2024 Inductees

Dr. Erik E. Abel, PharmD, MBA, received his PharmD from WVU in 2006. He is a seasoned healthcare leader and VP of Clinical Strategy and Innovation at GE HealthCare. With 17+ years of experience, he pioneers solutions at the intersection of technology, clinical care, and business. His core pursuit is proactive, equitable, and affordable care. Leveraging degrees from Marshall University, WVU, and The Ohio State University, along with post-graduate residency training, Dr. Abel’s influence extends via 40+ peer-reviewed publications, 30+ national presentations, and ongoing stakeholder engagements. His dedication to advancing healthcare continues his push for real-world solutions for patients, providers, and payers alike.

Dr. Mayur M. Amonkar, MS, PhD, received his doctoral degree in Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy (PSP) from WVU in 1997. He subsequently joined the PSP faculty where he taught and advised PharmD and graduate students and conducted health services research on issues relevant to WV and the Appalachian region. Since 2002, he has been leading the conduct of health economics, real-world evidence, and outcomes research, mainly in cancer, within the pharmaceutical industry (currently as AVP, Outcomes Research, Merck & Co., Inc.). He has also authored 75+ manuscripts in peer-reviewed health-related journals and has presented 100+ abstracts at national/international congresses and conferences.

Dr. Neelam Azad, PhD, received her BS in Pharmacy from the University of Mumbai in India and her PhD in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences in 2007. Dr. Azad, an Endowed University Professor of Pharmacy, currently serves as the Vice President for Research at Hampton University. She was recently appointed to the prestigious Commonwealth Health Research Board by Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin. In 2022, Dr. Azad served as the guest speaker at the WVU Health Sciences Research Induction Ceremony for PhD students.

Mary Ann (Schwarz) Bell, BS Pharm, received her pharmacy degree from WVU in 1965. She was selected to receive NIH training for aseptic technique and Laminar hood flow use in 1966. She pioneered and implemented a first-time IV additive service in the pharmacy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in all 1,250 beds in 1967. From 1978-2012, she had leadership roles in community and small chain pharmacies. She was active and held executive roles in the Duvall County Pharmacy Association, as well as the Florida Pharmacy Association. She was named University of Florida’s Woman Pharmacist of the Year in 1986, and retired in 2012.

Dr. Aaron Cumpston, PharmD, BCOP, received his PharmD at WVU in 2001. After graduating, he completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency at WVU Hospitals (WVUH). Since this time, he has worked as a clinical pharmacist at WVUH. For the past 21 years, he has specialized in blood and marrow transplantation and treatment of hematologic malignancies. He is an active member of the WVU Cancer Institute and the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI). Dr. Cumpston is the PGY2-Oncology Residency Program Director at WVUH, as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor with the WVU School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Carmella Evans-Molina received her BS Pharm degree from WVU in 1996 and her medical degree from Marshall University School of Medicine. Dr. Evans-Molina completed an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism and PhD in pharmacology at the University of Virginia. She is the Eli Lilly Professor of Pediatric Diabetes at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN and serves as Director of the IU Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Research Program in the Wells Center for Pediatric Research, and as a Staff Physician at the Roudebush VA Medical Center. She is renowned for her research related to diabetes.

Joseph J. Filipek, Jr., BS Pharm, received his pharmacy degree from WVU School of Pharmacy in 1979. He was an innovator in Pharmacy Benefit Management. In 1990, Joe founded Paradigm Pharmacy Management Inc., a clinically focused PBM that managed prescription drug benefits for large healthcare plans through customized drug formularies and manufacturer rebates. Following Paradigm’s acquisition by Advance in 1993, Joe served as EVP of Advance Paradigm, going public in 1996. With the acquisition of PCS in 2000, Joe became EVP of AdvancePCS, overseeing client services for 75 million lives, creating innovative products and services to manage the explosive cost of drug benefits.

Dr. Xin Gao, PhD, MS, BS, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from China Pharmaceutical University and pursued further studies in Pharmaceutical Economics and Health Policy, earning both a Master of Science and a Doctorate from West Virginia University School of Pharmacy in 2001. Dr. Gao is VP and Asia-Pacific Regional Lead of OPEN Health Evidence & Access. She has over 23 years of experience in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and market access consulting, previously working at PPD and Abt Associates.

Robert M. Gill, RPh, MBA, received his BS in Pharmacy at WVU in 1966. He received his Masters in Business Administration from Florida Southern College in 1988. He spent 30 years at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. As Director of Pharmacy, he was one of the founders of the national pharmacy co-op Voluntary Hospitals of America (VHA). VHA was the first drug co-op for large regional hospitals 500 beds or more. His career focused on increased interdepartment communication, increased pay for pharmacists and increased pharmacy exposure in departments through staff hiring and placement. Mr. Gill served as the Pharmacy Chairman of VHA’s Florida chapter and regularly spoke at annual conventions for hospital pharmacists.

Niesha Griffith, MS, RPh, FASHP received her BS Pharm from WVU in 1989 and her Master of Science degree at the OSU College of Pharmacy, after completing the combined two-year Masters/Residency Program in Hospital Pharmacy Administration. She is a former cancer center leader (Administrator, The James/OSU and Vice President Cancer, WVU) and executive pharmacy leader (Director of Pharmacy, The James at Ohio State University and Executive Director, City of Hope CCC) with over 20 years of experience in an oncology leadership role. With over 25 years in the oncology/pharmacy space, Niesha currently works as an independent consultant to health-system pharmacies, cancer programs, the pharma/bio-pharmaceutical industry and medical device manufacturers.

John E. Miller, RPh, received his BS in Pharmacy from WVU in 1961, via the GI Bill and with his help from his father, also a pharmacist. While at WVU, he lettered in Track. He was Chief Pharmacist and owner of Miller’s Pharmacy in Buckhannon, WV for 61.5 years, recently retiring at age 89. He was a WVU SoP Clinical Instructor/student preceptor for many years and mentored numerous young pharmacy leaders. John is a proud U.S. Marine Corp Veteran, with service in the Korean War.

Dr. Khalid M. Kamal, MPharm, PhD completed his Bachelors in Pharmacy (1994) and Masters in Pharmacology (1996) from Bombay College of Pharmacy in Mumbai, India and received his PhD in Health Outcomes Research (2005) from the PSP Department, WVU School of School of Pharmacy (SoP). Dr. Kamal is Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy (PSP) at West Virginia University SoP. Dr. Kamal has held leadership positions in professional organizations such as the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). His research interests include pharmacoeconomics, patient-reported outcomes, and improving quality of care using real-world data.

Dr. Stephen S. Leonard, PhD, received his BS in Biology from WVU in 1991 and obtained his PhD in Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences from WVU in 2002. He has worked as a principal investigator/research biologist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health since 1992. He specializes in electron paramagnetic resonance, free radicals and their impact on biological systems. His bibliography includes over 170 peer reviewed journal publications, 4 book chapters and 14,563 citations with an h-index of 64, and i10 index of 134.

Dr. Ben Lopez, PharmD, MS, MHA, BCSCP earned his BS (Biology) and PharmD degrees from WVU in 2004 and 2008, respectively, and Master of Science in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Master of Health Administration from The Ohio State University (OSU). He completed PGY1 Pharmacy Practice and PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration residency programs at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. As Director of Pharmacy Operations at the OSU’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Lopez is responsible for safe and efficient medication preparation and distribution across the pharmacy enterprise which supports over 1,800 inpatient beds within a 7-hospital health system with over 62,000 inpatient admissions and 2.1 million outpatient visits per year.

Carroll Clark Martin, BS Pharm, received his pharmacy degree from WVU in 1952, following his service in the US Navy in WWII. Following graduation, he worked for Cook Drug Company in Charleston and was mentored by renowned WV pharmacist, Dr. Roy Bird Cook. Later, he was recruited to the professional sales force of the Eli Lilly Drug Company. Ultimately, he returned home to Elkins, WV where he, along with John Drew Blackburn owned and operated the Family Drug Store for many years. He served two terms on the Randolph County Board of Education, and was President of the United Way of Randolph County. In 2015, he received WVU SoP’s Award for Outstanding Alumnus.

Dr. Drew Massey, PharmD, received a BS degree (Chemistry/Biology with a minor in music) from West Virginia State, pursued a MA in Teaching/Education from Marshall University, and received his PharmD degree from WVU in 2002. Following graduation, he served as a staff pharmacist, pharmacy manager, and held many corporate titles at Kmart pharmacy. For the past decade, he has served in executive roles at Fruth Pharmacy and currently is Director of Pharmacy Operations and Clinical Services. Drew is dedicated to pushing the profession of pharmacy to its highest levels and continues to be a voice for change.

Dr. Jenna M. Merandi, PharmD, MS, CPPS, graduated from WVU School of Pharmacy in 2010 and went on to complete a residency program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital while obtaining an MS in Health-System Pharmacy Administration at The Ohio State University in 2012. She is a Medication Safety Officer at Nationwide Children’s, and she works closely with interdisciplinary teams and frontline staff to identify system-based interventions to prevent medication errors. Jenna provides strategy, innovation, and expanded views on safety at the national level through her leadership in the Solutions for Patient Safety and she was the founder of the Children’s Hospital Association, Medication Safety Leaders Collaborative.

Dr. Karla M. Miller received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from West Virginia University in 2002. She then completed a pharmacy practice residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and a two-year fellowship in neuropsychiatry at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She is the Chief Patient Safety Officer for HCA Healthcare in Nashville, Tennessee. In her current position, she leads Patients Safety and Regulatory & Accreditation Services. Prior to her current position, she served as the Vice President of Pharmacy Services.

Dr. LeeAnn Miller, PharmD, MS, BS Pharm, received her BS Pharm (1999) and master’s degrees in pharmaceutical sciences (2003) from WVU and her PharmD from Shenandoah University. As CPO at Yale New Haven Health, she is responsible for strategic development and execution of pharmacy services across the enterprise. Serving as President of Medical Center Pharmacy, comprised of a Top 10 Health-System Specialty Pharmacy, 5 retail pharmacies, and a state-of-the-art Home Infusion Pharmacy, LeeAnn expanded the business capabilities to serve over 27,000 patients. She completed an executive program at Yale University School of Management in Strategic Agility and Innovation and was named by Becker’s Healthcare as Top 75 Chief Pharmacy Officers’ To Know.

Dr. Tami Rodriguez, PharmD, received her PharmD degree from WVU in 2006 and her Masters in Pharmacy Leadership from the University of Cincinnati in 2022. Rodriguez is a Captain (O6 officer) in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and the first female Director of Pharmacy Programs for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). Rodriguez served as the Chair of the USPHS Pharmacist Professional Advisory Committee and is the recipient of the USPHS Meritorious Service Medal, the USPHS Mary Louise Anderson Pharmacist Leader of the Year, and the FBOP Norm Carlson award for excellence in leadership.

Wanda Kellison Rogers, RPh, BS, MS, FNHIA, received her B.S. Pharm degree from WVU in 1963 and her MS degree at URI in 1971. She worked in retail and hospital settings while traveling with her US Navy husband and two daughters. In 1990, she started her work in home infusion therapy, a new practice setting for pharmacists. Over the next 33 years, she developed protocols and procedures to safely dispense sterile solutions for infusion and clinically managing patients in the home. She retired in 2023 as the National Director of Pharmacy, CVS infusion specialty division, after spending 60 years in pharmacy. In 2019, she was awarded the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) Lifetime Achievement Award, acknowledging her dedication and accomplishments for the pharmacy profession.

James Smith received his BS in Pharmacy from WVU in 1971. He is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 50 years of experience in the pharmacy industry. He rose through the ranks at Thrift Drugs/Eckerd Drugs, serving in various management and leadership roles, including Vice President of Loss and Prevention and Audit and Senior Vice President of Managed Care. Smith then transitioned to CVS/Pharmacy, where he served as Senior Vice President of Healthcare Services/Pharmacy. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to become the President and CEO of National Medical Health Card System, a NASDAQ-listed company, and later, President and CEO of QoLmeds, a pharmacy company focused on mental health centers.

Dr. George G. Sokos, DO, BS Pharm, FACC received his BS in Pharmacy from WVU in 1994 and a DO from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed two Cardiovascular fellowships at Allegheny General Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Sokos is the Interim Chair of the Department of Cardiology, Medical Director of the WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance, and a Professor in the WVU School of Medicine. He served as Domain Leader for Cardiology for the NIH COVID Cohort Collaborative and developed the Appalachian Regional Heart Failure Database. He has received the American College of Cardiology Merck Fellowship award, authored numerous publications, and presented at national/international conferences.

Dr. Jennifer Means Stephens received her BS in Pharmacy from WVU in 1990, after which she worked in WV at Charleston Area Medical Center – Memorial Division for 3 years in the ICU satellite pharmacy. She earned her PharmD from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1994 and subsequently, completed an outcomes-oriented residency and fellowship. Her research during her residency and fellowship led to her to work in and eventually start a health economics & outcomes research (HEOR) consulting company with clients in the pharmaceutical industry. She is Vice President, Evidence & Access for Open Health.

Dr. Joanna L. Stollings, PharmD, graduated Summa Cum Laude from West Virginia University School of Pharmacy in 2003. She then completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Charleston Area Medical Center in 2004 and a Critical Care Pharmacy Residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 2005. Dr. Stollings is the pharmacist for the Post ICU Recovery Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Center for Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship, and Pragmatic Critical Care Research Group. She is a world-renowned expert on pain, agitation, delirium, and Post Intensive Care Syndrome. She has published over 110 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.

Timothy Gibson Whitten received his BS in Pharmacy from WVU in 1980 and an MBA from the Darden School at UVA in 1985. He has had a career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries including stints in commercial, strategic planning and overseeing drug development in multiple therapeutic areas, especially oncology. Whitten has been President & CEO of three companies including venture capital-backed and public companies, and a Board Member of two more. He has raised over $200 million through a merger into a public company, venture equity/debt financings, and private foundation and government grants. His current company, Taiho Oncology, has mentored about a dozen WVU School of Pharmacy Rotation students.

Lisa Zannoni, received her BS in Pharmacy and Juris Doctor at WVU in 1978 and 1984, respectively. Lisa is a recognized leader in the regulation of biotechnology and gene editing technologies used in food and agriculture. She has held executive positions in multinational companies, including Syngenta, BASF and Inari, supporting global authorizations for innovative products. Lisa has held appointments to government, corporate and non-profit advisory boards, as well as the WVU School of Pharmacy Leadership Council. Her experience includes: law practice at Hogan Lovells (Brussels); administrator at OECD (Paris); senior executive at USDA; trade association counsel; and retail pharmacy practice.