Alumni Updates

Badger pharmacists and researchers are getting new jobs, receiving accolades, moving across the country, and pursuing new hobbies — even writing children’s books. Stay in touch with your fellow UW–Madison School of Pharmacy alumni across the state and the country by checking (and sharing) class notes in each DiscoveRx digital magazine issue. 

Here’s what our alumni have been up to since the Summer 2019 Class Notes. For more updates, see our full Fall 2019 DiscoveRx.

Job Updates

Yen-Ming Huang (PhD ’19) is joining the faculty at the South Dakota State University’s College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.

Ling Hao (PhD ’17) joined George Washington University as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry.

Jason Lau (PharmD ’01) has been promoted to healthcare supervisor for Walgreens’ area 55, which covers most of the Wisconsin area.

Kim Lintner (PharmD ’01) joined the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmacy Practice Division as a senior lecturer, teaching in the award-winning Integrated Pharmacotherapy Skills courses.

Barb Hayden Marquardt (BS ’93) is now director of medication control at PharmID, which provides health care organizations the ability to confirm medication identity and concentration using advanced optical technology. The first product to market, WasteWitness, detects diversion in the controlled substance wasting process by verifying identity and concentration of medications immediately before being wasted.

Accomplishments & Awards

Ed Portillo (PharmD ’14) is being honored by the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin as the 2019 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year. Portillo is an assistant professor at the School of Pharmacy and has pioneered innovative tracks in the PharmD program that are shaping the future of pharmacy.

Michelle Pack (PharmD ’10) was named the Walmart Health and Wellness 2018 Pharmacy Clinical Services Manager of the Year.

Nicole Reardon (PharmD ’07) was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions and have made an impact in the critical care profession at a regional, state, or national level. 

Dave Hager (PharmD ’05) is being honored by the Pharmacy Alumni Association (PAA) as the 2019 Young Alumnus of the Year. Hager has devoted his career to helping pharmacists advance their skills and is currently the director of Clinical Pharmacy Services at UW Health. 

Troy Kienzle (PharmD ’01) graduated from The Ohio State Pharmacy College of Pharmacy with a master’s of science in Pharmaceutical Sciences Health-System Pharmacy Administration degree in August 2019. In addition, he was named a recipient of the Timothy D. Moore Award, which recognizes and supports outstanding graduates of the master of science in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a specialization in Health-System Pharmacy Administration. In March 2019, he began as an inpatient pharmacy manager at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Greg Higby (MS ’80, PhD ’84) recently received the George Urdang Medal from the American Institute on the History of Pharmacy for his scholarly publications about the history of pharmacy. He was also honored at the American Pharmacists Association headquarters for receiving the Antoine Augustin Parmentier medal for his many contributions to the study of the history of pharmacy.

Brian Jensen (BS ’80) is being honored by the PAA as the 2019 Young Alumnus of the Year. Jensen has been a pharmacist for nearly four decades and has innovated numerous pharmacy programs in Wisconsin, such as starting the state’s first pharmacy-based vaccination program.

Personal Updates

Anna Engstrom (BS ’11): “After graduating from the Pharmacology and Toxicology program at the School of Pharmacy, I went on to complete my PhD in toxicology at the University of Washington in Seattle. I currently live in Redwood City, Calif., with my husband, Chad Weldy, and our 18-month-old son, Theo. I work as a toxicologist at a small biotech company in San Francisco (Vir Biotechnology) that focuses on developing therapeutics for infectious diseases. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many fellow Badgers have found their way to the Bay Area!”

Rhonda (Leschisin) Mullin (PharmD ’04): “Since 2008, I have worked part time for Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville, Wis., at their 25-bed critical access hospital. In 2017, I was elected to our local school board in Barneveld, just prior to passing a referendum for a $16.3 million project to remodel our K12 school. It’s the largest construction project in school history, and will be complete in September of 2019. My 6- and 8-year-old children attend this school, and it’s been a great way for me to be involved more in our community.”

Tony Steeno (PharmD ’04): “I am currently working full times as an informatics pharmacist at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Mich. In my spare time, over the last half dozen years, I have written and illustrated a children’s book (mostly late at night, after my own children are tucked cozily into their beds). It was finally released this summer, and I am pretty happy with the result. The story is titled Beyond the Lighthouse, Over the Mountains, and can be found at A Room of One’s Own off of State Street in Madison, Wis., (among other places).”

Lynn (Way) Buss (BS ’91): “I, Carol (Cumming) Arlt (BS ’91) of LaCrosse, Wis., and Audra (Race) Olson of Elcho (BS ’91) and our families have been vacationing together almost every year since graduation. This Labor Day weekend was no exception with time spent in Eagle River.” 

Dale Schmidt (BS ’82): “We sure hope you are all doing well. My wife, Kim (BS ’82), and I sold our two pharmacies in May 2014, so this was our fifth year without having anywhere we had to be. I still work a day a week and Kim works two days a week. We have been doing a fair amount of traveling, home remodeling for the kids and just plain old trying to relax. Our daughter got married in June 2018 and our son got married August 2019. Of the many places we have traveled, our Alaska trip this year was fantastic. Next year we have a five-country Europe trip planned and who knows where after that.

We also continue to make the trek to Madison for football and hockey games as we are season ticket holders. We wish you all continued health and success at whatever endeavors you undertake in the coming years.”

Mike Kirkwood (BS ’70): “I went to an inner city high school in Milwaukee (West Division) where I ran cross-country and track all four years. Following a hitch in the Army and then to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with the GI Bill for my pre-pharmacy coursework, I spent two great years at Madison. Due to academic, financial, and work challenges I put aside any racing until after graduation in 1970. Channeling the dedication and hard work required by the school of pharmacy into athletics allowed me to become somewhat successful in age group races. I have completed all but one Al McGuire 8Ks in Milwaukee that most consider the state championship event. I have over 20 gold medals and the rest are silver and bronze. I swept the 50-54 division from 1992-1997 and took nine of 10 in my 50s and six in my 40s. I’m still going strong winning the last two years as well. I have traveled the U.S. competing in the highest level runs, including first in the Boston 5K in 2012 for the 70-75 division and a first in Carlsbad 5000 in 2017 as a 75-79 competitor. I also took second there in 2012 and two seconds in the National Senior games in Cleveland 2013 and Birmingham 2017. I was honored to be elected into the Wisconsin Senior 2018 Hall of Fame. I continue to run the UWM alumni scholarship Panther Prowl winning first all 16 years it has been held and hope to keep it going this Oct. 12th. I retired after 15 years as a pharmacist at Froedtert Hospital in 2010 preceded by 25 years at the old Milwaukee County General Hospital. 

I recognize the value that active participation in exercise plays in one’s health. As a pharmacist, I have encouraged better health through activity, which may eliminate need for medications. One of my favorite quotes is: ‘You are not defeated if you’re still willing to fight.'”

Duane (Dewey) Wisner (BS ’68): “I worked as a pharmacist for more than two years, and then went to seminary in Chicago for four years. Became ordained into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in June 1975. I served three congregations for 31 years in northern Illinois, metro St. Louis, and east central Wisconsin. I returned to pharmacy after retooling and worked for Aurora in Wisconsin for seven years prior retiring as a pharmacist. I still serve the church in various ways as a retired ordained ELCA pastor. I’ve been married for 44 years with two sons and three grandchildren and currently live in Fond du Lac, Wis.”

Bob Listecki (BS ’62): “I’ve been at Glen Ellyn Pharmacy for 60 years. I’m not filling lots of prescriptions, but I am learning much on alternative and complementary therapies, such as probiotics, cannabidiol, and vitamin D. We are still in Oak Brook, Ill., and have the cottage on Glen Lake, Mich. I retired from off-shore yacht racing after 37 years racing to Mackinac Island, but do get up to Madison for some ice boating, conditions permitting, and a football game.”

James Barany (BS ’58): “Four years after graduating I acquired the first of the four stores I owned in the Milwaukee area and retired in 1995.”

Sally Ann (Anderson) Woock (BS ’54) just celebrated 40 years as an attorney ending with 13 years as traffic judge in Florida. She kept her pharmacy license for over 50 years and is now living in Winter Park, Fla.

In Memoriam

Craig Robert Osness (BS ’91) passed away in August 2019.  He worked as a pharmacist in the Milwaukee, Merrill, and Wausau, Wis., areas and was an avid Wisconsin sports fan, outdoors enthusiast, and family man. 

Robert Oberhofer (BS ’61) passed away in March 2019.  He was a proud Army veteran and pharmacist and co-owner of the Hoehle Drug Stores in Waukesha, Wis. 

Do you have a personal or professional update you’d like to share, big or small? Submit your class note for the Winter 2019 DiscoveRx.