Who Is This Pharmacist On the Cover of Florida Pharmacy Today?

I am sure that many of you know Dr. Karen Whalen, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Campus Director at our St. Pete campus. I'll bet some of you DON'T KNOW that Karen is the Current President of the Florida Pharmacy Association. As such, she has the privilege of representing all of us pharmacists in the state, and for this I am personally very proud!

Here is her bio as it appears on the UF web site:

Dr. Karen Whalen joined the faculty as Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Director of the St. Petersburg Campus in August 2008. Dr. Whalen received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida. She then completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at the Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, North Carolina. Subsequently, she completed a Primary Care Residency at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. Prior to joining the faculty at University of Florida, Dr. Whalen was an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Nova Southeastern University for twelve years. Dr. Whalen is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Certified Diabetes Educator. She maintains an active ambulatory care practice site with the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. Dr. Whalen is an active member of the Florida Pharmacy Association, and currently serves as President of that organization.

I point this out for several reasons:
1. I am very proud that a fellow-faculty member has been entrusted to represent ALL pharmacists in the stae, regardless of practice venue,
2. She has found the time to serve despite the demands of her faculty position and family matters,
3. She is a UF grad and a former student of mine, and,
5. She is an extremely capable person who is a perfect role model for our pharmacists of the future.

You may also be interested to know that Dr. William Riffee, Professor and Dean of the College of Pharmacy, was elected "Speaker-elect " of the FPA.

As if that wasn't enough, Dr. Carol Motycka, Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean and Director of the Jacksonville Campus, was elected Chair of the Education Council of the Florida
Pharmacy Association (FPA) at the annual meeting of the FPA in St Augustine. Carol is also President-Elect of the Duval Co Pharmacy Association.

Oh, and lest I forget, it just so happens that the current president of the American Pharmacists Association is a Gator graduate and long time college supporter. Ed L. Hamilton, PharmD, FAPhA Director of Pharmacy at the Regency Medical Center in Winter Haven, Florida, was installed as President of the American Pharmacists Association (APHA) at the closing session of the association’s 157th Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Antonio, Texas, April 6, 2009.

There are Gator Pharmacists everywhere. Will you be the next one?