Dr. Nicholas Lehman, PharmD, BCACP
Dr. Lehman is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He also serves as a clinical pharmacist at the UnityPoint West Des Moines Internal Medicine and Family Medicine Clinics and as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Dr. Lehman received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of Iowa and completed a Primary Care Pharmacy Practice Residency at the Iowa City VA Medical Center following graduation. Dr. Lehman is a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist and provides direct patient care in several practice areas including diabetes management, anticoagulation, and immunizations. He has served APhA as a member of the House of Delegates, Policy Standing Committee, Diabetes SIG Education Committee Chair and as Faculty Advisor for Drake University’s APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition.
Mitchel Craig Rothholz, R.Ph., MBA
Mitchel C. Rothholz is a pharmacist with 40 years of organizational, advocacy and practice management experience. He retired from full-time employment after 28 years from APhA, and advanced and continues to advance pharmacy practice in numerous ways. His last APhA position was Chief of Governance & State Affiliates and Executive Director of the APhA Foundation. He also currently serves as Secretary for the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP), a collaborative forum of 12 national pharmacist organizations. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy, and earned a Masters in Business Administration, Healthcare Management, from Regis University in 2005. He has served as the Executive Director of the Alabama Pharmacy Association (1989-1994) and worked in numerous roles for the Florida Pharmacy Association (1984-1989). He has practical experience in community (chain and independent) pharmacy, nursing home, hospital, and managed care practice settings.
Rothholz is a globally recognized expert on Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery, actively engaged in expanding pharmacist authority and recognition as valued members of the healthcare team. He has been recognized for coining the concept of “immunization neighborhoods”, a patient-centered approach where stakeholders, through collaboration, coordination and communication address the needs of individuals and communities. He was a voting member of the US HHS National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), and currently serves in the leadership of the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS), and APhA liaison representative to NVAC.
He is a board member of the Unity Coalition (Adolescent Health Coalition), board member of the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), and co-chair of the Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (PDSAC) and CHOP T-21 Buddy Walk. In 2019 he completed a Fellowship in the US Senate Aging Committee under Senator Bob Casey (PA).
During COVID-19 he was an active volunteer leader in his community.
Dr. Elizabeth Skoy, PharmD
Dr. Elizabeth Skoy graduated with her Doctor of Pharmacy from North Dakota State University and began her career in Iowa as a community pharmacist. Within a few years, Dr. Skoy transitioned to a faculty position within the North Dakota State University (NDSU) School of Pharmacy. Currently, Dr. Skoy is a Full Tenured Professor at NDSU, and continues in her role as a practicing community pharmacist with a practice site at Thrifty White Pharmacy in Fargo, North Dakota. Dr. Skoy’s research interests and areas of expertise include increasing immunization rates, prevention of opioid misuse and accidental overdose, innovation in pharmacy instruction, and pharmacy’s delivery of point-of-care testing. She has contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and given over 100 podium presentations.
Dr. Skoy has received numerous accolades for her contribution to patient care and the profession of pharmacy, including: An APhA Immunization Champion Award, the NDPhA Cardinal Health Generation Rx Award, and the NDPhA Innovation in Pharmacy Practice Award. Dr. Skoy has represented the pharmacy profession through various agencies including the FDA, CDC and the American Pharmacist Association. Most recently, Dr. Skoy was named to serve on as the APhA representative on the ACIP Workgroup for RSV vaccine for adults. Dr. Skoy also serves as the Director of the Center for Collaboration and Advancement in Pharmacy (CAP Center) and NDSU. As the CAP Center Director, she engages pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to advance their practice through comprehensive medication management, immunization administration, point-of-care testing and more. Her goal is for every pharmacist and pharmacy technician to practice at their full potential for maximum patient benefit.
Veronica P. Vernon, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
Veronica Vernon received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Purdue University and subsequently completed a PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residency in ambulatory care and education at Veteran Health Indiana. She started her career as the first gynecology pharmacist at the Indianapolis VA. She has trained VA health care providers from across the country on reproductive and sexual health. Dr. Vernon is passionate about advocacy and has been actively engaged in legislative and regulatory efforts in Indiana for the past several years. She is also a past president of the Indiana Pharmacy Association. Dr. Vernon is an assistant professor and vice chair of pharmacy practice at Butler University, where she teaches pharmacy law, reproductive health, and diversity and inclusivity in health care. Dr. Vernon has enjoyed serving in a variety of roles within APhA, especially those in the House of Delegates. She is a proud chapter advisor for the Butler APhA-ASP chapter. In 2021, she was named the APhA Good Government Pharmacist of the Year. Dr. Vernon would like to acknowledge the many mentors and friends she has gained through APhA. She lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two boys, and two dogs.
Lucio R. Volino, PharmD, RUCIF, CTTS
Lucio Volino is a Clinical Professor and Director of Assessment at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy (EMSOP), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Volino’s clinical practice role with the Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy – RWJBarnabas Health involves developing, implementing, and managing clinical patient-centered self-care, preventive care, transitions of care, and medication management services across six affiliated pharmacies. Dr. Volino has organized and helped deliver over 800 community outreach education and health screening programs at senior centers, assisted living facilities, training centers, health fairs, and schools.
As an advocate for pharmacy involvement in practice-based education programs and initiatives, he has trained thousands of pharmacists, student pharmacists, and technicians to deliver immunizations through the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery courses. Under his guidance, hundreds of students and residents have been able to provide point-of-care testing and promote disease state awareness and prevention in the community.
Dr. Volino has been recognized for his excellence and dedication to teaching, clinical practice, and service. He has received the William and Helen Levine Teacher of the Year Award (ten times), Rho Chi Honor Society Faculty Advisor Award, APhA/NJPhA Bowl of Hygeia Award, NJPhA Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award, and Rutgers University RBHS Chancellor Community Service Award.
Dr. Volino received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and completed a two-year, post-doctoral industry fellowship at Novartis Pharmaceuticals/Rutgers University in clinical research and regulatory affairs. He has been faculty at EMSOP for 19 years.
Dr. Matthew M Lacroix, PharmD MS BCPS
Dr. Lacroix is the Director of Accreditation and Assessment at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Rhode Island, and his Masters in Medical Education Leadership from the University of New England. He completed a PGY 1 Residency at Caritas St. Elizabeth Medical Center/ Northeastern University School of Pharmacy. Dr. Lacroix started his academic career with St. John's University before becoming founding faculty at the University of New England College of Pharmacy. Dr Lacroix has served in numerous roles throughout the APhA organization. He has been a chapter advisor for ASP, he has served as an officer and committee member for APPM. He has been an active member of the House of Delegates for APhA for over a decade and served on many House Committees. Dr. Lacroix is active in other leadership within the profession through service with the America Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity Inc, and the Rhode Island and Maine Pharmacy Associations. Dr. Lacroix notably was President of RIPA during the Covid Pandemic.
CDR Andrew, A.R, Gentles,PharmD, MPH, BCPS
CDR Andrew Gentles is a public health pharmacist and community health advocate with a strong interest in advancing health equity in underrepresented communities. He holds a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Howard University College of Pharmacy. A Commissioned Officer in the U.S Public Health Service, his first tour of duty started in 2012 in Indian Health Service (IHS) where he served as the Deputy Chief Pharmacist for a 60-bed hospital on the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona. He credits this leadership experience and exposure to patient-centered medical home models in shaping his perspective on the bigger picture of what we as pharmacists and healthcare providers can truly accomplish towards improving clinical outcomes in the communities we serve. In 2015, CDR Gentles transitioned to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he made several notable contributions to national public health preparedness. As the Medical Countermeasures (MCM) Regulatory Team Lead, for example, he oversaw programs targeting infectious diseases that included HIV, Smallpox, Ebola, and therapeutics focused on addressing COVID-19. During his tenure at FDA, CDR Gentles remained actively involved in his local state pharmacy association and subsequently served as the President of the Washington, DC state pharmacy association. His barrier-breaking leadership ushered the passage of the Collaborative Practice Agreements between Physicians and Pharmacists regulations, which enhanced opportunities for advanced practice impacting 2,000 licensed pharmacists and 600, 000 Washington DC residents. Elected to serve as an At-Large APhA Board of Trustee (2021-24 Term), CDR Gentles was also appointed to chair the APhA Task Force, Addressing Structural Racism in Pharmacy with these experiences having been some of the most humbling opportunities in his pharmacy career. Currently serving as a Senior Health Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDR Gentles provides unique perspectives on Medical Countermeasures (MCM) with a special emphasis on emerging infectious diseases/bioterrorism-related and broader public health emergency preparedness concerns. Concurrently, he mentors aspiring pharmacy leaders and volunteers for the non-profit organization, Dissipating Disparities, Inc which was founded by his wife, Dr. Carlisha Gentles, a fellow pharmacist to address health disparities in underrepresented communities.
Anne L. Burns, BSPharm, RPh
Anne L. Burns, BSPharm, RPh, is currently President of Pharmacy Horizons, LLC. For 25 years prior, she worked at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), most recently serving as Vice President, Professional Affairs. In this capacity, she was responsible for the Association’s strategic practice initiatives focused on advancing pharmacists’ patient care service delivery, payment for pharmacists’ services, interprofessional collaboration, health information technology, health care quality, and addressing the opioid epidemic. In 1999, she guided the launch of the APhA/ASHP partnership to accredit community pharmacy residency programs and implemented a multi-faceted approach to facilitate the growth of these programs. She led the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners’ development of the Pharmacist Patient Care Process and Medication Management Services Definition, co-led the creation of the APhA/NACDS Medication Therapy Management Core Elements Service Model, and contributed to the formation of the Pharmacy Health Information Technology Collaborative. She has served on many boards, coalitions, and workgroups, including the Board of Directors for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance and the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy, the National Advisory Board for the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit, the National Academies of Medicine Action Collaborative on Combatting the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, the CDC Opioid Guidelines Workgroup, the Pharmacy HIT Collaborative Workgroup on Professional Service Claims and Codes and the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy Dean’s Corporate Council. She has received several awards, including the APhA Community Pharmacy Residency Lifetime Achievement Award, the OSU College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award, and the OSU College of Pharmacy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ms. Burns joined APhA in 1997. Prior to APhA, she served on the faculty at the OSU College of Pharmacy for 13 years. She received her BS in Pharmacy from OSU and completed the Wharton Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders.
Lucio R. Volino, PharmD, RUCIF, CTTS
Lucio Volino is a Clinical Professor and Director of Assessment at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy (EMSOP), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Volino’s clinical practice role with the Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy – RWJBarnabas Health involves developing, implementing, and managing clinical patient-centered self-care, preventive care, transitions of care, and medication management services across six affiliated pharmacies. Dr. Volino has organized and helped deliver over 800 community outreach education and health screening programs at senior centers, assisted living facilities, training centers, health fairs, and schools.
As an advocate for pharmacy involvement in practice-based education programs and initiatives, he has trained thousands of pharmacists, student pharmacists, and technicians to deliver immunizations through the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery courses. Under his guidance, hundreds of students and residents have been able to provide point-of-care testing and promote disease state awareness and prevention in the community.
Dr. Volino has been recognized for his excellence and dedication to teaching, clinical practice, and service. He has received the William and Helen Levine Teacher of the Year Award (ten times), Rho Chi Honor Society Faculty Advisor Award, APhA/NJPhA Bowl of Hygeia Award, NJPhA Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award, and Rutgers University RBHS Chancellor Community Service Award.
Dr. Volino received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and completed a two-year, post-doctoral industry fellowship at Novartis Pharmaceuticals/Rutgers University in clinical research and regulatory affairs. He has been faculty at EMSOP for 19 years.
Stacey M. Frede, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES
Stacey M. Frede, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES is a Clinical Program Development Manager at Kroger Health where she designs, implements, and enhances innovative, people-centered care services and delivery models that support the advancement of pharmacy practice and help people live healthier lives. Dr. Frede also oversees standardization of postgraduate residency programs across Kroger Health. Stacey received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Dayton and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Cincinnati. She completed a postgraduate PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency with the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and Kroger Pharmacy. Through her career, she has focused on evolving and advancing patient care in community practice and supporting research that advances the profession of pharmacy and improves population health. Publications include two papers that received the Clinical Paper Research Award from the American Pharmacists Association. Her research interests include chronic disease prevention and management, transitional care, population health management, and advancement of community pharmacy practice. Dr. Frede is passionate about residency training and has served as a residency program director and preceptor for both the Kroger/University of Cincinnati PGY1 and PGY1/PGY2 community-based pharmacy residency programs and is a guest surveyor for community-based pharmacy residency programs for ASHP/APhA. Stacey is a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Specialist, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.
Lucas A. Berenbrok, PharmD, MS, BCACP, FAPhA
Lucas Berenbrok’s professional achievements have transformed pharmacy practice by highlighting the unique accessibility of community pharmacists, evaluating emerging practice innovations, and supporting key public health initiatives with excitement, purpose, and proof.
A recipient of the Albert B. Prescott Pharmacy Leadership Award, Luke’s highly-cited scholarly works have raised national awareness of the exceptional ways community pharmacists deliver clinical services and champion public health in local communities. His research expertise has accelerated multidisciplinary acceptance of over-the-counter hearing aids sold at community pharmacies and the delivery of clinical pharmacogenomic services in outpatient settings.
An Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Luke’s vision for pharmacy education has included cutting edge initiatives in the areas of micro-credentialing and badging; competency-based and interprofessional education; and professional and career development.
Luke’s notable practice achievements include leading the design and implementation of two groundbreaking, pharmacist-led clinical services at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC. At the University of Pittsburgh, Luke directs a comprehensive medication management benefit for university faculty and staff which also offers a yearlong diabetes prevention program and a travel vaccine consultative service. With physician and genetic counseling colleagues at UPMC, Luke established a precision medicine service in primary care which offers pharmacogenomic testing and result interpretation to patients in Southwestern Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.