Alumni Leadership and Achievements

 

October, 2022

NSU COP Alumnus, Tsehaye Zemenfes, Pharm.D. ('10), RPh, MPH chosen as Top Community Leader Pharmacist in SingleCare’s 2022 Best of the Best Pharmacy Award

Tsehaye Zemenfes, Pharm.D. ('10), RPH, MPH, has been named Top Community Leader for his dedication to his patients and his extensive work in an isolated rural area as the pharmacist at Alamo Navajo Health Center in Alamo, New Mexico.
Originally from Ethiopia, Dr. Zemenfes has worked for more than eight years on Alamo’s Native American reservation, where he lives with his wife and children. “We live in a very isolated community,” he explains. “It’s a relatively small pharmacy that’s inside the building of the clinic.” For Dr. Zemenfes, integrating into the community in which he works has been crucial, and not something his patients necessarily expected of him. “When I started, the first question I got was, ‘How long are you here for?’ In rural settings, there’s very high turnover,” he explains. “You will see providers and pharmacists come and go every three months or six months. It took me a while to understand that because of the high turnover, there’s a limited continuation of care.”

 

April 5, 2021

NSU COP Alumnus, Richard Ashworth, Pharm.D. ('99) appointed to the Board of American Society on Aging

NSU COP would like to congratulate alumnus Richard Ashworth, M.B.A., Pharm.D. (‘99) for his appointment to the American Society on Aging board. Ashworth is the President and CEO of Tivity Health, which is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, with flagship brands like — SilverSneakers®, Nutrisystem®, Prime® Fitness, Wisely Well™, South Beach Diet® and WholeHealth Living®.  Previously, Ashworth was president of pharmacy and retail operations for Walgreens from 2014 to 2017, president of operations 2017 to 2020, and then as president of Walgreens until June 2020. We are incredibly proud of the work our alumni are doing to advance the pharmacy profession. Read more >>

 

April 2, 2021

National Pharmaceutical Council Appoints John M. O’Brien, Pharm.D. ('00) as President and CEO

The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), a health policy research organization dedicated to the advancement of evidence, science and medical innovation, today announced the appointment of veteran drug pricing and health policy expert John M. O’Brien, M.P.H., Pharm.D. ('00), as president and chief executive officer. O’Brien, who will assume the role on June 1, will be responsible for overseeing NPC’s policy research and communications capacity, partnerships with other health care organizations, and strategic vision. O’Brien’s broad experience spans the private sector, academia and government. Prior to joining NPC, O’Brien was senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and deputy assistant secretary of planning and evaluation (health policy). He has also held senior policy positions in the life sciences and managed care industries, including at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, was a career official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during the Obama administration, and served as a health policy fellow in the U.S. Senate.

 

March 26, 2021

NSU COP celebrates Women’s History Month

Venessa Goodnow, Pharm.D. (‘98) is one of the phenomenal women being recognized this month as a trailblazer by the American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA) South Florida Chapter's 2020-2021 Honorees at the 17th Annual Women's History Month reception. The annual event honors women committed to excellence in public service. Dr. Goodnow is the chief pharmacy officer at Jackson Health System.

NSU COP congratulates Dr. Goodnow and all the phenomenal leaders contributing to making advances for women all over. Read more>>

 

March 22, 2021

Melissa Ortega, Pharm.D. ('10) appointed to chair the ASHP’s Section of Community Pharmacy Practitioners Executive Committee

Melissa Ortega, M.S., Pharm.D. ('10) was appointed to chair the ASHP's section of Community Pharmacy Practitioners executive committee. Dr. Ortega has focused her career championing pharmacy practice advancement initiatives, locally and nationally. In the past ten years, Dr. Ortega moved the needle in pharmacy practice by continuously devoting efforts in promoting the ASHP Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative at her organization and facilitating state affiliate summits. As a proud member of the Tufts Medical Center pharmacy leadership team, she established pharmacy programs in emergency medicine, ambulatory care, sterile compounding, technician advancement, residency training, and specialty pharmacy. She has also implemented technologies within the medication use system to promote safe dispensing and preparation practice.

Dr. Ortega is an active member of the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists, including the 2018 MSHP President, and continues her service as the Legislative Committee Chair. Nationally, Dr. Ortega has a sustained contribution to the ASHP Sections for Pharmacy Practice Leaders to help foster effective pharmacy leadership skills, including Faculty of the ASHP Manager’s Boot Camp, Chair of the Education Steering Committee, and an advisory group member. Dr. Ortega has also led the ASHP New Practitioners Advocacy Advisory Group and served on the Council for Public Policy, promoting advocacy as a professional obligation. Recently, she received an honor to participate in the Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce. Read more>>

 

February 05, 2021

NSU COP Alumni participate in administering COVID-19 vaccines in the nursing homes throughout Miami-Dade County

Michelle Gonzalez Costa, Pharm.D. ('02) and Stacey Maravent, Pharm.D. ('02) are administering the COVID vaccine together at skilled and assisted nursing homes throughout Miami-Dade County.  Dr. Gonzalez Costa was working as a floater pharmacist for CVS when she was tapped for this once in a lifetime opportunity.  Dr. Maravent said "Each time I hold the vaccine in my hand I am amazed that I can contribute to the immunization effort."  They have administered hundreds of doses together and look forward to administering many more as the vaccination effort continues. More on Vital Vaccinators on the Donor Connection website.

 

 

January 18, 2021

NSU COP Alumnus, Osmel "Ozzie" Delgado, Pharm.D. ('02) Accepts New Role at Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)

Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), the national leader in musculoskeletal value-based health outcomes management, service line management and practice management, has announced that Osmel "Ozzie" Delgado, Pharm.D. ('02) will now lead the company as Chief Operating Officer.

As the Chief Operating Officer at HOPCo, his role will be to improve operational efficiencies and process redesign to help further drive value-based musculoskeletal care on a national level by working directly with clinical and non-clinical leadership teams.  Ozzie has over 18 years of healthcare experience and has held a progression of leadership roles within Cleveland Clinic Florida, including the Director of Pharmacy, the Administrative Director of Clinical Operations, Senior Director of Operations, and most recently, Chief Operating Officer for the Cleveland Clinic Florida region.

 

Dec, 18, 2020

NSU Alumna Makes National Headlines

Dorinda Segovia, M.B.A., Pharm.D. (‘92), vice president of pharmacy services at Memorial Healthcare System (MHS), who was one of the first pharmacists to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in South Florida, made national headlines for discovering additional vaccine doses within each vial.

Segovia’s discovery is great news as the country looks to return to normal as soon as possible. The additional doses per vial will significantly increase the number of people who can receive the vaccine.

In a news conference held by Memorial Healthcare System last week, Segovia said, “…We have calculated that we can actually vaccinate seven patients per vial because of the overfill in the vial.” The previously announced number of doses in each vial was calculated to be only five doses.

According to an article published in the New York Post, the additional doses can increase the nation’s supply by up to 40%, given that the FDA has now approved the use of the additional doses. Previous to this approval, many were discarding the surplus contained in the vials as overfills, while normal, don’t usually contain enough for additional doses. This increase means that the initial 2.9 million doses that were distributed to hospitals across the nation could be more like 4 million available doses.

 

Dec. 16, 2020

Silverman College of Pharmacy Alumna Yenia Silva, Pharm.D. ('10) is the first pharmacist in South Florida to receive the COVID-19 shipment from Pfizer

Yenia Silva, M.B.A., Pharm.D (’10), Director of Operations at Memorial Specialty Pharmacy is the first pharmacist in South Florida to receive the COVID-19 shipment from Pfizer.  Dr. Silva,  who works at Memorial Healthcare System (MHS) in Broward assisted in orchestrating the storage of the vaccine and the logistics for massive vaccination efforts for MHS.  Using the MHS COVID -19 vaccine inventory, she helps coordinate inventory deployment for off-site vaccine clinics at  Broward Health, Westside, Cleveland Clinic, Plantation General, Florida Medical Center.   Pictured here is  Dr. Silva receiving her COVID-19 vaccine from NSU COP alumni Jacqueline Di Piazza, Pharm. D ('07).

 

Dec. 16, 2020

Silverman College of Pharmacy Alumna Dorinda Segovia, Pharm.D.  ('92) gets Covid-19 vaccine in Miramar

Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy alumna Dorinda Segovia, M.B.A., Pharm.D. (‘92), vice president of pharmacy services at Memorial Healthcare System (MHS) receives the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in Miramar. She was one of the first pharmacists to receive the vaccine in South Florida. The vaccine was administered by alumna Jacqueline Di Piazza ('07), the first pharmacist to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in South Florida.

MHS is one of the first health care systems in South Florida to receive over 19,500 doses of COVID-10 vaccines and aims to vaccinate 120 people per hour in the coming days.

MHS is host to NSU-COP students doing their Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. Students at the hospital system are experiencing the challenges and opportunities being brought by the pandemic and are engaged in providing assistance to hospital pharmacists such as Dr. Segovia.

 

Nov. 25, 2020

Governor Ron DeSantis appoints NSU COP Alumna, Dorinda Segovia, Pharm.D. ('92) to the Board of Pharmacy 

Dorinda Segovia, Pharm.D., NSU COP Alumna ('92), was appointed to the Board of Pharmacy by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. 
Dorinda Segovia, Pharm.D. ('92) is the Vice President of Pharmacy for Memorial Healthcare System.  She has been supporting the college of pharmacy community since 1992 as a student mentor, affiliate assistant professor, guest speaker and member of admissions and curriculum committees.  Her student-centered commitment made her the recipient of the 2008 Florida Pharmacists Association Jean Lamberti Mentorship Award.  She has been recognized by the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists (FSHP) with the Excellence in Pharmacy Leadership award for being innovative and advancing the profession of pharmacy.  In 2002 she was appointed by the Governor to Florida’s Medicaid first Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee to assist in selecting a formulary for the underserved.   Dr. Segovia is actively involved in combating the opioid epidemic by educating our youths, and serves as vice chair in FSHP’s legal and regulatory counsel.

In addition to Dr. Dorinda Segovia (’92), Blanca R. Rivera, C.Ph. M.S.Pharm., M.B.A. Pharm.D., ('90), also an NSU COP alumna, served on the Board of Pharmacy from 2017 through 2020 as a member and Chair of the Florida Board of Pharmacy Compounding Committee. 
Dr. Rivera is the Associate Vice President for Pharmacy Services for the University of Miami Health Systems. She is responsible for all the pharmacy services product line of UM Hospitals and affiliated clinics which currently consists of inpatient, outpatient, retail, specialty pharmacy, research pharmacy services, and oncology infusion services.  

 

 

Nov. 18, 2020

Jorge Garcia, Pharm.D., MS, MHA, MBA, FACHE ('10) named to the APhA Council to Guide Strategy to Engage Hospital and Health System Pharmacists

The American Pharmacists Association proudly announces the formation of its inaugural Hospital and Health System Strategy Council. This distinguished group of pharmacists and pharmacy residents is charged with providing APhA guidance as it develops tools, resources and unique member benefits for pharmacists and leaders in hospital and health system practice.

NSU COP Alumnus Jorge Garcia, M.S., M.H.A., M.B.A., FACHE, Pharm.D., ('10) is a healthcare leader with over 9 years of experience in the academic and community health-system setting providing oversight of inpatient pharmacy operations as well as system-wide inpatient and ambulatory oncology pharmacy services. He has experience founding and chairing interdisciplinary committees such as the Medication Safety Committee and the Medication Revenue Integrity Committee to leverage quality of care and organizational value.

 

Nov. 17, 2020

Broward Health Executive Director of Pharmacy Services Elected to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Committee on Nominations

Dave Lacknauth, M.B.A., Pharm.D. ('02), executive director of pharmacy services at Broward Health, has been elected to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Committee on Nominations, serving as an alternate member. He has been a member of ASHP since 2002. Lacknauth is responsible for strategic direction, financial and clinical outcomes, and marketing and program refinement with oversight and integration for Broward Health’s five acute care hospitals and 10 outpatient clinics.

Active in professional organizations both nationally and regionally, Lacknauth was appointed to the leadership committee of ASHP and is a former president of the Southeast Society of Health System Pharmacists. Lacknauth was recently elected to the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FSHP) board of directors, where he previously served as professional affairs committee chair, and is an active elected delegate representing FSHP at ASHP.