President-Elect of NISHP.  In this role, I contribute to executive board meetings and continuing education planning for our members.

After completing pharmacy school at UIC, I completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at the Edwards Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, and a PGY2 HIV/Infectious Diseases Residency at UIC.  My current practice sites are the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy and University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System. As a Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Pharmacist, my roles change every day. I precept P1-P4 students as well as residents and fellows on rotation, I provide lectures and coordinate an elective course.  I participate in multiple committees and College/University functions, as well as contribute to the medical literature by attempting to answer research questions our group designs. My clinic sites vary from our HIV/ID ambulatory care clinic on campus, to an on-campus telemedicine clinic where we care for patients living with HIV who are incarcerated within the Illinois Department of Corrections, and lastly I attend 2 of our 5 off-campus, Ryan White-funded HIV primary care clinics. 

As a child, it seemed as if I was frequenting the pediatrician’s office far too often for recurrent ear infections. Our pharmacy was actually connected to the doctor’s office, which was convenient. My first memories and interactions with our pharmacist were nothing short of positive and warm. Our pharmacist, who I later learned is a UIC alumnus as well, was always empathetic, sympathetic, patient, kind, and intelligent. He even would let me “shake up” my own “bubble gum medicine,” which I thought was the coolest thing in the world.  I guess I was hooked on pharmacy from that point on and didn’t know it! I hope that I demonstrate some of those same positive, warm traits to my patients today that were shown to my family by my childhood pharmacist. 

I think the uncertainty of where the world of automation will take us is a big question. Automation can have such a positive benefit in the workplace and in our lives, but it may also bring many unique challenges and unknown obstacles. Another area of concern that I have centers around pharmacy benefit managers/insurance companies. Maybe it is because I work with fairly expensive/specialty antiretroviral medications (HIV and HCV) and I am often restricted by prior authorizations or letters of medical necessity, but the restrictions (as many of us I’m sure know) can negatively impact patient care, delay therapy, and cause unnecessary headaches for the patient and members of the healthcare team. 

ICHP is great because it offers opportunities to collaborate with other pharmacists from your region and across the state! It provides networking events, continuing education, and updates regarding our profession. I also think ICHP is great because it provides opportunities to get involved at whatever level you feel comfortable with or your time allows.

I remember trying to get involved as a P1 student at UIC. I dabbled in nearly every organization, but some organizations made a greater impact on me than others and ICHP was one of them. Pharmacy, as we know, is a large yet small-world and ICHP has definitely helped me create positive relationships. 

Special thanks to many of my mentors for making me who I am today in my career! I have learned so much from so many folks during different aspects of my training and career. In pharmacy school at UIC, Brad Cannon was an incredible mentor. During PGY1 at the Hines VA, I had close mentors including Chris Rivers (yes, the past ICHP president), Jenn Javier, and Frank Svete. During PGY2 at UIC and now, I continue to look up to Melissa Badowski, Renata Smith, and Rodrigo Burgos. I’m always evolving my skills and incorporating a little bit of each of their styles into the way that I practice.

My advice for students is to ask questions, get involved, or challenge yourself by joining an organization/group you thought you wouldn’t.  Have a plan and career goal(s) – yet don’t be afraid if your goals change as you journey through pharmacy school and beyond. 

My interests outside of work include sports (watching or playing – go Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox!), working out (often high intensity and interval training classes), trying out new recipes in the kitchen, traveling with my fiancée, and playing with our 7½ year old silver Labrador retriever, Ruby.

I definitely enjoy a lot of types and varieties of food. I’m usually an equal opportunity eater (except mushrooms, I just can’t seem to enjoy those as others do). My favorite food, however, would have to be pastitsio (some people refer to it as Greek lasagna).