Immunization Champs
Pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians, public health officials, and other immunization stakeholders, are recognized as important members of the immunization neighborhood and are developing solutions to increase access to vaccines and other public health services.
Pharmacists have long been recognized for the vital roles that they play in delivering vaccines and providing education to patients and a wide range of other health care partners.
Millions of vaccines are administered by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians each year, and the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted the significance of the profession’s contributions to public health. The profession’s dedication to meeting the public’s immunization needs and protecting people from vaccine-preventable diseases is evident in the work of this year’s nominees and the many thousands of immunizing pharmacists practicing in communities nationwide.
APhA’s Immunization Champion Awards recognize pharmacists, organizations, members of the pharmacy profession, and their allies who have made extraordinary contributions to increase vaccination rates in their communities. The 2024 Immunization Champions, honored in March at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando, have pioneered new approaches to increasing vaccination rates. Read on to learn more about the efforts and achievements of these distinguished individuals.
The 2024 APhA Immunization Champion Awards program was supported by GSK, Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer, Vaxserve/Sanofi, and CDC.
Individual Practitioner
National Winner
Lisa B. Bade, PharmD
Pharmacy Clinical Care Coordinator, SpartanNash
Lisa B. Bade has been a pharmacy clinical care coordinator with SpartanNash in Grand Rapids, MI, for the past 9 years. In this role, she coordinates and oversees the SpartanNash Immunization Program, practices as
an ambulatory care pharmacist, and serves as a preceptor for the SpartanNash-Ferris State University PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy residency program.
In addition to coordinating standing orders and immunization supply chains for the six states where SpartanNash operates, Bade immunizes patients at company clinics and events as well in her capacity as an imbedded pharmacist at Internal Medicine and Pediatrics of West Michigan (IMP-WM). Bade organized and spearheaded the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination efforts at IMP-WM, where she continues to vaccinate patients as young as 3 years old. This program is a first-of-its-kind display of private sector physician/pharmacist partnerships in Michigan.
Additionally, Bade conceived of the “Immunize at ArtPrize” initiative held at the annual ArtPrize festival in Grand Rapids. ArtPrize is a 19-day art festival in downtown Grand Rapids that attracts over a million attendees each year. Immunize at ArtPrize, in addition to providing broader access to vaccines for individuals of all ages, has helped spread public awareness about pharmacist training, capability, and roles in the immunization neighborhood. Lastly, Bade was a champion in the 2023 legislative effort that added independent immunization authority to Michigan pharmacist scope of practice with the passage of SB 219 in 2023.
Bade received her PharmD from Ferris State University in 2007 and successfully completed a PGY1 residency with Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) in 2008.
Bade has dedicated most of her career to a passion: seeking, investigating, and pursuing sustainable avenues to advance the role of a pharmacist in both the primary care outpatient setting and community pharmacy setting. As a result, she has successfully developed and implemented programs that demonstrate just that. Bade has long been a member of the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) and APhA. She served on the Michigan Society of Community Pharmacists Board of Directors for 9 years and now serves on the MPA Executive Board. Bade also serves with the MPA House of Delegates, has received the designation of Fellow of the MPA, has been recognized as a member of the MPA Hall of Honor, and has been awarded the MPA Pharmacist of the Year.
Honorable Mention
Kaitlyn Pegump, PharmD
Director of Clinical Operations, Towncrest Pharmacy Corporation
Pharmacist-In-Charge, Towncrest Iowa City
Kaitlyn Pegump is director of clinical operations at Towncrest Pharmacy Corporation including six community pharmacies, one long-term care closed-door pharmacy, and one cash-based practice. Towncrest Pharmacy Corporation serves six communities in Iowa, including rural areas in which the pharmacy may be the only health care location. Pegump is responsible for the oversight of all clinical services including a robust immunization program. She not only develops all protocols, but also makes sure that each staff member is fully educated on the vaccine, understands the protocol, and is aware of the required documentation.
Towncrest Pharmacy Corporation has both pharmacists and technicians who are trained as immunizers, and Pegump oversees their training and education. Additionally, Pegump provides all employees with CDC and vaccine updates. She has spent considerable time working with each of the six community sites to increase their vaccination rates by teaching the staff to be proactive utilizing the state registry, implementing medication synchronization, and using the appointment-based model to provide clinical services including immunizations.
Pegump is the pharmacist-in-charge at the Iowa City location and also travels to each of the other community pharmacy sites to review and improve their patient care processes, evaluate their progress with clinical services (including immunizations), and provide any clinical updates.
Pegump graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2021 and went on to complete a PGY1 Community-Based Residency through the University of Iowa at Greenwood Pharmacy in Waterloo, IA. After completion of her PGY1 residency, Pegump joined Towncrest Pharmacy in Iowa City, IA.
Corporation/Institution
National Winner
The Purdue Center for Health Equity and Innovation
The Purdue University Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI) is a hub of interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement highlighting the pharmacist role throughout communities in central Indiana. Through their innovative and impactful programs, CHEqI demonstrates outstanding commitment and success in addressing vaccine hesitancy and delivery among populations experiencing health disparities. At the core of CHEqI’s achievements is the Community Health Access Model Program (CHAMP) led by pharmacists.
In partnership with Walgreens, food pantries, and homeless shelters, CHEqI has provided no-cost COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to individuals facing food and/or housing insecurity, addressing vaccine hesitancy, enhancing accessibility, and mitigating health disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake. CHEqI administered 3,021 COVID-19 and influenza vaccines at 113 vaccination events, highlighting the positive impact of their collaborative and community-focused approach.
To build upon initial successes and continue to meet ever-changing community needs, CHAMP has expanded to include additional no-cost health services, such as naloxone distribution, tobacco cessation education, safe medication disposal kits, and BP screenings. CHEqI’s work has not only improved immunization rates, but has also fostered collaboration, making pharmacists integral members of the immunization neighborhood and health care team while building trust within the central Indiana community.
Honorable Mention
The Marquess Group of Pharmacies
The Marquess Group (The Group) consists of 10 retail pharmacies in Georgia. In 2023, these 10 locations delivered nearly 35,000 immunizations of all types, including 3,000 for respiratory syncytial virus.
Jonathan Marquess, cofounder and president of The Group, said “Immunizations are at the core of what our pharmacies do.” He said he is proud of the work his team has done to bring immunizations to people.
This year alone, The Group conducted immunization clinics in more than 60 off-site locations. The off-site clinics help overcome the transportation issue for many low-income families. In 2023, The Group conducted clinics in factories, schools, community centers and other venues that are willing to house the 3- or 4-hour clinics. To help support these clinics, Marquess works with pharmaceutical companies, local health departments, and other organizations to provide pre-event materials describing the benefits of the various immunizations they will provide to those who attend a clinic.
Additionally, Marquess has worked with several pharmaceutical companies to provide immunizations to their sales people when they have meetings in the Atlanta area.
Finally, Marquess founded a company, The Institute for Wellness Education, that works with pharmaceutical companies to conduct ACPE-approved CE programs at state and national association meetings.
Pharmacy Team Member
National Winner
Kaitlyn Priestley, BFA, MS, CPhT-Adv
Pharmacy Operations Manager on Special Assignment, Immunization Services
Walgreens
Kaitlyn Priestley is currently a pharmacy operations manager on special assignment for Immunization Services with Walgreens and is focused on advocating and developing resources for team members to better educate, engage, and create access to immunizations for patients across the United States.
Priestley started with Walgreens as a senior certified pharmacy technician in 2018 and was asked to champion immunizations in her pharmacy to help with connecting patients to immunization assessments, identifying gaps, and protection. During her first year in the role, Priestley identified ways to build a culture of care, influence and grow her team through coaching and resource development, and brand her pharmacy for immunization engagement.
As Priestley continued to expand her team’s confidence in immunizations, she was tasked as area lead technician for immunizations, hosting immunization trainings and workshops, developing resources to be utilized across the area, supporting other stores with visits and training, and creating content for an area-wide newsletter focused on immunizations.
While in the area lead role, COVID-19 changed the immunization landscape in community pharmacy, and Priestley was asked to lead over 100 partnerships with local long-term care facilities in the Southwest Florida area to administer COVID-19 vaccines to our most vulnerable communities during the initial authorization of COVID-19 vaccines.
After returning to the store after initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Priestley continued her work with immunizations both in pharmacy and at an area and regional level. In late 2022, Priestley stepped out of the field and joined the Support Center for Walgreens as a pharmacy operations manager on special assignment for Immunization Services. Since her start in the role, Priestley has worked closely with teams in the field to
create a feedback method to ensure a positive immunization experience for both team members and patients.
Furthermore, Priestley has helped to lead the development of trainings and resources for teams across the country and the expansion of existing immunization programs to emphasize the role of pharmacy in immunizations as well as the opportunity
to protect patients fully with coadministration to address immunization gaps and address vaccine inequity driven by lack of or misinformation.
Priestley has been recognized by Walgreens in 2021 as the Area Champion of Champions for Patient Care, and by the PTCB as a subject matter expert for immunizations in 2021.
Honorable Mention
Alexis Reianna Franks, CPhT
Cavalier Pharmacy
Alexis Reianna Franks was indispensable in aiding the pharmacy in implementing a vaccination program aimed at addressing gaps in routine vaccination coverage.
Franks assisted in nearly every step of the program. She aided in assessing patients and recording which vaccines were needed on their MedSync sheet. Franks would drop a “vaccine counseling” note in every MedSync patient chart to indicate a need to address vaccines when their medications were due. She would often have the initial conversation with the patient regarding the vaccine and then have the pharmacist follow up for more in-depth answers. Franks was instrumental in documenting and billing for the vaccines administered. She is also certified to administer vaccines when needed.
Cavalier Pharmacy’s vaccination program was a success because of technicians like Franks, who really took the initiative to assist with the program in whatever way she could. She offered feedback regarding the system Cavalier Pharmacy implemented with their MedSync patients to make the program as smooth and stress-free as possible. Franks’ feedback was instrumental in fine-tuning the system that was eventually rolled out to other stores that share ownership.
Travel Health
National Winner
Liz Moir, PharmD
Director, Patient Care Services
Albertsons Companies Inc.
Liz Moir graduated from Idaho State University with a PharmD in 2009. She began her career as a clinical staff pharmacist at Fred Meyer, a subsidiary of Kroger, where she launched their travel health program in Idaho and became the first pharmacist to obtain a yellow fever stamp. Moir joined Albertsons Companies in 2019, where she leads the development and implementation of patient-centered services that improve health and wellness.
One of her main areas of focus is travel health and immunizations, which help protect patients from preventable diseases and promote global health. She also oversees other services such as pharmacist prescribing services and point-of-care testing.
She has played a key role in expanding the scope of practice and improving access to care for patients across Albertsons locations, especially in the travel health space. Albertsons pharmacies currently offer travel health services across 29 states in 1,675 pharmacies, up from 13 states and 598 pharmacies in 2022.
This service provides travelers with essential travel health advice and pharmacy services before their trips. The program offers a travel health consultation with a pharmacist who can provide recommendations (and in many states, issue prescriptions) for travel vaccines, medications, and OTC items that may be needed during the trip based on the destination. The program covers common travel vaccines such as hepatitis A, typhoid fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, and more.
Moir believes that the program is a valuable service that can help travelers stay healthy and enjoy their adventures.
Moir is passionate about providing quality care and empowering pharmacists to practice at the top of their license. She also participates in several professional organizations and initiatives that support pharmacy innovation and collaboration and was recently recognized as one of Drug Store News’ Top Women in Health, Wellness and Beauty in the Rising Stars category. ■
Immunization delivery training available
APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate Training Program is based on national educational standards for immunization training from CDC. This practice-based curriculum represents a fusion of science and clinical pharmacy and emphasizes a health care team approach, seeking to foster the implementation of interventions that will promote disease prevention and public health. The purpose of this certificate training program is to prepare pharmacists with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to provide immunization services to patients in various stages of life.
More information is available at pharmacist.com/Education/Certificate-Training-Programs/Immunization