Jeffrey Akers, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, CPEL
Vice President of Pharmacy Services, UC Health
Jeffrey.Akers@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
Favorite part of the job: I love my team! They are truly the best part of my job. The Pharmacy team is world-class, and I love to push the expansion of what Pharmacy can do and watch the success that results from our investment.
Hobbies: My family, my church and the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Jeff is an active member of his church and has taught adult Sunday School for 18 years. He loves basketball and has been a UK fan his whole life. Go Cats!
Education: Jeff received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and doctor of pharmacy from the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He also completed a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ambulatory Care
Jameela Aladimi, PharmD, CDCES
Job Title Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care
Jameela.aladimi@UCHealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- ACCP
- ADCES
Favorite part of the job: Love connecting with patients to optimize therapy. Diabetes management is my favorite!
Hobbies: Traveling, pilates, partaking in fitness challenges, investing
Education: University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, PharmD, Blanchard Valley Hospital (PGY1) University of Cincinnati Medical Center (PGY2 – Ambulatory Care)
Marisa Brizzi, PharmD, BCPS, AAHIVP
Job Title Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, HIV/Pain Stewardship
marisa.brizzi@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
- HIV PRN (2023-2024 Chair)
- Vizient (Research Committee)
Favorite part of the job: Administering injectable medications to patients with HIV who previously only had the option of daily oral pills. Patients are so thankful to be able to stop taking oral medications everyday!
Hobbies: My berdnedoodle, Luca, is a therapy dog at UC Health!
Education: University of Florida (PharmD), PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice and PGY-2 HIV/ID at University of Illinois at Chicago
Tara Nagaraj PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care
Professional/Society Membership:
- American Society of Health‐System Pharmacists (ASHP)
Favorite part of the job: I really enjoy working directly with patients in the clinic setting managing complex disease states. I also like working in an interdisciplinary team.
Hobbies: Running, Zumba, spending time with family and friends, traveling.
Education: PharmD- University of Cincinnati; PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency- MetroHealth, Cleveland, Ohio; PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency- The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Megan Lyons, PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care
PGY2 Residency Program Director, Ambulatory Care
Megan.Lyons@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Membership:
- American Society of Health‐System Pharmacists (ASHP)
Favorite part of the job: Interaction with patients
Hobbies: Spending time w/ family and friends
Education: University of South Carolina, PharmD; St. Luke Hospitals, Health Alliance, Pharmacy Practice Residency
Drug Policy Development
Michael Cunningham, PharmD
Medication Safety Coordinator; UC Health
Michael.Cunningham@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
Favorite part of the job: I enjoy working cooperatively with people from virtually every hospital department to enhance patient safety and the care our patients receive.
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends and building into my children.
Education: University of Cincinnati; BS Pharm and post BS PharmD; University of Cincinnati Medical Center, UC Health; Residency, Pharmacy Practice
Maria Guido, PharmD, BCPS
Drug Policy Development Specialist, UC Health Corporate Pharmacy
Maria.Guido@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
- Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists (OSHP)
- Greater Cincinnati Society of Health-System Pharmacists (GCSHP)
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
Favorite part of your job: Having the opportunity to learn something new everyday
Hobbies outside of pharmacy: Working out, hanging out with my three kiddos, Michigan football and basketball (Go Blue), cooking/baking
Education: Western Michigan University – BS, biomedical sciences; University of Michigan College of Pharmacy – Doctor of Pharmacy; University of Michigan Health System – PGY1 Pharmacy Residency; UC Health – University of Cincinnati Medical Center – PGY2 Ambulatory Care Specialty Residency
Krissy Reinstatler, PharmD, BCPP, MBA
Drug Policy Development Specialist, UC Health Corporate Pharmacy
Krissy.Reinstatler@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- Greater Cincinnati Society of Health-System Pharmacists (GCSHP)
- College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists
- Phi Lambda Sigma
- Kappa Epsilon
Favorite part of the job: Educating patients and their families.
Hobbies: Cooking, baking, and eating; Photography, Running, Writing, Reading, Watching classic movies
Education: PharmD – University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy; PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency – Chillicothe VAMC
Pharmacy Informatics
Neil Ernst, PharmD
Epic Principal Trainer, Willow Inpatient/Willow Ambulatory
Neil.Ernst@UCHealth.com
Professional/Society Membership:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
- Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists (OSHP)
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
- Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM)
- Phi Lambda Sigma
- Kappa Psi
Favorite part of your job: The ability to learn something new everyday. Helping critically ill patients have meaningful recoveries.
Hobbies outside of pharmacy: Running, biking, hiking, golf, and watching college basketball and football
Education: University of Cincinnati, PharmD, 2004; Pharmacy Practice Residency , The University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, 2004-2005; Pharmacy Critical Care Resident, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, 2005-2006
Denver Stewart, PharmD
Administrator of Pharmacy Informatics
Denver.stewart@uchealth.com
Favorite part of the job: Continually problem-solving
Hobbies: Hiking, playing music, hanging out with friends and family
Education: PharmD Degree from the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, 2014; Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Media from College Conservatory of Music, UC; 2006
Specialty Pharmacy
Alyssa McCann, PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Transplant, Specialty Pharmacy
Alyssa.Wilson@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
- Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists (OSHP)
- Greater Cincinnati Society of Health-System Pharmacists (GCSHP)
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
Favorite part of the job: Getting to know our patients and teaching students and residents
Hobbies: Reading, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends
Education: PharmD at the University of Kentucky, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency at UC Health- UCMC
Alicia Pence, PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Operations, Specialty Pharmacy
Alicia.Pence@UCHealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
Favorite part of your job: With my background in Ambulatory Care and experience at UC Health I can really shape the new Specialty Pharmacy service. Each day provides variety- in medications dispensed, patient interactions, and operational and administrative challenges. But most importantly the opportunity to serve patients.
Hobbies outside of pharmacy: Coaching volleyball, golfing, traveling and anything my kids are doing
Education: University of Cincinnati, BS Pharm, 1999; University of Cincinnati, PharmD, 2001; Health Alliance – The University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ambulatory Care Residency, 2002
Transitions of Care/Prior Authorization
Sheila Takieddine, PharmD, BCPS
Manager, Medication Access Services, UC Health Corporate Pharmacy
Sheila.Takieddine@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships:
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
- Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists (OSHP)
- Greater Cincinnati Society of Health-System Pharmacists (GCSHP)
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
- Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM)
Favorite part of the job: Being a resource for the pharmacy departments and interdisciplinary practitioners at UC Health, and helping to implement changes that have positive impact on patient care
Hobbies: Skiing, Running, CrossFit, being an Ohio State Football fan
Education: B.S. Microbiology, The Ohio State University (2007); PharmD, University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy (2011); PGY-1 Residency, UC Health – UCMC (2012); PGY-2 Critical Care Residency, UC Health – UCMC (2013)
Katie Strahm, PharmD
Transitions of Care Pharmacist
katie.strahm@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships: OSHP
Favorite part of the job: I enjoy working with the interdisciplinary teams to provide patient centered care. I find a true purpose working to break down medication access barriers to provide patients with access to affordable medication long term.
Hobbies: Running, playing volleyball, attending football and basketball games, spending time with my son
Education: Doctor of Pharmacy, Samford University, McWhorter School of Pharmacy 2012
Lindsay Staroska, PharmD, BCPS
Job Title: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Transitions of Care
Lindsay.Staroska@uchealth.com
Professional/Society Memberships: American College of Clinical Pharmacists (ACCP)
Favorite part of the job: Helping patients gain and maintain access to medications they would otherwise be unable to obtain.
Hobbies: Baking, playing pickleball, taking walks, reading, and cheering on FCC
Education: PharmD – Ohio Northern University; PGY1 and PGY2 Pharmacotherapy – Community Health Network (Indianapolis)