
2019 Speakers

Your Host, Blair Thielemier
The last two years Blair’s primary focus has been elevating the profession of pharmacy through advanced clinical services. She regularly shares information about pharmacy consulting services on her blog at BTPharmacyConsulting.com. Blair is the author of the Amazon bestselling book How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business.
Blair is passionate about the advancement of the profession of pharmacy and believes the shift to a value-based healthcare model is an opportunity for pharmacy to play a bigger role in the system. She believes this shift will change the face of our profession drastically in the next 20 years and wants to help her colleagues prepare and adapt to those changes.
In 2015, she founded a pharmacy consulting business BT Pharmacy Consulting, LLC and currently helps train and coach other pharmacists looking to start their own consulting businesses through an online e-course and business coaching platform at the PharmapreneurAcademy.com. Through the Academy, Blair is pioneering the use of educational online courses for pharmacists interested in providing enhanced clinical services, such as immunizations, point of care testing, chronic care and transitional care management programs.
In April 2017, she launched the first online pharmacy conference in the industry. The Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit featured pharmacists of various backgrounds practicing pharmacy at the peak of the profession. Over 1,800 pharmacists from across the globe attended the inaugural event.
In May 2019, the 3rd annual ElevatePharmacySummit.com features an all new lineup of speakers. The five day event is co-presented by the Pharmapreneur Academy and the NCPA Innovation Center. Pharmacists in attendance are eligible for live, accredited CE through the National Community Pharmacists Association.
Blair’s interests include advocating for community pharmacy services that help providers in primary care and post acute care improve quality measures and patient outcomes. She is dedicated to putting out helpful information about pharmacist billing options and the benefits of pharmacy consulting services through the Pharmapreneur Academy.

Amy Van Milligan
Dr. Amy Van Milligan joined Crossroad Health Center in October 2010. She was drawn by the opportunity to provide health care to those who might otherwise not receive care. A native of Virginia Beach, Dr. Van Milligan obtained her medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. She then completed a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at University of Cincinnati Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Currently Dr. Van Milligan is helping to implement a primary care treatment program for patients struggling with substance use disorder.
Dr. Van Milligan and her husband have three young children. She enjoys reading, traveling, and visiting unusual ice cream stands in her spare time. She only wishes that Cincinnati were closer to the Atlantic Ocean and good salt water taffy.

Sue Paul
Sue Paul is a pharmacist, entrepreneur and small business owner with over 20 years experience in the industry. She is following a non traditional path by assisting physicians in managing chronic disease state medications, implementing pharmacogenetic testing / analysis for complicated patients, and compiling current medication lists for their patients. She enjoys educating clients on all aspects of medication which empowers them to take control of their health. Current worksites include physician’s offices, nursing homes, employer groups, independent drug stores and in-home patient visits. She is President and Founder of SyneRxgy Consulting, LLC, a concierge pharmacy service.


Jessica and Dr. Pettis
Jessica Sinclair graduated from the Purdue University College of Pharmacy in 2017. She is the immediate past resident of the UNC PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Residency with Rx Clinic Pharmacy in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now works as a clinical pharmacist with Rx Clinic Pharmacy and provides collaborative clinical services at Metrolina Internal Medicine. She also is an instructor with the Avant Institute of Clinicians where she provides insight to pharmacists regarding expanding clinical services in the community and collaborative settings.
Dr. Karlton Pettis is an Internal Medicine Specialist at Metrolina Internal Medicine in Charlotte, NC


Tasha Michaels & Andy Carrington
Natasha (Tasha) Michaels, PharmD, BCACP is Director of Clinical Services at Sona Pharmacy + Clinic. Michaels received her bachelor of science in chemistry and biology and minor in mathematics from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC (2003). She received her doctor of pharmacy from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (2007). Michaels completed her PGY1 community pharmacy residency at Kerr Drug in Raleigh and UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (2008). Her research on North Carolina’s Medicaid Medication Therapy Management Program was published in the May/June 2010 issue of Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. Michaels’ primary focus has been to provide clinical services to patients in the community setting including
Michaels is also an adjunct faculty member at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and serves as a preceptor for advanced community experiential rotations for pharmacy students from various schools of pharmacy. She is a member of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP). She is actively involved in NCAP and currently serves on the Immunization Committee and Editorial Board. She has served as a member of NCAP’s Community Care Practice Forum Executive Committee 2009 – 2014 including Chair in 2013, Membership Committee, Award Committee, and Strategic Plan Task Force. Michaels received the Community Care Pharmacist of the Year award in August 2010 from NCAP for her work with expanding MTM to all Kerr Drug pharmacists and stores. She also became a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist in 2012.
Anne Carter Carrington, PharmD, CPP
Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner, MAHEC
Assistant Professor of Clinical Education, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Anne “Andy” Carrington grew up in rural South Boston, Virginia and received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in Animal and Poultry Sciences. She finished her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2015. She completed an ASHP accredited PGY-1 residency with Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Virginia and moved back to NC to complete her PGY-2 ASHP accredited residency in academia and ambulatory care at MAHEC. During her PGY-2, she had the opportunity to create her own practice sites with Mission Health and developed a passion for Team-Based Care. She currently serves as an Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist where she splits her time between the inpatient Family Practice Service at Mission and in

Mary Onysko
Mary Onysko, PharmD, BCPS is the Director of Pharmacy at Rx Clinical Services in Eugene, Oregon. After spending 11 years in ambulatory care and academia, she joined Jeannie and Brian Marr (who also own two independent pharmacies in town) to help create this new company in May of 2018. Despite being formed less than a year ago, Rx Clinical Services has placed pharmacists into 4 independent primary care offices and will be welcoming two PGY1 residents to the team in July. Their services include conducting Annual Wellness Visits, performing Chronic Care Management (CCM), telephonic medication management,
Dr. Onysko is responsible for the creation and development of clinical pharmacy services for the company. She approaches doctor’s offices with ideas for integration and is hoping to start contracting with

Josh Howland
Josh Howland earned his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2008 from the University of Texas at Austin and his MBA in 2013 from the University of Texas at Dallas with a focus on healthcare administration and quality/process improvement. He began his career at Walgreens and moved to CVS/Health’s PBM working in clinical client operations. He then moved to DaVita Rx developing medication management programs for End-Stage Renal Disease patients at DaVita Rx. After building several successful programs using novel payment models and demonstrating that pharmacists can add enormous value through managing medications, care plans and building strong relationships with patients and providers, Josh finally found his home at PioneerRx. At PioneerRx he runs the Dallas office and works with a great team and brilliant pharmacists to bring new clinical capabilities to independent pharmacies, such as care plans and adding even more value to the RxLocal product line. In his personal time, Josh has an amazing wife of 8 years, 3 of the friendliest dogs you’ll ever meet, and is learning to be a

Travis Wolff
Travis Wolff, Pharm.D. is a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist who serves as manager and co-owner of Med-World Pharmacy in Sapulpa, OK. Since buying Med-World Pharmacy a little over seven years ago, Dr. Wolff has implemented new patient services common to independent

Phil Baker
Lifelong Memphian, graduated Raleigh Egypt High School 1994, graduated University of Tennessee (Memphis) College of Pharmacy 2005. Was a Pharmacy Manager for Kroger from 2005-2011, then Director of Pharmacy for Baptist Germantown Hospital from 2011-2015, opened Good Shepherd Pharmacy September of 2015. Married to Mackenzie Baker since 2012 and just enjoyed the birth of their 4th child, Boaz Alexander, in June 2018. Member of Grace Church Memphis in Uptown Memphis.
Healthcare Innovations
Developed a business model for
Created an operational model for
Created a Transitional Care program with both St. Francis hospitals whereby we manage
We got a law passed (https://openstates.org/tn/bills/110/HB137/) so that we could start a state-wide prescription reclamation program that allows us to accept prescription medication donations from hospitals and nursing homes- and dispense those meds to
Partnered with a self-insured employer (Barnhardt Crane and Rigging) to provide prescriptions and medication management to their employees a fraction of the cost of existing (PBM) models.
Recognized by Tennessee Pharmacists Association as Innovative Pharmacy of the year.
Founded CharityPharmacy.org which aims to network every charity pharmacy in the country to share our successful programs and processes with other pharmacies serving the vulnerable.
Pharmacy of Choice for Church Health and the 70,000 Memphians they serve every year.
Recognized by Medishare Healthcare sharing ministries as
Partnered with the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy to create an Advanced Community Pharmacy Practice Residency designed focused on serving
Training site for Union University, Lipscomb University, and University of Tennessee Colleges of Pharmacy students.
Partnered with the Southern College of Optometry to be an interprofessional training site for their optometry students.
Community Outreach
Developed a Certified Pharmacy Technician training program that is completely free for the students. Our initial class had over 700 applications. Four students graduated the program in 2017, all of whom are now working fulltime as Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
We’ve served over 2000
We’ve diverted over $10 Million worth of prescription medication (over 50,000 individual prescriptions) from our landfills, lakes, and rivers into the hands of people who would not otherwise afford it.
We’ve saved the Memphis Healthcare Ecosystem another $10 Million in avoided emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and adverse drug events.

Beverly Schaeffer
Beverly Schaefer is co-owner of Katterman’s Sand Point Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington and was the 2007 NCPA National Community Pharmacist of the Year. Katterman’s is a corner, neighborhood pharmacy that offers patient care services including immunizations, travel consultations and specialty compounding. The pharmacy specializes in helping patients solve problems related to maintaining or improving their health. Extensive OTC counseling, compression hose fitting, wound supplies, travel medicine information and having fun at retailing are all part of the mix of this successful pharmacy operation.
Ms. Schaefer holds an appointment at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy as a clinical professor. Katterman’s Pharmacy mentors several pharmacy students on site each year as well as acting as
Ms. Schaefer has received many professional awards, the most recent being the 2018 Washington State Innovative Pharmacist Award.

Traci Poole
Dr. Traci Poole joined the faculty of the College of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice in August 2010. She is a 2009 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy in Richmond, VA. Upon graduation, Dr. Poole completed an ASHP/APhA-accredited pharmacy practice residency with an emphasis in community care at VCU School of Pharmacy and Kmart Pharmacy. She also served in several roles at the VCU School of Pharmacy including co-preceptor for students on introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences, clinical instructor in pharmacy practice laboratories, and guest lecturer in the Self-Medication courses.
As Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Dr. Poole teaches second and

Bill Holmes
Bill has devoted most of his professional career to the development and sale of automated storage and dispensing equipment. He was either an integral team member or founder of five successful high tech companies in California

Adam Martin
Dr. Adam Martin earned his doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. With over 7 years of experience working full-time in the community pharmacy setting, he’s passionate about empowering other pharmacists and pharmacy students to put the health back into healthcare through leading by example in their professional practice to not only live their best
He is the founder of The Fit Pharmacist, a company with a mission to empower stressed pharmacists with simple, effective plans to master their mindset, nail their nutrition, and fit fitness into their busy schedule. He is the author of the best-selling pharmacy book Rx: YOU! The Pharmacist’s Survival Guide for Managing Stress & Fitting In Fitness (available on Amazon in print and for Kindle).
In addition to in-person service as a pharmacist and NSA Speaker, he has found that social media is an excellent resource to connect and service the profession. Through podcasting, collaborating with other passionate professionals across other fields of healthcare, and delivering content across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, The Fit Pharmacist strives to provide essential tools and resources enabling each and every member of our profession to make a difference in our patients’ lives by starting with the source: YOU!
He currently resides in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, yet loves to travel the world with a passion for serving, speaking, food-touring, and of course visiting innovative pharmacy schools and pharmacies along the way.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefitpharmacist/
Website: https://thefitpharmacist.com
Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/thefitpharmacist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitpharmfam
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefitpharmd
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMLjmxSZ_RZYCfwt2QkD5zA?
Published Book: https://amzn.to/2LVX9ps

Max Caldwell
UAMS College of Pharmacy
2014 NCPA Outstanding Adherence Practitioner Award
AR CPESN Chair 2016-2018
APA Board of Directors
NCPA Emerging Models Committee

Jesica Mills
Dr. Jesica Mills received her Doctorate of Pharmacy and MBA from Sullivan University College of Pharmacy in 2014. After graduation, she returned to her home town in Owensboro, KY to practice pharmacy with her parents, Don and Daisy Thomason. In 2016, Dr. Jesica purchased the pharmacy and began Owensboro Family Pharmacy. Jesica continued her parent’s tradition of providing every patient with customized and compassionate

Melissa Hozack
As a practicing clinical pharmacist for almost 20 years, Melissa Hozack has developed a passion for building wellness rather than treating illness. Clients describe her as
In 2016 Melissa received the University of Alberta Outstanding Pharmacy Alumni Award. Her commitment to managing health care, not sick care, has garnered national recognition, most notably the Canadian Commitment to Care & Service Award in Health Promotion. Her in-pharmacy clinic is recognized as an ‘industry leader in a medical setting’ for managing client weight loss to not only
Melissa’s leading-edge approach to building wellness through pharmaceutical care and therapeutic
Melissa lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada with her husband Rob and their 3 children, who are homeschooled. Together, they own Redcliff Pharmasave. She encourages health and wellness in the community by coaching youth soccer and as
In addition to pharmacy and wellness, Melissa’s business ventures include a craft brewery and mobile beverage services company. She is recognized by ‘Women in Business Medicine Hat’ as an influential role model for her professional and volunteer contributions to the community. Most recently, Melissa has been nominated for the Canadian Pharmacists Association 2019 ‘Patient Care Achievement Award’ award, and the Medicine Hat College ‘Business Person of the Year 2019’.

Nicki Hilliard
Dr. Hilliard is a professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR and is the 2018-2019 President of the American Pharmacists Association. She is an advocate for pharmacist-provided patient care and is a nationally known educator of nuclear pharmacy and nuclear medicine.
Among her numerous awards she has received the William H. Briner Distinguished Achievement in Nuclear Pharmacy Practice, APhA Award of Merit, APhA Good Government Pharmacist of the Year, Bowl of Hygeia Award, American College of Nuclear Medicine Personal Mentor of the Year, UAMS 2017 Outstanding Woman Faculty Award, and 2018 Honorary President of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association. Dr. Hilliard’s previous leadership positions included Chair of the BPS Nuclear Pharmacy Council, Chair of the APhA Nuclear SIG, APhA-APPM Executive Committee Member-at-Large and APhA-APPM President.
Dr. Hilliard received a B.S and PharmD from the University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy and a Masters of Health Services Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Michael Schuh
Michael J. Schuh received a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Florida, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Nova Southeastern University. He is the former Outpatient Pharmacy Operations Manager of Mayo Clinic Florida and current clinical pharmacist and an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Family and Palliative Medicine at Mayo Clinic Florida. He is also a member of the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists Board of Directors where he is a member of the finance committee. On a national

Jake Galdo
Dr. John “Jake” Galdo is a Director for Performance Measurement at the Pharmacy Quality Alliance. In this role, Dr. Galdo is the staff liaison to various stakeholders in the measure development process.
Dr. Galdo was trained at the University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy and completed an affiliated PGY1 Community Residency in Augusta, GA. He earned his Masters in Business Administration from the Brock School of Business with Samford University. Dr. Galdo is board certified in both geriatrics and pharmacotherapy.
Dr. Galdo’s full research, publication, and presentation portfolio is available upon request.

Jeff Olson
Jeff has over 30 years of community pharmacy experience. Today he is the owner of Montross Pharmacy in Winterset, IA and an active luminary with CPESN USA.

Anthony Bolus
Dr. Anthony J. Bolus has worked in community pharmacy for over 10 years since starting as a technician in 2007 in a chain store. Dr. Bolus graduated from Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy (MSOP) with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2013. Upon graduation, he became a manager at a chain pharmacy in Calera, Alabama, then returned to school in 2014/2015 to complete a post-graduate year one (PGY1) community pharmacy residency with Family Medical Services (FMS), Inc. and Samford University’s MSOP. After completing the residency, Dr. Bolus was hired to be the

Gabe Trahan
Gabe Trahan In his role as NCPA’s Senior Director of Store Operations and Marketing, Gabe Trahan has worked with hundreds of community pharmacies of all sizes to help them improve their images and ultimately boost front-end profits. From conducting in-store and virtual consultations to presenting at educational workshops and writing extensively on front-end retailing, Gabe has established himself as the leading expert in effective and innovative front-end design and merchandising.
Before joining NCPA in 2011, Gabe gained retail and wholesale experience in the drug store industry, working for Burlington Drug Company, a regional wholesaler, as the Director of Retail Services, and before that for City Drug Stores, a 14-store, independently owned chain of pharmacies. During that time, Gabe also worked as an independent consultant.
Gabe is a much sought-after speaker on merchandising and has presented at numerous workshops and seminars for NCPA and other pharmacy organizations and wholesalers. He has conducted hundreds of in-store consultations for community pharmacies as far away as Sitka, Alaska and Puerto Rico and many cities and towns in between, helping the store owners and staff to redesign floor plans, solve inventory issues, and improve merchandising and marketing with original techniques.
Gabe has published many resources for pharmacy owners and front-end staff. He created the Store Report Card and the Retail Fairy Test to help store owners methodically work through their stores from the outside to the back room, looking for ways to improve sales. He is the author of the Daily Pharmacy Planning Guide, now in its third edition. He has also been quoted in periodicals such as Drug Store News, Pharmacy Times, and Elements magazine. Gabe pens a monthly column in America’s Pharmacist magazine, contributes tips for NCPA’s bimonthly Profit Makers newsletter, posts daily tips from his Twitter account (@NCPAGabe), and publishes new content on the Front-End Overhaul webpage weekly. Gabe is also the speaker and creator of the eight hour Front-End Profit Building seminar sponsored by Good Neighbor Pharmacy.

Mona Ligvani
Mona Ligvani is an
Dr. Ligvani’s practice focuses not only on the
Dr. Ligvani’s background is rooted in her Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from Western University of Health
For more information on The Travel Consult and to learn more about Dr. Ligvani, visit
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