Faust is recognized by Managed Healthcare Executive magazine for reshaping pharmacy benefit management and patient-centered care
By Katie Ginder-Vogel
Sharon Faust (BS ’07, PharmD ’11) isn’t wired for settling for “good enough.” Instead, she moves relentlessly forward, seeking the next problem to solve and leaving no stone unturned in her mission to elevate.
This journey started at Lumicera Health Services, focused on specialty pharmacy, as its second employee. The journey continued as the company grew over the next 11 years, expanding to 350 employees and $2 billion in annual drug purchases. Then, in 2024, Faust again ascended to the top ranks of the parent company, Navitus Health Solutions, becoming senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer.
“Moving into the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) side at Navitus and winning this award makes me even more excited for all the things we have ahead and provides momentum.”
–Sharon Faust
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed: In 2016, she was awarded the Next-Generation Pharmacist Specialty Pharmacist of the Year presented by Specialty Pharmacy Times and Parata. And now, in 2025, she received the inaugural 2025 PBMI Innovators Award from Managed Healthcare Executive magazine in recognition of her outstanding contributions to advancing pharmacy benefit management and improving patient outcomes.
“Earning this honor is incredible as someone at an organization like Navitus, which is making innovative moves to drive patient care and savings for patients and clients,” Faust says. “Moving into the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) side at Navitus and winning this award makes me even more excited for all the things we have ahead and provides momentum.”
Innovation mindset
In a time where PBMs are fraught with calls for reform, Faust says she’s able to contribute a different mindset to Navitus, a 23-year-old company in an industry dominated by three big players.
“Navitus has always focused on how to position a new, innovative model in the market in a way that makes sense, and I feel like I can contribute new approaches and ideas,” Faust says. “I’ve always been curious, asking why things are happening in the market, what is changing — asking thoughtful questions challenges the status quo and keeps our thinking focused on the future.”
Faust says Lumicera and Navitus both prioritize transparency and pass on any savings to plan sponsors, which in turn benefits patients. Faust is responsible for understanding Navitus’ pharmacy relationships — the relationships between pharmacy providers and Navitus as a PBM, as well as the relationships between manufacturers and other vendors. She keeps abreast of what’s happening in the marketplace, like new entrants.
She intentionally sets aside time to think about how the organization can continue to innovate and advance in its current space.
“I learn new things every day and spend time thinking through what the dynamics are within the pharmacy landscape,” Faust says. “My focus is to examine the multiple components at play in the industry to guide how we deliver services within the current ecosystem.”
Faust still works with Lumicera to facilitate savings, patient management and clinical programs.
“We look at patients holistically and use analytics and other tools to figure out who needs the most help and when, and then provide that to them,” Faust says. “That’s the most rewarding piece of my work — understanding what patients need the most and determining how to serve them in a way that fits into that dynamic.”
Faust is particularly proud of Lumicera’s field-leading shift in payment models. Traditionally, pharmacies are reimbursed a discount off the list price of a drug. Lumicera became one of the first to adopt “cost-plus pricing,” in which the plan or employer pays the actual acquisition cost of a drug, plus a defined fee. This model reimburses pharmacies for the clinical services rendered and produces savings to both the patient and the payer.
“We had this idea of cost-plus pricing 12 years ago, and to still have that model — and have it now be something that people are talking about — is amazing,” she says. “It’s great to gain attention in the market from a quality and clinical programs perspective. Likewise, after 23 years of leading the way with a transparent and fully pass-through PBM model, Navitus is being validated by the broader market placing greater value on that model with large competitors mimicking it or creating their own version of it.”
Putting patients first
Faust started her career building clinical programs for specialty pharmacy, creating questionnaires and new screenings based on her knowledge of disease states. For example, she created a new depression screening for patients with a certain disease that can cause depression.
“It’s very fulfilling when you can speak to patients and see that you’ve clearly made a difference in their lives,” Faust says. “As I’ve grown in my career, I’ve turned my focus to how I support other leaders in caring for members and delivering service quality.”
While Faust’s leadership role means she talks about patient care with other professionals rather than talking with patients one-on-one all day, she says her commitment to improving health outcomes gives her the same feeling, no matter the setting.
“It’s very fulfilling when you can speak to patients and see that you’ve clearly made a difference in their lives.”
–Sharon Faust
To build teams that deliver positive patient outcomes, Faust draws upon her undergraduate experience as the captain of the 2006 UW–Madison women’s hockey team, which won the NCAA Division I national championship.
“It’s dynamic,” she says. “In hockey and in business, you need a team of authentic people who bring all sorts of skills to the table. You need to understand what you yourself do and don’t bring to the table, and the team works together to understand each person’s role, cover gaps, and produce an excellent result. In my career, it’s been great to see other leaders excel and grow.”
Guiding the next generation
While trailblazing a future for patients and PBMs, she’s bringing the next generation with her. She’s been a preceptor for the School of Pharmacy’s PharmD students on clinical rotations for several years, giving them an opportunity to learn from a field leader in a critical cornerstone of the profession.
“There’s nothing better than a student coming back and saying you made a difference,” she says. “My advice to students is always that you never know where your career will take you, and being open-minded about all the possibilities of a pharmacy degree will help you find your perfect path.”
When Faust reflects on her career, it’s with gratitude.
“My journey from being a pharmacy student to a professional and now being the chief pharmacy officer has been an evolution,” Faust says. “Sometimes I think, ‘Wow, this is really cool, and I’m so grateful to be here and continue to develop.”
