Melissa Ortega

2025 Distinguished Service Award Winner

Melissa Ortega serves as the chief pharmacy officer for Mass General Brigham, where she leads enterprise pharmacy services. In this role, Ortega is responsible for aligning systemwide pharmacy services with Mass General Brigham’s patient-centered mission and integration goals. Her leadership is defined by a strategic focus on innovation, leveraging technology to enhance medication safety and outcomes, advancing pharmacy services through program development, and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence to ensure patients benefit from seamless, high-quality care across the continuum.

With over a decade of experience as a transformational healthcare leader, Ortega is deeply committed to advancing pharmacy practices and delivering exceptional patient care. Prior to joining Mass General Brigham, she served as the system vice president of ambulatory pharmacy services at Tufts Medicine, where she played a pivotal role in integrating operational and clinical pharmacy services across the care continuum and initiating new enterprise programs such as specialty pharmacy and home infusion.

Ortega’s influence extends beyond her professional roles. She has held prominent leadership positions, including president and legislative chair of the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP) and inaugural executive committee chair of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Section of Community Pharmacy Practitioners. Her commitment to advancing the profession is further demonstrated through her contributions to research and education through published works and national presentations.

Ortega is an active member and recognized Fellow of ASHP. She has been recognized for her leadership and contributions with numerous accolades, including Fellowship distinctions from MSHP, the Carol Emmott Foundation, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She remains dedicated to transforming pharmacy services, optimizing patient care, and shaping the future of healthcare through her visionary leadership.