Board of Visitors

Roger Tung, PhD
CEO and President (Retired)
Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Lexington, MA

Roger Tung, PhD, is former scientific founder, President, CEO and Director of Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which applied its deuterium chemistry platform to discover pharmacologically active compounds directed towards immunological, neurological, and genetic diseases. Concert was acquired by Sun Pharmaceuticals in 2023. Compounds discovered at Concert are currently in Phase 3 clinical trials or under NDA review for the treatment of alopecia areata (autoimmune hair loss), agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease patients, and cystic fibrosis.

Prior to Concert, Roger worked in venture-backed start-up and major pharmaceutical companies including Merck and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, in the latter case as a founding scientist and most recently as Vice President of Drug Discovery. Roger co-invented or oversaw the discovery of active pharmaceutical ingredients in seven drugs approved in the US and abroad for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, hepatitis C, and HIV infection.

Roger is a named inventor on over 100 issued US patents and has authored or co-authored over 100 scientific papers, book chapters, and abstracts.

He received a BA in Chemistry from Reed College in Portland, OR, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from UW–Madison, working in the laboratory of Daniel Rich. Roger is a strategic advisor to Longwood Founder’s Fund, a venture capital firm. He is a recipient of multiple awards in medicinal chemistry and innovation, including the School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit.

Richard (Rick) Bertz, PhD
Senior Vice President, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals
Pittsburgh, PA

Richard (Rick) Bertz is currently Senior Vice President, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Bertz has worked in pharmaceutical industry for over 25 years, previously with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Abbott.

Dr. Bertz has been involved in all phases of clinical drug development, with a focus on the analysis and interpretation of clinical pharmacology and pharmacometric data. He has mentored, coached, managed, and developed numerous clinical pharmacologists and drug development scientists. Dr. Bertz has been integrally involved in the completion of components of NDA submissions that have led to worldwide regulatory approval for several antiviral drugs for treatment of HIV and HCV and a neuroscience drug for the treatment of migraine.

Dr. Bertz has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications and given numerous invited presentations at national and international scientific meetings. He previously held a faculty appointment as Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, where he is currently an Adjunct Professor. Dr. Bertz received a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin and earned his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh Clinical Pharmaceutical Scientist Graduate Program. Dr. Bertz received a Citation of Merit from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy in 2016 for recognition as a distinguished alumnus.

Brent Eberle, MBA, RPh
President, CivcaScript
Madison, WI

Brent J. Eberle is President of CivicaScript, a nonprofit company dedicated to bringing lower-cost generic medicines to U.S. consumers. As president, he oversees all aspects of the company as it works to bring affordable versions of common but high-priced generic medicines to market.

Eberle recently joined CivicaScript after two decades at Navitus Health Solutions, where he served most recently as Chief Pharmacy Officer. He was instrumental in overseeing the strategic development and management of Navitus’ comprehensive pharmacy programs, leading efforts to reduce medication costs and improve patient outcomes. His innovative approach to pharmacy benefit management garnered national recognition, positioning the company as a leader in the industry.

Eberle also has played a significant role in shaping drug policy at both the state and national levels. He testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, sharing his expertise on drug pricing and emphasizing the need for transparency and solutions that ensure both patients and plan sponsors have access to affordable medications. He also serves on the Wisconsin Governor’s Task Force on Reducing Prescription Drug Prices, a bipartisan group focused on addressing the high cost of prescription medications, advocating for solutions that promote transparency, competition and fairness in the pharmaceutical market.

Before joining Navitus, Eberle worked as a Drug Information Pharmacist at Dean Health System. He is a licensed pharmacist in Wisconsin and an active member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin and the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy. Eberle holds Bachelor of Science degrees in pharmacy and chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Edgewood College.

Dave Ehlert, PharmD, MBA, FASHP, FACHE
Area Vice President, Health Systems
McKesson Pharmaceutical Solutions and Services
Champlin, MN

Dave Ehlert is the Area Vice President of Health Systems within the North Central region of McKesson Pharmaceutical Solutions and Services, where he has full P&L and capital accountability for two distribution centers (DC) and customer relationships in the 13-state market area that these two DCs service. Dave is also accountable for key customer retention and new business development that drives profitable pharmaceutical distribution revenue growth in both health system and retail pharmacy segments. He has been with McKesson for more than 17 years and has fulfilled positions of increasing leadership responsibility throughout his career.

Dave received his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy with highest distinction and his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Following graduation from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Dave went on to complete two pharmacy residencies including a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a Specialized Pharmacy Residency in Drug Policy and Medication Use System Management with the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics and McKesson Medication Management. In 2013, Dave was honored as a Carlson Scholar and received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. Dave is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). He also is the author of multiple peer reviewed journal articles and textbook chapters and has been appointed to numerous committee and council leadership roles with ASHP.

Dave and his wife Kim, who is also a pharmacist, live in Minnesota and have two school-age sons and a Goldendoodle puppy.

Debra Fluno
National Director, Pharmacy Operations and Support Services
Cardinal Health, Innovative Delivery Solutions
Gurnee, IL

Debra Fluno is National Director, Pharmacy Operations and Support Services for Cardinal Health, serving over 90% of hospitals and health systems across the nation with full-line and specialty pharmaceutical distribution and solutions. She leads teams of clinical, quality, accreditation and medication safety experts who develop resources and best practices for efficient and effective hospital pharmacy operations. Debra also is responsible for two product lines: a proprietary drug cost analytical software and a clinical program consulting solution.

During her more than 30-year career in hospital pharmacy, she has developed expertise in pharmacy leadership, strategic planning, clinical pharmacy program development, pharmacy data and analytic insights, pharmacy residency program development and management of multi-hospital pharmacy operations. She specializes in improving patient outcomes and reducing overall costs while providing high quality care. She is an advocate for elevating hospital pharmacy operations as a strategic asset within the health system.

Prior to Cardinal Health, Debra was a Pharmacotherapist-Renal Medicine for Michael Reese Hospital, in Chicago, Illinois, where she helped implement clinical pharmacy services to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to patients. During this time, she was also a Clinical Assistant Professor in Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Since joining Cardinal Health in 1996, she has served in multiple roles including system and regional clinical manager positions, and regional and national director positions over operations.

Debra is a member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is a recipient of several professional awards: 2004 Cardinal Health Founder’s Award, a 2004 Pharmacy Management Pillar of Excellence in Leadership Development award, a 2011 Enterprise Award and a 2013 Consultative Services Sales Excellence Award. She received a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Minnesota and has completed a 1-year AHSP Pharmacy Practice residency program through Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Debra has three children and resides in Gurnee, Illinois with her husband.

Nancy Gilbride, BS, MS
President, Gilbride Consulting Group
St. Louis, MO

Nancy is a seasoned leader in healthcare and a licensed pharmacist, boasting an impressive 34-year career in the industry, with a notable 28 years dedicated to the Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) sector. Throughout her professional journey, Nancy has held executive-level P&L leadership roles at several Fortune 50 healthcare companies, driven by her unwavering commitment to reducing pharmaceutical costs and enhancing healthcare quality.

Her expertise spans across all payor segments, with a profound focus on serving the healthcare needs of active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. Notably, during her tenure as Program Manager for four Department of Defense contracts at Express Scripts, Nancy demonstrated exceptional proficiency in business development, strategic planning, capture team leadership, organizational transformation, operational performance, risk management, and contract administration.

Currently, Nancy serves as the President of Gilbride Consulting Group, where she provides pivotal advisory services to healthcare companies. Her role involves partnering with firms eager to penetrate the federal market, guiding them through strategic navigation and accelerated growth in serving Federal Agencies. Nancy’s comprehensive service offerings encompass education, strategic planning, business development, program capture, and executive program management. Additionally, she collaborates with transparent PBMs to bolster their business retention, scalability, and growth strategies to compete effectively with industry giants. Her consultative services include strategy formulation, team assessment, client relationship management, process optimization, sales enablement, and analytics.

Before establishing Gilbride Consulting Group, Nancy held the position of Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at CarelonRx, where she spearheaded the PBM business plan, achieving competitive advantage through effective customer engagement and sales strategies. Her responsibilities encompassed sales, account management, proposal development, consultant and broker relations, as well as sales analytics initiatives. She played a pivotal role in managing PBM target markets, including Elevance Integrated Commercial and Government business, overseeing a substantial team and budget to ensure the attainment of sales and retention goals across significant operating revenue and gain.

Prior to this role, Nancy served as Senior Vice President at Centene Corporation and Chief Executive Officer of Envolve, a subsidiary of Centene, overseeing a diverse portfolio of healthcare services nationwide. Her leadership was instrumental in driving strategic direction, business development, customer management, product innovation, marketing, operations, legal, and financial strategies for the subsidiary, valued at $11 billion and comprising 4,500 employees.

Nancy’s foundational experience in the PBM industry was cultivated during her 19-year tenure at Express Scripts (ESI), where she played key roles in their expansive growth trajectory, particularly in acquisitions, integrations, new sales, and organic growth opportunities across public sector and commercial domains. Notably, as President of the Federal Pharmacy Services Division, she led a $10 billion business division, overseeing a 3,000-member federal unit serving the Department of Defense (DoD) TRICARE pharmacy program and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)/BCBSA contracted plans. Her achievements included securing a $63.2 billion Department of Defense contract with successful implementation.

Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, complemented by a master’s degree and residency training in Hospital Pharmacy Administration. She has actively contributed to military support organizations, serving on the USO MO Board of Directors and the National Armed Services YMCA. Currently, she advises the Dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy on strategy, fundraising, curricula, and policy matters as a member of the Board of Visitors. Furthermore, Nancy is a dedicated advocate for mental health services, exemplified by her fundraising efforts, which raised over $100,000 for The Independence Center in St. Louis, MO through her participation in the “Dancing with the St. Louis Stars” event in 2018.

Joel Jones, PharmD
VP of Pharmacy and Therapeutics Informatics
Epic Systems
Verona, WI

Joel Jones graduated from UW–Madison School of Pharmacy and lives in Verona, Wisconsin with his wife and 4 boys.  At Epic, as Vice President of Clinical and Pharmacy Informatics at Epic, he is focused on helping Epic’s customers across 16 countries provide world class care. With a strong background in pharmacy operations, he is dedicated to optimizing operational efficiency and achieving positive patient outcomes through targeted therapeutics. Joel’s leadership focuses on keeping Epic customers at the forefront of technological advancements in pharmacy, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers. His expertise extends beyond traditional pharmacy functions, including areas such as oncology and specialty disease states, infusion and specialty pharmacy, as well as cell and gene therapy. Joel also contributes to the development of treatment pathways within Epic, expanding the range of patient services available. His knowledge and strategic approach help to integrate pharmaceutical care in new ways across the healthcare industry.

Duane M. Kirking, PharmD, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Social and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy
Research Scientist Emeritus, School of Public Health, University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Duane Kirking received his BS in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, he has a PharmD from the University of Kentucky where he also completed a clinical pharmacy residency and then a master’s degree in public administration plus a PhD in administrative and social sciences in pharmacy from The Ohio State University.

Kirking has over 40 years of research, service and teaching related to assessing and improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of medication use. Although he spent his entire academic career on the faculties of the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and School of Public Health, Kirking still much prefers Badgers to Wolverines. Among his University accomplishments, he co-founded and later directed the Center for Medication Use, Policy, and Economics.

Kirking is strongly committed to volunteerism. His 30-year service to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) included five years as Chairman of the Board. He served on the Board of Trustees of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and was the Treasurer of the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).while on its Board of Directors. He continues to serve several boards and other volunteer activities. Kirking also leads international mission projects through his church and enjoys choral singing and genealogy. Among the honors Kirking has received, he is most proud of his Citation of Merit from UW–Madison, the APhA Research Achievement Award and, more recently, the APhA Hugo H. Schaefer Award “for a lifetime of contributions to society, the profession of pharmacy, and APhA.”

As one of eight family members who graduated from UW–Madison — the first, his grandmother, over 110 years ago — Kirking’s love for UW was part of his life long before he matriculated. Kirking’s goal as a member of the Board of Visitors is to assure continued support for the breadth of opportunities that pharmacy education and research make available and which provided him a successful career and life.

Michael C. Makoid, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Creighton University (retired)
Santa Fe, NM

Michael Makoid is president of the United States Martial Arts Association which represents all martial arts and is the co-founder and board of directors member of Pharmaceutical Technologies, Inc., a pharmacy benefits management company, based in Omaha, Nebraska. He is also Professor Emeritus at Creighton University School of Pharmacy where he served as Professor, Department Chair, Faculty President, Chairman of Faculty Grievance and Chairman of the University Committee on Rank and Tenure during his thirty years at Creighton University.

Makoid received his BS (Pharmacy 1968), MS (Pharmaceutics 1972), and PhD (Pharmaceutics 1976) from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research areas included polymeric prodrugs, clinical pharmacokinetics, physical stability of pharmaceuticals, sustained release delivery system design, fetal alcohol syndrome, pedagogy, and pharmacy benefits management. He is the author of over 75 research and teaching publications and over 500 national and international presentations, including publication of “Basic Pharmacokinetcs” a text-book used in many schools of Pharmacy around the world and translated into several different languages.

Dr. Makoid’s contributions were recently recognized by the University of Wisconsin–Madison as he was honored with the School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit. He and his wife, Bette Evans, also Professor Emeritus at Creighton University, split their time between homes in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA and San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.

Thomas A. McCourt, MS
Chief Executive Officer
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boston, MA

Tom McCourt is the chief executive officer of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, a commercial biotechnology company working to revolutionize the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and redefine the standard of care for millions of patients. Mr. McCourt joined Ironwood in 2009 as senior vice president of marketing and sales and chief commercial officer, advancing to hold the roles of president and interim chief executive officer before becoming chief executive officer and member of the board of directors in 2021. He has played an instrumental role in the success of the company’s blockbuster product, LINZESS™, and in advancing the company’s scientific pipeline with potential treatments that address GI areas of high unmet need.

Mr. McCourt joined Ironwood after having led the U.S. brand team for denosumab at Amgen Inc. Before that, Mr. McCourt worked for Novartis AG for seven years, where he directed the launch and growth of ZELNORMTM for the treatment of patients with IBS-C (irritable bowel syndrome with constipation) and CIC (chronic idiopathic constipation) and held several senior commercial roles, including vice president of strategic marketing and operations. He was also part of the founding team at Astra Merck Inc., leading the development of the medical affairs and science liaison group and then serving as brand manager for PRILOSEC® and NEXIUM®.

Mr. McCourt serves on the board of directors and as a member of the compensation committee of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX); on the board of trustees for the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE); and on the board of directors of Acceleron Pharma Inc., where he also serves as chairman of the Nomination and Governance committee and as a member of the Audit and Compensation committees. He received the 2023 UW–Madison School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit, the 2023 PM360 Uber ELITE Award, the 2024 ASGE Industry Service Award, and the 2022 ASGE President’s Award. Mr. McCourt holds a degree in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin.

“As a member of the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy Board of Visitors, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute back to the school and profession that enabled me to seek and realize my own professional dreams. I am flattered to be a member of this highly skilled and accomplished board of industry experts with a shared vision and desire to assist the Dean and leadership team to critically evaluate opportunities, chart a course and enable the school to relentlessly strive to raise its academic leadership in the profession of pharmacy through innovative education and research that will serve and advance patient care.”

Pamela A. Ploetz, RPh
Clinical Associate Professor Emerita
University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy
Associate Director of Pharmacy, Practice, Education & Research (retired)
UW Hospital & Clinics
Madison, WI

You “only” control your choices.

If you know Pam you know that she cares about you. Pam is a life-long learner who sees the “whole picture” of life and has a unique ability to put it in perspective for you. She is a great coach and mentor of many individuals focusing not only on successful careers but also on success in life. Pam summarizes a few lessons of life in this publication. She draws from her personal life lessons, shares her thoughts on the situations life hands you and assures you that you are only in control of your decisions. And in Pam’s words: “Just how important is that!”

Pam spent most of her career at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in various roles progressing from staff pharmacist to Associate Director of Pharmacy Practice, Education, and Research, and Director of Pharmacy Practice Residency. She was also Clinical Associate Professor for the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy. She served her profession as President of the Wisconsin Society of Hospital and of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin. Additionally she was the Chairperson of the Wisconsin State Pharmacy Examining Board. Pam was named 2006 Alumnus of the Year by the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmacy Alumni Association. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy where she would eventually become chairperson of the Pharmacy Alumni Association.

Pam shares life lessons of taking time to ponder, making core decisions, “check your expectations”, and do a few things well and make sure they are the ones that are important to you.

Greg Primuth, RPh, MBA
Senior Director, Pharma Strategic Initiatives
Walgreens
Chicago, IL

Primuth, a 35-year retail pharmacy veteran, joined Walgreens in 1988 as a pharmacy intern. During his tenure, he has held various pharmacy operations leadership positions, ascending from Pharmacy Manager in Racine, WI to Pharmacy Supervisor in Milwaukee, WI and Regional Healthcare Director in Atlanta, GA. Primuth moved to the corporate office in 2016 as Director of Pharma Strategic Initiatives and was promoted to Senior Director in 2018. Today, Primuth leads a team responsible for the strategy and operational plan for newly created pharma strategic initiatives and optimizing procurement of brand & specialty pharmaceuticals, biosimilars and vaccines.

Primuth earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University (1986), a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from University of Wisconsin (1988), and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix (2015).

Mark Rogge, PhD, FCP
Global Head and Vice President, Translational Sciences
Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Mark Rogge, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy, currently leads global translational science activities at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. There, he serves on the research senior leadership team, on portfolio joint steering committees and the scientific advisory board for the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute.

His breadth of experience includes small and large synthetic molecules, glycoproteins, and emerging gene and cell therapies. During his early career, he served on program teams that brought transformational therapies such as Avonex™ and Enbrel™ to market. Later, he was a core member of the Spinraza™ and Tecfidera™ teams. His efforts are now focused on bringing success to gene and cell therapy modalities for inherited disease and cancer.

Mark’s formal education continued after graduation from the School of Pharmacy. He received a Master of Science from the School of Pharmacy, and a PhD from the University of Michigan. Before Takeda, he was employed by companies such as Biogen, ZymoGenetics, Immunex, and J&J. His career is hallmarked by leadership involvement in scientific societies and consortia. He’s served as chair of the AAPS PPDM section, chair of BIO’s Preclinical Science Committee (BioSafe), and chair of the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development (IQ) Clinical Pharmacology Leadership Group. He has been a leader on developing regulatory pathways for biosimilar products and the application of mechanistic PK/PD to improve safety and value in early clinical drug trials; he’s now engaged with FDA on exploring systems pharmacology to characterize drug attributes in lieu of animal or human studies. He is a member of FDA’s Pharmaceutical Science and Clinical Pharmacology Advisory Committee. He has more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, 4 pending or approved patents, and is a frequent speaker at domestic and international meetings.

Unable to stray from the UW, Mark has served on the leadership committee for the UW Annual Symposium on Applied Pharmacokinetics & Drug Metabolism. He has also served as a lecturer for the UW Short Course on Drug Development. Mark is a proud recipient of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit.

Steve Rough, MS, RPh, FASHP
CEO, Visante
Madison, WI

Steve Rough, MS, RPh, FASHP, is a visionary leader in health system pharmacy, dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovative pharmacy strategies. With deep expertise in optimizing financial, operational, and patient care performance, Rough has played a key role in advancing the success of healthcare organizations nationwide. His commitment to fostering innovation drives exceptional outcomes in health system pharmacy.

As the CEO of Visante, Rough sets the company’s strategic direction, managing high-level operations and cultivating a collaborative and high-performing organizational culture that fosters the delivery of unmatched client results. His leadership, focused on achieving superior financial performance and extraordinary patient outcomes, is guided by a clear vision aligned with the company’s mission and the goals of the Visante Board of Directors.

Throughout his distinguished career, Rough has developed sustainable, high-value pharmacy programs that have impacted both local and national healthcare landscapes. Before joining Visante, he served as Senior Director of Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Health for 16 years, where he led all aspects of the health system’s pharmacy enterprise. Under his leadership, the pharmacy program achieved remarkable success, generating $1.3 billion in annual revenue and excelling in strategic, operational, clinical, and financial performance. During his tenure, Rough cultivated a collaborative environment where interdisciplinary teams worked seamlessly, ensuring that pharmacists, technicians, researchers, and educators operated at the highest levels of their expertise, enhancing patient care across diverse settings.

In addition to his leadership at UW Health, Rough was a Clinical Associate Professor at the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy. He directed the Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency Program and the Master’s Program in Health System Pharmacy Administration, pivotal in shaping the next generation of pharmacy leaders.

An influential thought leader in hospital pharmacy, Rough has contributed over 40 publications and seven textbook chapters to the professional literature. He has also delivered more than 150 presentations at national conferences, sharing insights on pharmacy leadership and innovation. His contributions to the field have earned him recognition from numerous professional organizations, including the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW). His accolades include the PSW Pharmacist of the Year (2003), the ASHP Distinguished Service Award (2010), The Winston J. Durant Lecture Award (2014), and the John W. Webb Lecture Award (2016).

Rough holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Madison and completed his residency training in Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacy Administration at UW Hospital.

Azita Saleki-Gerhardt, BS, MS, PhD
Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Office
Chair, Executive Crisis Management Team
AbbVie

Dr. Azita Saleki-Gerhardt is AbbVie’s Chief Operations Officer, leading a global team of scientific, manufacturing, engineering, quality, and supply chain professionals responsible for late stage product development, supply and distribution of all AbbVie products, as well as several enterprise services, including facilities, purchasing and security.

Dr. Saleki-Gerhardt joined Abbott in 1993 as a research scientist. She has worked in key leadership positions of increasing responsibility across a broad range of areas, including science and technology and quality assurance. In 2011, she assumed the role of President, Global Pharmaceutical Operations at Abbott. Following AbbVie’s separation from Abbott in 2013, Dr. Saleki-Gerhardt was appointed to lead Operations at AbbVie. She also serves as the chair of AbbVie’s executive crisis management team, where she is responsible for the company’s cross-functional preparedness and response to ongoing issues.

She has been published in a number of scientific publications and has been awarded several patents related to pharmaceutical sciences.

Dr. Saleki-Gerhardt is a member of the Board of Directors and chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee for Entegris. She is a member of the International Division Advisory Board and the Board of Visitors for the School of Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is a recipient of the School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit. At AbbVie, she is the executive sponsor of the Women Leaders in Action employee resource group. She is a recent alumna of the board of directors for United Way of Lake County.

Dr. Saleki-Gerhardt earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in pharmaceutics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Bruce E. Scott, MS, FASHP
Past President, Accredo Infusion Services, Medco Health Solutions
Past President, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Past President, EnvisionPharmacies
Eden Prairie, MN

Mr. Scott is a senior executive with an extensive and successful background in healthcare. He most recently was President of EnvisionPharmacies, an EnvisionRx Options company. He has served in executive roles for Medco Health Solutions including President of Accredo Infusion Services where he was responsible for the infusion therapy business including specialty medications and traditional home care therapies. He also served as Medco’s Chief Pharmacist and SVP of Professional Practice responsible for leading the practice of more than 3,500 pharmacists, nurses, dieticians and other health care professionals.

Prior to joining Medco, he was Chief Operating Officer of McKesson Medication Management, a subsidiary of McKesson that provided pharmacy management services to hospitals and other health care organizations across the country. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Allina Hospitals & Clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota for almost 20 years.

Mr. Scott earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a master’s degree in pharmacy administration from the University of Kansas where he also completed a pharmacy residency program.

He is passionate about opportunities to advance the delivery of health care, improve leadership development and performance, and is actively engaged in his community. This is demonstrated by his past and current service to organizations and a number of boards including serving as President of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, President of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, a member of the Deans’ Board of Advisors for the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy, The URAC Board, and past faculty member of the Pharmacy Leadership Academy of the American Society of Health-system Pharmacists.

Susan L. Sutter, RPh
Independent Community Pharmacy Owner (Retired)
Marshland Pharmacies, Inc
Horicon, WI

Susan L. Sutter, over a time span of 34 years, was the co-owner of Marshland Pharmacies, Inc., which included two community pharmacies and a clinic pharmacy in Horicon, Mayville, and Beaver Dam, WI.

Sue has been active in state and national professional pharmacy organizations as a member of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).

Ms. Sutter served two-4 year terms on the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (PEB) from 1996-2005, serving as chairperson for two years, vice chairperson for more than three years. She received the 2004 PSW Good Government Legislative Award and the 2005 APhA Good Government Pharmacist of the Year Award acknowledging her work on the PEB. Sue served in the leadership of PSW from 2005-2008, serving as President in 2006-07 and as a past member of the PSW Foundation Board.

Sue has been honored with the PSW Distinguished Service Award and the Bowl of Hygeia Community Service Award. She has been active in her community throughout the years of living in the greater Horicon area. Most notably, she served for 15 years on the Board of Directors of the Beaver Dam Community Hospital. Sue also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company.

Sue is a 1978 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy (UW SoP), and in 1994 served as co-President of the UW SoP Pharmacy Alumni Association with her husband, also a 1978 graduate. She served as preceptor for dozens of UW SoP students and their pharmacy became one of the first two Wisconsin community pharmacies to offer an ASHP accredited community practice residency in 2000. Along with her husband, they were honored as the 2017 Alumni of the Year by the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy. In 2020, Sue received a Citation of Merit Award from the School of Pharmacy.

Tom Thielke, MS, FASHP, RPh
Emeritus Clinical Professor
UW–Madison School of Pharmacy
Madison, WI

Tom Thielke is currently Emeritus Clinical Professor and Associate Director, Office of Global Health for the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy. Prior to that, he was Vice President, Professional and Support Services at the UW Hospital and Clinics where he was responsible for several professional service departments, including Pharmacy, Radiology, Pathology, Clinical Laboratories, Infection Control, Food and Dietetic Services, Emergency Services, Neurosciences Service Line, and the Orthopedics/Rehabilitation Service Line. He also was a clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy.

He has held several national offices in pharmacy and continues to serve on national professional committees. He chaired the One Voice/One Vision Steering Committee that formed the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) and served as the first Chairman of the Board of this new organization. He is past President of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and past Chairman of the ASHP House of Delegates. Mr. Thielke was named a Fellow of the ASHP in June 1993 in recognition of sustained contributions to practice excellence. He was named Hospital Pharmacist of the Year in the State of Wisconsin in 1978 and 1998. He was the Harvey A.K. Whitney Award recipient in 2005 and received the Donald E. Franke Medal for Outstanding Service to International Pharmacy in 2006. He received the PSW Distinguished Service Award in 2007. In 2008 he received the John W. Webb award for sustained excellence in pharmacy leadership. He has published numerous articles and lectured nationally and internationally on many topics related to hospital pharmacy leadership and pharmacy practice. His research interests include pharmacy automation and technology, safe medication use systems and pharmacy care integration.

Mr. Thielke has a great interest in the role of pharmacy worldwide and has served two terms as Vice President, one term as President, and one term as Past-President of the Hospital Pharmacists Section of the Federation of International Pharmacists (FIP). He was named a Fellow of FIP in 2010 for sustained contributions to FIP. His educational responsibilities have included program director of the ASHP administrative residency training program and coordination of research activities for the University of Wisconsin Health System Pharmacy Graduate Program for over 20 years.

Mr. Thielke received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he also completed an ASHP-accredited residency. He is a recipient of the 2009 Alumnus of the Year awarded by the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmacy Alumni Association and the School of Pharmacy Citation of Merit.

Mehran Yazdanian, PhD
Vice President of R&D Operations, Teva Pharmaceuticals
R&D Site Head, Teva Pharmaceuticals, West Chester, PA
Philadelphia, PA

Mehran Yazdanian is Vice President of R&D Operations at Teva Pharmaceuticals and the R&D Site Head for Teva’s West Chester, PA facility.  He leads R&D activities for development of innovative biologicals and biosimilars from clone selection to regulatory submission.  He also leads the technical evaluation team for external development of sterile generics.

He received his BS in biochemistry and MS and PhD in pharmaceutics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  His career has been focused on directing formulation and analytical development activities from early drug discovery support and preformulation to formulation development.  He has extensive experience in manufacturing for clinical programs and commercialization support for both small molecule and biological drug candidates.

Previously he led an integrated Pharmaceutics department at Cephalon comprised of analytical and formulation development scientists as well as manufacturing engineers supporting product development.  Before that he headed the Physical Pharmaceutics section of the pharmaceutics department at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.  His first job was at Merck Research Laboratories where he worked on formulation development of transdermal and liquid dosage forms for veterinary applications.

Mehran has lived in Philadelphia over the past 18 years where he is actively involved with helping students attending Community College of Philadelphia with access to food and ultimately success in their pursuit of higher education.