October 2025

As I step into the role of Chair for this incredible group of pharmacy leaders, supporters, and colleagues, I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to our immediate past Chair, Megan Musselman, and outgoing Director-at-Large, Andrew Mays. Their leadership and dedication provided a strong foundation and the resources to continue supporting a diverse, enthusiastic, and talented community.

I’m also thrilled to welcome Chair-Elect Brian Potoski and Director-at-Large-Elect Zahra Nasrazadani, along with all our new and returning section members. I hope each of you finds that this Section enriches your practice, sparks new ideas, and serves as an invaluable resource of expertise and collaboration.

Looking ahead to this year, I see much uncertainty – both externally and within our profession. Yet, I am grounded by the dedication of fellow pharmacists who step up to actively support and advance our work by contributing to the SCSS. Despite our varied political and personal opinions, we are all dedicated, at our very core, to exceptional patient care and advancing health system pharmacy practice as outlined in the recently updated ASHP Strategic Plan.

In today’s climate of heightened health care scrutiny, at-risk funding and research support, and reduced centralized resources for our most vulnerable populations, my focus for our Section this year will be on addressing medication misinformation. As clinical specialists and scientists, we will acutely feel the challenge to defend science; to effectively communicate accurate, evidence-based information; and maintain – or earn back – the trust of our patients, their families, lawmakers and our communities. Through the activities and camaraderie of the SCSS, you will have the support and access to the resources to face these challenges head on.

Our strategic priorities for our Section this year include:

• Combating medication misinformation through identification and education
• Enhancing and broadening the roles of the pharmacy workforce in healthcare, with a focus on accountability
• Develop and leverage resources to demonstrate the indispensable role of pharmacists and pharmacy services throughout the continuum of care and across diverse communities
• Serve as subject matter experts when pharmacist input is needed
• Support and facilitate innovative approaches to pharmacy practice resource

This is a Section of members who practice on the cusp of health system pharmacy, and I encourage you to continue challenging how and what we do. Speak up. Share your ideas. Contribute to your Section Advisory Group projects. Know that as individuals you will have impact and as a community, we will make meaningful change.

Visit our section’s resource centers and encourage your colleagues to as well. Take advantage (and create even more!) of the rich content available through podcasts and webinars. Share lessons learned and lean on one another when you need the support.

This year will likely bring big challenges, but I invite you to make SCSS your professional where you can connect, grow and be inspired.

February 2026

As we move into spring and continue to witness a changing landscape of health care oversight, I would like to first thank you for your continued engagement and contributions to our work.

I am proud of our profession. Our relentless commitment to provide exceptional patient care which includes evidence-based recommendations and using information that truly improves the lives of the people who put their trust in us.

On a lighter, but just as important, note, I would like to share some updates on recent Section activities and priorities.

The Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists had a strong and visible presence (and a lot of fun) at the Midyear Clinical Meeting. We hosted 15 networking events, including four networking and poster sessions that highlighted the scholarly and practice‑based work of our members. In addition, many Section members contributed as presenters, facilitators, and subject matter experts, reinforcing the Section’s role as a professional home for clinical specialists and scientists and as a trusted source of expertise within ASHP.

Also at the Midyear meeting, our section recognized Martha Roberts as this year’s Distinguished Service Award (DSA) recipient. Her sustained commitment to ASHP and to advancing clinical pharmacy practice exemplifies the values of our Section. If hearing this makes you think of someone you’ve worked with in the Section or beyond it, please consider nominating that person for future awards, such as the DSA, Best Practices Award or John W. Webb Lecture Award, as recognition of service and leadership remains a priority for the Section.

As you are aware, the work of our Section is driven by member involvement through our Section Advisory Groups and committees. These groups support the development of educational programming, contribute to practice initiatives, identify emerging issues relevant to our membership, and serve as a fantastic way to get to know others across the Section. I encourage every one of you to consider volunteering for a Section Advisory Group or committee – it truly is a great way to contribute to the Section’s work while developing leadership skills and professional connections. You’re also in luck! The time is now to submit your application to serve as a member on one the Section’s Advisory Groups and Committees.  The application process is open now and closes April 15^th: Advisory Group and Committee Appointments

I am also excited to share that this year, the Section continues to work closely with the ASHP Foundation on initiatives that support research, education, and practice advancement. This collaboration has included engagement on the development of a formal, published statement that will illustrate and support pharmacists’ participation in research as well as partnering with Foundation for a second year with the Pharmacist Nutrition Support Patient-Care Impact Program. 

As Chair, I serve as the Section’s representative to the ASHP House of Delegates. The virtual HOD is just around the corner, and the live-action HOD will be held at the forthcoming ASHP Futures meeting which is hosted in St. Louis this June. The Executive Committee has been actively engaged in policy development and review, including a new policy to support the role of the pharmacy workforce in research. As your representative, I am committed to ensuring our Section’s voices are heard when policies impacting our practice are reviewed.  By engaging in ASHP policy deliberations, our Section can shape pharmacy practice, ensure our evolving roles are supported, and impact patient care

Finally, education remains a core focus of the Section. Current ASHP offerings by our Section include live webinars, podcasts, and Recorded Pharmacist Series (REPs). Check out the full range of programs on ASHP’s website.  The ASHP Pharmacy Futures meeting is also a great venue for earning those CME credits, observing the House of Delegates make policy, and it’s a fun, less-hectic-than-Midyear, way to connect with your colleagues.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the Section of Clinical Specialists and Scientists and to advancing pharmacy practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Chair and look forward to continued collaboration throughout the year.