After serving in the Army as a logistics officer and achieving the rank of Captain, Kaye left active duty service. She then attended pharmacy school at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC while her husband, Landy, also a West Point graduate, continued to serve as an Army Aviator. Over the next 14 years, Kaye served in various roles as a pharmacist while also continuing to support our service members and their families as a volunteer and family readiness leader. Her career as a pharmacist encompasses serving as a staff/clinical pharmacist, as well as a variety of leadership and administrative roles; including director of pharmacy, medication safety officer, and several roles as a pharmacy manager. After her husband retired from service, “Team Dunham” landed in Orlando, Florida. Her current role is as the senior manager of pharmacy operations at one of the largest hospitals in the nation. She also serves as the coordinator for the Health System Administration and Leadership residency program and remains active in the West Point Society of Central Florida as well as many other volunteer activities. Kaye and Landy are the proud parents of two daughters, Kylan and Luci and in her free time, Kaye enjoys running, reading and traveling to stay connected with family and friends.
Dr. Norman Hooten is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army. As a DELTA Force Assault Team Leader in Somalia he and his teammates played a critical role in the rescue and recovery of the crew members of the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed on October 3rd, 1993. During his Army career, Dr. Hooten realized the impact that pharmacists could have with Veterans; he subsequently attended pharmacy school at Palm Beach Atlantic University where he graduated in 2016. Upon graduation, he completed a Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) pharmacy residency at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center followed by a Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) psychiatric pharmacy resident at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He is currently a supervisory pharmacist at the VISN 8 Pharmacy call center in Orlando Florida.
David Price is a retired Navy pharmacist who served 30 years in active duty and five years in the Navy Reserve, followed by 12 years with Deloitte Consulting serving Navy Pharmacy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1973 as a seaman recruit and ceased active duty in 1979 as an HM2 pharmacy technician to attend the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.
David then transferred to the Navy Reserves, serving in 1st MARDIV and Mobil Diving and Salvage Det #304 as a hospital corpsman. After graduating in 1984, he returned to active duty after being commissioned as an ensign. David retired from active duty in 2008 after achieving the rank of captain and being the pharmacy consultant to the Navy SG for his final tour. After retiring from active duty, he continued to support Navy Pharmacy as a consultant working for Deloitte Consulting LLP until he retired in September 2020.
Eric Maroyka, Pharm.D., BCPS, joined ASHP in May 2016 as the Senior Director, Center on Pharmacy Practice Advancement. He is responsible for the Practice Advancement Initiative focused on transforming the practice of pharmacy to enhance the role of the pharmacist in providing direct patient care services.
Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of Pharmacy at Fauquier Health in Warrenton, Virginia. Dr. Maroyka also served over 22 years as a commissioned pharmacy officer in the United States Army working in a variety of clinical, pharmacy management/director, and senior leadership roles within the Military Health System.
He earned a Bachelors Degree in Pharmacy and Pharm.D. from Rutgers University and completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dr. Maroyka is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and is a graduate of the Pharmacy Leadership Institute.
Dr. Maroyka was a past appointed member of the ASHP Section of Pharmacy Practice Managers Section Advisory Group on Pharmacy Business Management and the Council on Pharmacy Management. He served as a delegate to the ASHP House of Delegates representing the Commonwealth of Virginia and as a Federal Delegate with the American Pharmacists Association. He currently serves as ASHP Secretary for the Council on Pharmacy Management and secretary for the Federal Pharmacy Consultants’ Advisory Group. Dr. Maroyka readily accepts and enjoys serving as a preceptor for student pharmacists and pharmacy residents.
