Hillary F. Blackburn, PharmD, MBA

Hillary Blackburn, PharmD, MBA, is a clinically and business-trained pharmacist with more than a decade of experience across hospital, community, specialty pharmacy, and health plan settings. She brings deep expertise in health care strategy, formulary management, and the design and scale of innovative medication access programs. Blackburn currently serves as director of medication access and affordability at AscensionRx, where she leads systemwide initiatives to optimize medication access for underserved populations, drive affordability, and support value-based care. Previously, she was chief pharmacy officer at the Dispensary of Hope, a national nonprofit medication distributor hosted by Ascension, where she oversaw the formulary, research strategy, and a national pharmacist advisory network. A graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, Blackburn completed her PGY1 residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She was recently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she contributes her expertise to national vaccine policy and implementation. She has held numerous leadership roles with professional organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), where she served on the APPM Executive Committee (2021–2023), the Women in Pharmacy Committee, and Care of Underserved SIG Advocacy Committee. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Tennessee Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation and has contributed to TPA's Legislative and Regulatory Policy Committee. She is a dedicated preceptor for student pharmacists from multiple colleges of pharmacy and serves on the Dean’s External Advisory Committee at Belmont University and the Dean’s Advisory Committee at the University of Mississippi. A recognized thought leader, Blackburn is the founder and host of the Talk to Your Pharmacist podcast, featuring over 250 episodes on health care innovation and pharmacy leadership. She is also the author of How Pharmacists Lead: Answers from Women Who Are Leading, Succeeding, and Impacting Pharmacy (2020). Blackburn lives in Nashville with her husband and their two young children. She is passionate about advancing public health and transforming health care through evidence-based, pharmacist-led solutions.

Kelly Brock,PharmD

Kelly Brock graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and then completed a pharmacy practice residency with an emphasis in community care at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. She was one of the first PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Residents in the country in 2002. From the beginning, she has always had great vision, energy, and passion to create change in community pharmacy practice.

Building on her unique experiences early on in her career, Kelly founded KB Pharmacy Solutions, Inc., a consulting company, with the goal of building her career around her growing family. She wanted to be able to contribute to the profession she loved while being present for her family. Kelly has a passion for helping others and empowering individuals and organizations to fulfill their missions. As a consultant, she supported the work of several national organizations through content building for educational programming, meeting planning, meeting facilitation, and consensus building activities over the years. She is very proud to say that she trained thousands of pharmacists to administer vaccines while she served as a faculty member and primary writer for the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Program. Kelly also served as a project management specialist for several of the APhA Foundation’s national projects. One of her proudest accomplishments as a project manager was when the Project IMPACT Immunizations Pilot received the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Pharmacy Practice Improvement Award in 2018. Kelly thrives when she is coaching and supporting community pharmacists to create change and transform how care is delivered in their practice sites, and this led her to serve as a practice transformation coach and team lead for the Flip the Pharmacy Program, a multimillion-dollar practice transformation initiative funded by the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF).

Kelly’s excellence in teaching, coaching, project management, research, and networking coupled with her passion and vision led her to become the executive director of the CPF in 2021. CPF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community pharmacy practice through grant funding and resource sharing. Since its inception in 2000, CPF has provided over 18 million dollars to fund over 220 grants and special projects focused on advancing community pharmacy practice. Kelly is honored to lead this incredible organization that is deeply committed to affecting positive change in community pharmacy practice.

Kelly recognizes how fortunate she is to have incredible mentors and a network of professional colleagues who have supported her throughout her career. The relationships she has cultivated throughout her career are her most treasured professional accomplishment. Her mentors have taught her important lessons that guide her actions every day. Some of her favorite lessons are: “Trust that you are exactly where you are supposed to be right now.” “Do good.” “Make a difference.” “Pay it forward.”

In 2013, Kelly was recognized by the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy with the Genesis Award for her major accomplishments in pharmacy practice and her exceptional service to her community, the college, the profession, and the public. Her way of paying it forward, coupled with her desire to make a difference and cultivate the potential in others was to work with the dean of the College of Pharmacy to establish the Genesis Board, a volunteer board of alumni, whose mission was to enhance the student experience and facilitate student success. Kelly served as the inaugural chair of this board for the first 8 years and is proud to say it is still making a difference at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.

Kelly finds great joy in supporting her husband’s career and adventures as well as her children’s hopes and dreams. She knows she could not do any of this without the love and support from her husband, Aaron, and their three amazing children, Noah, Cameron, and Bayla. They inspire her every day and truly are her pride and joy.

Lawrence Cohen, PharmD, FASHP, FCCP, FCP, FAAPP, FNAP, BCPP

Lawrence Cohen is a consultant, advisor, academic educator, and researcher with over 45 years teaching in pharmacy, medical and nursing schools. Cohen is Distinguished Professor of Pharmacotherapy at the University of North Texas College of Pharmacy. He is currently adjunct professor in the UNT College of Pharmacy, and Touro University College of Pharmacy – New York City. Cohen is emeritus professor of pharmacotherapy at Washington State University College of Pharmacy. Cohen’s research career includes serving as global director of Central Nervous System Research for Kendle International, a global contract research organization. Cohen’s previous academic institutions include University of Oklahoma Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and University of Cincinnati Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Cohen is a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists and Fellow and Distinguished Practitioner of the National Academies of Practice – Pharmacy Academy.

Cohen has been a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist since the credential was established in 1996 and has served as a member of the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialty Council, Geriatric Pharmacy Specialty Council, currently the Pediatric Pharmacy Specialty Council and is a member of the BPS Employer Advisory Council.

Cohen's scholarly interests include pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychotropic medications, geriatric psychopharmacology, pharmacoeconomics and health outcomes, pharmacoepidemiology, and emergency preparedness (specifically, access to health care during times of crisis). He has served as a consultant for numerous pharmaceutical companies and national managed care organizations. Cohen has fulfilled an extensive invited lecture schedule and has both authored and coauthored numerous articles in professional and interprofessional journals. Cohen has been recognized for his clinical skills, leadership and management abilities, and professional activities. While admitting to be “semi-retired,” Cohen continues to serve as an advocate for patient’s access to affordable health care, including pharmacotherapy through his work as a consultant and advocate.

Ryan Costantino, PharmD, PhD, BCPS

Lieutenant Colonel Ryan C. Costantino, PharmD, PhD, BCPS, is an active duty Army pharmacist and faculty member at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He currently serves as the Chief of Service and Demand Management for the Enterprise Intelligence and Data Solution Program Management Office within the Defense Healthcare Management Systems Program Executive Office.

Ryan received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Health Service Research and a Master of Science in Palliative Care from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. He completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at the University of Maryland (UM) Medical Center and a PGY-2 Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency at the UM School of Pharmacy.

Ryan is passionate about ensuring military service members have access to pharmacy services, that their medications are optimized, and that the U.S. maintains a robust and secure pharmaceutical supply chain. Ryan has held and continues to serve in a variety of leadership roles supporting professional pharmacy organizations, including as the Chair of the Clinical Sciences Section of APhA-APRS. Ryan has also served as a Regional and National Officer in the Phi Delta Chi professional pharmacy fraternity, and is an active reviewer for several academic journals, including Pain Medicine, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, and Military Medicine.

Nicholas Dorich, PharmD

Nicholas Dorich serves as the associate director of pharmacy accounts at PQS by Innovaccer. In this role, he manages PQS’ relationships with pharmacy customers that include more than 60,000 pharmacies. Dorich is passionate about quality improvement in health care, expansion of pharmacy services, and new pathways for pharmacy reimbursement. Prior to PQS, Nicholas led professional affairs, education, and research at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and NACDS Foundation. Nicholas earned his PharmD from the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in 2011 and completed an Executive Residency with the NACDS Foundation in 2012.

Laura E. Knockel, PharmD, BCACP

Laura Knockel, PharmD, BCACP, is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She earned her PharmD from the University of Iowa and completed a community-based pharmacy residency with the College and Hy-Vee Pharmacy. At Iowa, Knockel serves as director of Pharmacy Practice Laboratories, where she oversees the longitudinal skills laboratory curriculum. Her teaching emphasizes community pharmacy skills, including immunizations and self-care. She also practices as a community pharmacist at the University of Iowa Health Care outpatient pharmacies. Knockel draws on these experiences to design educational activities that are practical and relevant, ensuring students develop skills aligned with contemporary pharmacy practice. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching, receiving the College’s P1 Teacher of the Year award in 2018 and 2022. Knockel has held numerous leadership roles in professional organizations. She is a past trustee and speaker of the House for the Iowa Pharmacy Association. Nationally, she has served on multiple committees within the APhA Immunizing Pharmacists Special Interest Group, including 1 year as coordinator. She is also active in AACP and currently serves as chair-elect for the Self-Care Therapeutics/Nonprescription Medicine SIG

Yifei Liu, B.S. Pharm, M.S., Ph.D

Yifei Liu, BS Pharm, MS, PhD, is a tenured associate professor at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) School of Pharmacy, a fellow of the UMKC Healthcare Institute for Innovations in Quality, a faculty fellow with the Diane Filion Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence, and a doctoral faculty member at the UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management. He earned his BS in Pharmacy from West China University of Medical Sciences, and MS and PhD in Pharmaceutical Socioeconomics from the University of Iowa.

Liu teaches in the areas of the U.S. health care system, health care marketing, pharmacy practice management, and health economics. His research examines patient and provider behavior, implementation and evaluation of pharmacist-led services, determinants of health care utilization, and the opioid epidemic. His work has been funded by government agencies, professional organizations, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. He has been an associate faculty for the PGY2 Western Missouri Psychiatric Residency Program and a preceptor for the Walgreens Local Specialty PGY1 Community Residency Program and the UMKC PGY1 Community Pharmacy Residency Program. He has mentored more than 30 PGY1/PGY2 residents and has served as faculty advisor for the UMKC student chapter of the Industry Pharmacists Organization. He was also the implementation co-lead for the Kansas City Quality and Value Innovation Consortium Opioid Management Project.

Liu has contributed extensively to scholarly publishing and has held multiple editorial appointments, including two terms on the Editorial Advisory Board of JAPhA. He is a long-standing APhA member, a six-term delegate, and the 2025–2026 chair-elect of the Research and Science Community. His service in other professional associations includes roles as co-chair of Member Engagement for the ISPOR Clinical Outcome Assessment SIG and secretary of Knowledge Management for the AACP Public Health SIG, as well as three terms on ISPOR’s selective International Program Committee.

Ashley R. Lorenzen, PharmD

Ashley R. Lorenzen is the chief of pharmacy at the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville, IL, a position she has held since May 2024. Her extensive career in pharmacy encompasses various leadership, instructional, and clinical roles. Lorenzen's educational foundation includes a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy and a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri.

Lorenzen began her professional journey with various internship roles and transitioned into clinical pharmacist positions at establishments including St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Ascension Medical Group after completing her PGY1 Residency Program. She served as the associate chief of pharmacy – clinical services at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, MI, from 2019 to 2024 before ascending her current role. She has also held numerous teaching appointments across several universities, where she has significantly contributed to resident and student education.

Lorenzen's scholarly contributions include numerous professional publications and invited presentations. She has authored articles in esteemed journals such as the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin. She has been an invited speaker at various conferences, sharing her expertise on a number of topics to audiences within and outside the profession of pharmacy.

In addition to her professional roles, Lorenzen is deeply committed to service. She has participated in various hospital committees, community health initiatives, and educational endeavors. Her involvement with organizations like the American Pharmacists Association and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin underscores her dedication to the advancement of the pharmacy profession.

Ashley R. Lorenzen embodies a remarkable blend of clinical expertise, academic dedication, and leadership acumen, making her an invaluable asset to the field of pharmacy and the communities she serves.

Kevin W. McCloy, PharmD, BCPS

Kevin McCloy is the manager of clinical pharmacy opioid management for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Currently, he focuses on the Medicaid population, overseeing opioid safety initiatives, clinical programs, and a managed care pharmacy residency program. McCloy earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University and is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist. McCloy’s professional background includes hospital, community, hospice and palliative care, and managed care pharmacy.

Throughout his career, McCloy has been actively involved with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). He has served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Pharmacy Today, as a peer reviewer for the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA), abstract reviewer, poster judge, participated in various committees, and currently serves as the chair-elect of the Pain, Palliative Care, and Substance Use Disorder Community. Outside of pharmacy, McCloy enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and volunteering in his local community.

Phung C. On, PharmD, BCPS

Phung C. On, PharmD, BCPS, is an associate professor of pharmacy practice at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), where she also serves as the community engagement coordinator for the School of Pharmacy–Boston. She practices as a clinical pharmacy specialist at Codman Square Health Center, a federally qualified health center in Boston.

On earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from MCPHS and completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency with a focus in ambulatory care, transitions of care, and managed care at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy and AccessCare, a network of Community Care of North Carolina. She is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist with experience spanning community pharmacy, long-term care, hospital, and health-system practice, grounding her in a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to pharmacy care.

An active APhA member for more than 15 years, On has demonstrated sustained leadership and service to the profession. She currently serves as member-at-large for the Community Coordination Council, member-at-large for the Ambulatory Care Community Policy and Professional Affairs Committee, and co-chair of the Transitions of Care Community Policy and Professional Affairs Committee. Her previous involvement includes elected leadership positions and multiple committee appointments within the Transitions of Care Special Interest Group, as well as contributions to the Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APPM). She has also served as an abstract reviewer and poster judge for the APhA Contributed Papers Poster Program and is a long-standing advisor for the MCPHS–Boston APhA–ASP Chapter.

On has co-developed several national APhA practice resources—including tools, checklists, and practice models supporting pharmacists in transitions of care—and has authored peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters focused on chronic disease management, interprofessional practice, and care transitions. Her professional engagement further extends to statewide advocacy through her involvement with the Massachusetts Diabetes Network, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, and state pharmacy organizations, including the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association and the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

David R. Steeb, PharmD, MPH

David Steeb, PharmD, MPH, is the founding dean of the College of Global Population Health at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. In his role as Dean, Steeb leads strategic planning and organizational development of the college, oversees academic program development, and enables local and global partnership opportunities. Before his current role, he was a faculty member and director of global engagement at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Throughout his career, Steeb has published over 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has delivered over 100 national and international presentations. Steeb’s research focuses on health professions education and capacity building with collaborators across the U.S. and the world. Steeb helped found the Public Health Special Interest Group of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and is a former APhA Board of Trustees member. He is a past recipient of the APhA Distinguished New Practitioner Award and the AACP New Investigator Award. He received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology from the University of Miami and both his Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Jessica Wooster Thomas, PharmD, BCACP

Jessica Wooster Thomas, clinical pharmacist at Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center, specializes in heart failure, arrhythmia, and coronary artery disease in a cardiology clinic. She also practices in the ambulatory care women’s clinic. Previously, she was a clinical associate professor at the University of Texas at Tyler where she practiced in a cardiology clinic and led transitions of care services. Wooster Thomas enjoys conducting research and providing education to health care professionals on improving cardiology therapy management and optimizing transitions of care. She enjoys serving her profession through committee work for APhA and other pharmacy organizations.

Roxane L. Took, Pharm.D., BCACP

Roxane L. Took, PharmD, BCACP, is an ambulatory care clinical pharmacy specialist at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital’s Transitions of Care Clinic and a nationally recognized leader in transitions of care. She has advanced innovative clinical services, published peer-reviewed research and contributed to multiple APhA toolkits, practice resources, and national presentations. Took has provided extensive service to APhA through leadership roles in the Transitions of Care SIG and expert content review. She currently serves as president of the Missouri Pharmacy Association and is deeply committed to advocacy, mentorship, and advancing patient-centered pharmacy practice.

Sara A. Wettergreen, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM

Sara Wettergreen is a passionate pharmacy educator and clinical pharmacist. She works as an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her primary teaching areas are related to patient-centered communication and advanced diabetes management. Wettergreen spends half of her time as a clinical pharmacy specialist at UCHealth Lone Tree Primary Care clinic, where her practice focuses on type 2 diabetes management.