“Cardinal Health is once again proud to sponsor #WomenPharmacistDay, a day to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of female pharmacists. In a year of an unprecedented pandemic, the care pharmacists give to patients and family members alike is more important than ever. I’m proud of the work our team does to support women in pharmacy across the industry. And I’m proud of the contribution from all of the women pharmacists on our Cardinal Health team.

Our commitment to female leadership in healthcare is part of our legacy, and we sincerely thank the fellow companies, pharmacy schools, pharmacy associations, pharmacy educators, practicing pharmacists and pharmacy students joining us in supporting #WomenPharmacistDay.”

Mike Kaufmann
CEO
Cardinal Health

“LIU is excited to participate and support the first Women Pharmacist Day. We respect and acknowledge all the vital contributions women in pharmacy have made to the profession. We support drawing attention to these accomplishments by highlighting our female faculty and students. LIU in collaboration with Lambda Kappa Sigma will be holding professional events discussing women pioneers in the field of pharmacy.  We also plan to raise awareness on campus about Women Pharmacist Day during some of our Professional Development Programs targeting students.”

Eva Berrios-Colon, PharmD, MPH
College of Pharmacy
Long Island University Arnold & Marie Schwartz

“As Professor and Dean of the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, I support #WomenPharmacistDay. Female pharmacists have made incredible contributions to this profession across many different areas – including service to patients, advances in practice, advocacy and leadership, research, and many more. These accomplishments should be celebrated. Doing so will encourage today’s students and future pharmacists to make even greater contributions to the profession. The profession of pharmacy and our patients benefit from the different perspectives and approaches that comes with greater diversity among our practitioners.”

“We are excited to celebrate the inaugural Women Pharmacist’s Day, where we can take an opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate and support the contributions women pharmacists make to improving the health of individuals through their efforts each day.  We believe that to commemorate this inaugural event, it is important to look both to the past and the historical contributions of pioneering woman pharmacists who have broken new ground across the profession, while celebrating the future and the bright opportunities women pharmacists have as they continue to play critical roles in leadership positions across the continuum of care. ”

My personal reflection #WomenPharmacistDay includes Zada Mary Cooper, the ‘grand and glorious lady of pharmacy’ and her extensive influence in the initial decades of the 20th century and Metta Lou Henderson, author of American Women Pharmacists: Contributions to the Profession, a ‘pioneering historian’ deemed by the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy (fellow Arizona alumna and a dear friend). Their stories and those of countless other, well-known, and familiar female names, have made it possible for many women today to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the pharmacy profession.

During 2017, the presidential officers for ASHP, NCPA, and APhA were women. During 2017-2018, three consecutive presidential officers were women and graced the walls of 2215 Constitution NW in Washington DC — to be one of the three and the ninth woman president out of ten since 1973 is a remarkable, surreal, and humbling experience — reality a little larger than my wildest dream! Oh whatever would the Grand and Glorious Lady think of what is happening nearly a century later, I wonder, I wonder?

My current dream for today is of a tomorrow whereby a need to acknowledge women as a specific group with a special day within our profession is no longer needed because the complexion of the profession reflects a diverse, vibrant array of wildly successful individuals, each lending strength, influence, and value towards expanded opportunities to positively impact patient care within the communities we serve.  I can dream big because of the inspiration I derive from pioneering women before me!

Nancy A. Alvarez, PharmD, BCPS, FAPhA
APhA President 2017-2018
Assistant Dean, Professional, External Relations and Strategy
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Chapman University School of Pharmacy

“As Founding Dean of Chapman University of School of Pharmacy, I support #WomenPharmacistDay. Our school has attained full accreditation on time and on budget because of the contributions of talented women on my senior leadership team, faculty, and staff.  Their collective efforts provide wonderful examples for all of our student pharmacists much like the pioneering women of the profession provided for them.  Our profession is stronger because of the diversity rooted in the past century and is flourishing now and into the foreseeable future.”

Ronald P. Jordan, R.Ph. FAPhA
Dean
Chapman University School of Pharmacy

‘Most of us care. We really do. We care about our lives, for sure, and also about the lives of those around us. We care about poverty and injustice, about orphans and the sick. We care about the folks who live and work alongside us and about what happens in their families, and their hearts, and in their heads. And yet, weighed down by everyday responsibilities – bringing home a paycheck, putting food on the table, shuttling kids around – we question our ability to make a difference.’ (Taken from She Did What She Could, by Elisa Morgan; Alive Communications, Inc. 2009). At the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, we listen to the female students to speak their needs and their voices. Those who wonder whether or not their actions will make a difference, amongst the exams and co-curricular activities and wondering if they’ll make it to graduation, are encouraged to keep doing what they can to persevere in a supportive environment. On Women Pharmacist’s Day, share with us how you breastfeed throughout the semester and your commute to school, how you stand up for your convictions to keep practicing your faith between classes, how you raise three children and still maintain an excellent academic standing, how your partners help you to make a difference. Students, ask for the resources so we can ensure that these resources continue for you when you become a pharmacist mom. Join the voices of thousands of women who continue to make a difference every day, one life at a time.

Susie H. Park, PharmD, BCPP, FCSHP
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy
University of Southern California School of Pharmacy

I am proud to represent Walgreens participation in the celebration of #WomenPharmacist Day.  On this day and every day, we are grateful to all the trailblazers who have paved the way for women to make such meaningful contributions to the profession of pharmacy.  It is wonderful to have a day dedicated to celebrate the impact that women have had on the practice of pharmacy, as well as to look forward to all that lies ahead of us.  I am inspired by my fellow women pharmacists at all levels of the Walgreen Company and applaud their continued efforts to help our patients feel better and live healthier every day while moving the profession of pharmacy forward.

Emily House, PharmD

Senior Director, Pharma Account Solutions

I am very excited to support the inaugural #WomenPharmacistDay!  The impact and accomplishments of women pharmacists—from Elizabeth Gooking Greenleaf to B. Olive Cole to Mary Munson Runge to our 2018 pharmacist graduates–are too numerous to count.  Women pharmacists are integral team members in every possible setting—from those working in collaboration with health professionals, patients, and their caregivers to improve patient outcomes, to those working in a myriad of health care settings (traditional and unconventional), to those investigating and forging new discoveries to improve all aspects of health care, to those serving in regulatory roles to protect the public and ensure patient safety, to those trusted with educating our future pharmacist colleagues in our colleges and schools of pharmacy.  Our women pharmacists contribute to the beautiful diversity of our profession—a profession that is an integral part of current and future patient care and public health.

Lynette R. Bradley-Baker, R.Ph., Ph.D.
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Engagement
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

As a member and President of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, I am honored to celebrate the first annual Women Pharmacist Day.  In the last 20 years, ACCP members have elected eight female presidents, and our Past President (Dr. Marcia Buck), current President and President Elect (Dr. Suzanne Nesbit) are all women.  This demonstrates substantial support for, and confidence in, women in leadership from the ACCP membership.

Everyday women pharmacists improve the health of their patients, advance the practice and science of clinical pharmacy and train and inspire the next generation, while simultaneously balancing home and family responsibilities.  I applaud their current and future accomplishments.  ACCP is committed to advancing women in pharmacy by providing a supportive environment with resources, mentoring, and leadership opportunities.

 

Jill M. Kolesar, PharmD, MS, FCCP, BCPS
President, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 2017-2018
Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky
Director, Precision Medicine Initiatives, Markey Cancer Center

ASCP is excited to participate in the inaugural #WomenPharmacistDay! Our mission is to empower pharmacists to promote healthy aging through the appropriate use of medications. We hope to continue recognizing and empowering female senior care pharmacists through ASCP’s new Women’s Leadership Group.

Chad Worz, PharmD, BCGP
CEO, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

Minority Women Pharmacists Association, Inc (MWPA) is excited to participate in the inaugural Women Pharmacists Day. MWPA was founded to support women pharmacists of color who experience disparities and lack of support in the pharmacy industry. Our network of over 5,000 members on Facebook comprises of women from all ethnicities, who support each other professionally, collaborate on projects to give back to the communities we serve, mentor members and make time to have fun. Our organization has six active chapters located in Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Southeast Florida and Washington DC. Our members are very excited about Women Pharmacist Day and applaud the Steering Committee for making this day a reality.

Renee Lewis Pharm.D CPh
Founder Minority Women Pharmacists Association, Inc

“CVS Health is proud to support the inaugural #WomenPharmacistDay. Our company’s nearly 20,000 women pharmacists are leaders and role models for their pharmacy teams, and their unique backgrounds and experiences shape the work they do behind the pharmacy counter. Whether providing trusted counsel to patients, delivering health care services, such as immunizations, conducting medication reviews, or identifying ways patients can save money on their prescriptions, our women pharmacists are on the frontlines of health care and helping our company deliver on its purpose – helping people on their path to better health. Today and every day, we celebrate the many achievements of CVS Health’s women pharmacists.”

Papatya Tankut, Vice President, Pharmacy Affairs, for CVS Health

 

 

“ASHP is extremely pleased to support the inaugural #WomenPharmacistDay. ASHP is committed to supporting women in achieving pharmacy leadership roles at every level and in every practice setting. ASHP’s direction, growth, and success have always been strongly influenced by women in pharmacy beginning with our first CEO Dr. Gloria Niemeyer Francke. Dr. Francke was a pioneer in hospital pharmacy whose contributions to ASHP and the advancement of our profession are invaluable. The efforts of many women leaders over the years in our hospitals and health systems are what make pharmacy the patient-care focused profession that it is today.

ASHP has many resources such as the ASHP Women in Pharmacy Leadership Connect community, interview series, and resource center designed to address the needs of the pharmacy workforce and opportunities for leadership. This is an ongoing priority at ASHP and we are so thrilled to participate in the recognition of the significant impact women in pharmacy make on the bright future of our profession.”

Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., Sc.D. (Hon), FASHP
CEO ASHP

It is an honor to support #WomenPharmacistDay and acknowledge the important contributions women in
pharmacy are making every day. I especially want to thank the female nuclear pharmacists who are
preparing essential life-changing diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.

Days like #WomenPharmacistDay bring attention to the incredible strides women pharmacists are making
to engineer solutions and deliver high-quality pharmaceuticals and radiopharmaceuticals.
By encouraging today’s women pharmacists and those of the future we can drive greater diversity and
inclusion in the profession which will allow us to deliver greater value to patients, practitioners and the
community.

Please join me in thanking female pharmacists across the country during this year’s
#WomenPharmacistDay.

Tiffany Olson
President
Cardinal Health
Nuclear & Precision Health Solutions

“At the National Community Pharmacists Association we’re pleased to support the first #WomenPharmacistDay, particularly this month as we honored NCPA’s first female officer and president – Sharlea Leatherwood, RPh, of Kansas City, Mo. – with a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. Sharlea passed away on Monday, October 1. She was a trailblazer for women community pharmacists, and a genuine role model for us all. We celebrate Sharlea’s accomplishments and those of so many other women pharmacists and, on #WomenPharmacistDay and beyond, we look forward to continuing to support future generations of community pharmacists as they assume leadership roles, continue driving change in health care, and through it all, provide quality care for those in their communities.” 

 

– National Community Pharmacist Association CEO B. Douglas Hoey, Pharmacist, MBA and NCPA Immediate Past President DeAnn Mullins, Pharmacist, CDE, owner of Mullins Pharmacy, WeCare Wellness and the WeCare Diabetes Education Program in Lynn Haven, Fla.

“I am pleased and proud to support the inaugural #WomenPharmacistDay on behalf of the College of Pharmacy at Rosalind Franklin University.  We are part of the first graduate healthcare university in the U.S. named for a female scientist, whose contribution to the discovery of the structure of DNA is arguably responsible for the burgeoning field of pharmacogenomics.  It is therefore particularly appropriate for us to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of female pharmacists.  Women pharmacists are leaders in all aspects of the profession, and often initiate, facilitate, and maintain the interprofessional delivery of healthcare.  They positively impact patient care and other professional activities such as teaching, research, and advocacy.  In addition, female pharmacists are outstanding role models and mentors for young women and men pharmacists, and those considering joining the profession.  Their presence and engagement bodes well for the future of healthcare, and we appreciate, applaud, and support all they do.”

Marc S. Abel, PhD
Dean and Professor
Rosalind Franklin University College of Pharmacy

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University proudly supports National Women Pharmacist Day, held on October 12. Pharmacy is becoming one of the top career choices for women, and the statistics prove it. From 1983 to 2012, the presence of women in the field has doubled, rising to 54% from 27%.

This year, an impressive 65% of PharmD students at Drake University identify as female. Drake University is also home to the Nu Chapter of Lambda Kappa Sigma, the nation’s oldest professional fraternity which focuses specifically on women in pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is proud to support our Lambda Kappa Sigma chapter and their efforts in promoting the advancement of women in the profession.

To name a few of the countless female leaders who are products of Drake’s Pharmacy programs:

• Maxine Beatty- Recipient of the Prestigious 2002 Weaver Medal of Honor
• Melissa Corrigan- First director of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
• Susan Lutz- Previous IPA President, Pharmacy co-owner, NABP item writer
• Patty Kumbera- Co-founder of Outcomes and current Chief Operating Officer of Prescribe Wellness
• Crystal Lennartz- Vice President of Pharmacy for McKesson
• Kristin Williams- Chief Health Officer for Hy-Vee

These are just a few examples of the women who strive to balance their lives while making a positive impact in their communities each and every day.

Renae Chesnut, EdD
Dean and Professor, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Drake University

As Grand President of Lambda Kappa Sigma, I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this inaugural Women Pharmacists Day! Lambda Kappa Sigma, dedicated to elevating women in pharmacy, has been celebrating the accomplishments of women pharmacists, beginning with our initial chapter at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1913. Because of the vision of our founder, Ethel J Heath, women have been finding their voice in the profession for over 100 years.

I was in one of the last classes at the St Louis College of Pharmacy where women were a minority of the students. My class was 45% women; the class that graduated just as I was beginning my studies was only 25% women. I’ve witnessed the rapid growth of women in this profession, and I can’t say that we always knew where women were going to fit into the job market and the profession. With the leadership programs available in Lambda Kappa Sigma, the way has been made clearer for quite a few of us.  My membership has definitely enhanced my professional career!

It is my hope that women in pharmacy can find that unique group or opportunity that helps them to see where they belong in this grand profession. I’m thrilled to see the progress that women have made, but even more excited to see where we are heading.

Christine A Grass, RPh
Grand President, Lambda Kappa Sigma
Clinical Pharmacist, SSM Health DePaul Hospital, Bridgeton, Missouri

“The Pharmacy Podcast Network’s first co-host was Dr Erin Albert, Senior Director of Education with American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. We’re proud to support our women leaders in Pharmacy with the podcast platform reaching more than 70,000+ healthcare professional listeners. This is a critical time in our healthcare system and the leadership of our women pharmacists must continue to grow. The Network is proud to support #WomenPharmacistDay and Pharmacy Moms Group. Our children are watching. As a father of 4 daughters, Women Pharmacists Day is a personal tribute to the future of our daughters being encouraged to become leaders in healthcare.”

Todd S. Eury
Pharmacy Podcast Network, President

Some of the most lively, authentic, productive, and crucial conversations around pharmacy are taking place in the pharmacist mom community and among all women pharmacists. The pharmacy profession has so much to learn from what they know. Now more than ever, we must elevate and heed women’s voices.

Brilliant pharmacists who happen to be women are woven into fabric of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Women occupy prominent leadership positions throughout the organization, and as of 2020, three out of APhA’s last five presidents have been women—Jean-Venable “Kelly” Goode, Nancy Alvarez, and Nicki Hilliard—with Sandra Leal set to assume office in 2021 and Theresa Tolle to follow her in 2022. We reap the benefits of their contributions every day.

APhA is proud to celebrate #WomenPharmacistsDay and recognize all the women pharmacists, student pharmacists, researchers, and technicians who work every day to improve medication use and advance patient care. Women make up the majority of the pharmacy workforce and pharmacy school graduates, and they have an enormous and growing impact on patients and communities. I am thankful for everything they do and what they give all of us.

Scott J. Knoer, PharmD, MS, FASHP
Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association