Alumni Updates

Badger pharmacists are moving around, getting new jobs, expanding their families, taking trips, and even retiring. 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 Spring 2019 Class Notes. For more updates, see our full Summer 2019 DiscoveRx.

Job Updates

Rattavut Teerakapibal (PhD ’18): “Since graduating, I’ve become a formulation scientist at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. I am enjoying my experience so far with product development at R&D scale and scale-up at three main plants around the globe.”

Rebekah Lee (PharmD ’17): “I recently found myself stepping down from a management position with Walgreens to a more clinical position with CVS Omnicare. I am currently employed as a CVS Omnicare clinical specialist, where I have the opportunity to work with a team of pharmacists to ensure drug safety, proper therapy management, and provide therapeutic changes or recommendations to providers for patients in long-term care facilities and nursing homes. With this position, I will be licensed as a pharmacist in Oregon, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, Washington, Delaware, and Ohio by the end of this year. I am excited to see what other doors these additional licenses can open in my future.”

Ryan Miller (PharmD ’15): “Good time southern living in Nashville, Tenn. I’m currently employed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a malignant hematology clinical specialist and have been taking numerous trips visiting the great South to destinations such as Charleston, S.C., and Gulf Shores, Ala., for Hangout Music Festival!”

Mohamed Amin (PhD ’13) was appointed an associate professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, in Lebanon in February. He was one of the keynote speakers, discussing using evidence to demonstrate workforce impact, at the 1st International Pharmaceutical Federation Regional Conference for the Eastern Mediterranean: “Envisioning the Future Together: Transforming Pharmacy for Better Primary Health Care,” which was held April 25-26, 2019, in Amman, Jordan.

Jesse Cramer (PharmD ’12) is the drug information pharmacist at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. In addition to that role, he staffs the pediatric intensive care unit and is an assistant clinical professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin’s pharmacy school, where he teaches a variety of pediatric related lectures. He has one daughter, Arah, who will celebrate her first birthday in August.

Eileen Murphy (PharmD ’06) is now the manager of Medicare Clinical Programs at Navitus Health Solutions in Madison, Wis.

Kyle Kleinbeck (BS ’07, PhD ’11): “I work in formulation development of multipurpose prevention technologies indicated for HIV prevention and contraception through a non-profit pharmaceutical development organization called the International Partnership for Microbicides. I have been working in the field for seven years and hope to continue my mission to bring one of these formulations to market to help women around the world to address unmet needs in sexual and reproductive health.”

Jackie Nalbach (BS ’92): “I worked for Shopko in various locations for 26 years, most recently at their Winneconne, Wis., location. With the closing of Shopko stores, I decided to partner with Hometown Pharmacy to open a pharmacy in Winneconne. I would’ve never expected my career to take this dramatic turn that has created such a unique opportunity for personal growth and development. The people of Hometown Pharmacy are putting great effort toward partnering with motivated pharmacists to fill the gaps left by the departure of Shopko pharmacies in Wisconsin. These partnerships create pharmacy models that are quite unique in the realm of independent pharmacy practice. Hometown has an exciting vision for their pharmacies to become centers of health and wellness, and I believe they will be progressive drivers in shaping the practice of pharmacy in Wisconsin.”

Susan Stein (BS ’90, MS ’99): “I recently earned Professor Emeritus from Pacific University School of Pharmacy and started a consulting business. Susan M. Stein Consulting, LLC, provides academic and health care administrative, management and operational support and problem-solving. Whether guiding curricular revision, faculty promotion and development or administrative team coaching, I have been fortunate to work with dozens of universities and health systems in the past year and a half. I owe much to Wisconsin for the concrete leadership, research, and pharmacy skill sets I learned in Madison.”

Accomplishments & Awards

Monica Bianchini (PharmD ’17): “I am finishing up my PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency this summer. In August, I will be moving to Denver, Colo., to start a PhD in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research and Policy!”

Melissa Heim (PharmD ’12) was honored with the 2019 Larry Boh Clinical Instructor Excellence award by the by the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy for her exceptional precepting.

Gavin Arteel (BS ’93) was named the second annual Pharmacology and Toxicology Alumnus of the Year by the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy.

Lisa Holle (BS ’93, PharmD ’95) was invited to speak at the First African Regional Oncology Pharmacy Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 100 participants from eight African countries participated in the symposium. She was also invited to deliver a full-day International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) masterclass on Oral Anticancer Therapy to over 30 attendees following the symposium.

Kevin Plzak (BS ’86, MS ’90) is currently working as a quality assurance auditor at Neenah Foundry. 

Robert A. Buerki (BS ’63, MS ’67), recently published an article regarding the history of pharmacy: “Teaching History of Pharmacy in U.S. Schools.” In December 2018, he released the book A History of Drug Sciences at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, with co-author Popat N. Patil.

Personal Updates

Kassie (Koopman) Foellinger (PharmD ’13) and her husband welcomed twins, Donovan and Addison, into the world.

Tim Miller (PharmD ’11): “I wanted to let everyone know that I am going to Costa Rica! to see the monkeys and sloths and surf. Pharmacy is the benefit!”

Luke Beirl (PharmD ’11): “I’ve been running since pharmacy school trying to get faster and get lower percent body fat composition. I recently achieved my goal of being the fastest pharmacist-runner to ever live.”

Andrew Nelson (BS ’96) was recently named principal bassist for Whiskey Chiken, Viroqua’s largest and longest running old timey orchestra.

Linda Chickering (BS ’95): “I have practiced hospital pharmacy for more than 20 years since my graduation from the School. When not working as an emergency department and inpatient pharmacist at ProHealth Care in Waukesha, where I’ve been for the last 11 years, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling around the globe. I’ve accumulated 18 countries on my travel bucket list, but I’m always interested in adding more! There’s never a dull moment at home, as my husband and I have two girls, ages 4 and 7. I also enjoy doing DIY projects around the house, playing piano, and pursuing my lifelong genealogy addiction. Pictured in the attached photo are my husband, mother in law, and our two girls from a visit to family in India.”

Robert Foegen (BS ’96): “I’m currently involved as a musical instrumentalist and composer and as an inventor. As a church musician I play a 12-string guitar, bass guitar, and mandolin and have written a song entitled Kingdom of Your Father to be performed at the June wedding of my grand niece. My most notable invention is a reusable handle for carrying corrugated cartons, for which I hold United States patent No. 4831690.”

Greeta Cherayil (BS ’84) & Thomas Hofbauer (BS ’85) celebrated their son’s graduation from Brookfield Acadamy on May 19, 2019.

Dolly Bieck (BS ’61) is enjoying active Florida living.

James Hemmen (BS ’61) is retired in Appleton, Wis. His wife, Janet, recently planted a crab tree in honor of his 80th birthday.

Retirements

Thomas Schuknecht (BS ’79): “I worked for walgreens for 37 years and am now retired. I keep busy doing volunteer work (Meals on Wheels, St. Vinny’s, Riveredge Nature Center, and other environmental causes). I’ve found out that when you work for free it is very easy to stay busy five day a week. I especially enjoy working with the college interns at the nature center doing summer and Christmas breaks.”

Mary Connolly-Leubner (BS ’78): “I recently retired after being a practicing pharmacist for 40 years. I have reflected upon the changes that have occurred in those 40 years and can only wonder what will happen in the next 40 years. It was a wonderful run!”

Michael Flickinger (MS ’76, PhD ’77), Professor Dave Perlman’s last Phd student, recently retired as professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and director of Academic Programs at the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center at North Carolina State University. He previously was founding director of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute and a professor of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics for 22 years. Prior to his 33-year academic career, he was director of the fermentation program at the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick Cancer Research Facility. He retired to the Olympic Peninsula on Puget Sound.

Nancy Acker (BS ’55): “I retired 21 years ago and am now quilting to my heart’s desire. After working for 42 years and being registered in both Illinois and Wisconsin I have never looked back. When I attended the School of Pharmacy, there were only six women in my class, the Class of 1966.”

In Memoriam

Ronald Gussick (BS ’75) passed away in April 2019. He was the owner and operator of The Village Apothecary in Campbellsport, Wis., as well as a dedicated family man and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and watching the Braves.

Robert Craig (BS ’59) passed away in September 2015. After graduating from the School, he operated his own pharmacy, Craig’s Drug Store, in Fennimore, Wis., with his wife, Karen, for 30 years.

James Sullivan (BS ’54) passed away in May 2018. He was a pharmacist at Nihan & Martin in Rockford, Ill., until he joined Eli Lilly & Company as a medical services representative. He continued to work as part-time pharmacist at Group Health Cooperative and St. Clare Hospital. He and his wife, Judith, were married 56 years and had three children.

Margaret Palmer (BS ’44) passed away in November 2018. She followed in her father’s footsteps in becoming a pharmacist, and was the only woman in her graduating class. She got her start working at the soda fountain in her family’s pharmacy, and eventually rose to co-manage it with her brother. She is remembered for her courage, humor, and wit. A scholarship at the School has been created in her name.

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