Chair (2026-2027)
Thom Platt, PharmD, PhD, MBA, BCPS
Thom Platt is the Senior Director of Specialty Pharmacy and Infusion Services at UK HealthCare in Lexington, Kentucky. In this role, he oversees a team of over one hundred individuals, managing both centralized specialty pharmacy services and decentralized operations across UK HealthCare’s clinics. Thom also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Pharmacy, where he is the course director for a specialty pharmacy elective and teaches in various other courses.
Thom earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the UK College of Medicine, followed by a PharmD from the UK College of Pharmacy. He completed a two-year PGY1/2 Specialty Pharmacy Administration and Leadership residency at UK HealthCare, combined with his MBA. His initial years of experience focused on building a specialty pharmacy dedicated data and outcomes research program. Thom’s ASHP involvement includes serving as a member of the Specialty Pharmacy Section Advisory Group on Outcomes and Value for several years, and he is currently serving as chair. Additionally, Thom served a three-year term in the ASHP House of Delegates as a delegate from Kentucky. At the local level in Kentucky, Thom has been actively involved with the state ASHP affiliate, KSHP, serving as Chair of the KSHP House of Delegates and currently as Treasurer for the organization.
Thom Platt can be emailed at sections@ashp.org.
Immediate Past Chair (2026-2027)
Karen C. Thomas, PharmD, PhD, MBA
Karen C. Thomas is an associate director of specialty and infusion pharmacies at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System and is a clinical assistant professor in the department of pharmacy practice at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Thomas is also the residency program director for the UIC specialty pharmacy administration and leadership PGY2 residency. Her professional interests include optimizing clinical and operational processes, staff development, and demonstrating the value of health systems specialty pharmacies. She completed a dual PharmD/PhD program at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy, with her PhD in pharmacology and toxicology examining the molecular mechanisms of capsaicin induced lung injury. Thomas then completed a fellowship in clinical and applied toxicology at the Utah Poison Control Center. Later in her career, she completed an executive MBA program at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Thomas is the primary investigator for a 2022 grant from the ASHP Foundation related to how specialty pharmacies care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. She has been active with the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners since 2019 as a member, vice chair (2021-2022), and chair (2022-2023) of the Section Advisory Group on Outcomes and Value.
Karen C. Thomas can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.
Chair Elect (2025-2026)
Rushabh M. Shah, PharmD, MBA, CSP
Rushabh M. Shah is the system director for specialty and home delivery pharmacy at UNC Health. In this role, he is responsible for directing specialty and home delivery pharmacy operations, strategies, policy and procedures, budget process as well as organizational performance improvement, quality management and evidence-based outcomes. Shah is also a preceptor for the UNC CPAL/HSPAL residency and UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Advanced Immersion Programs.
Shah earned his BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and PharmD in 2014 from Purdue University. He also graduated with his MBA in 2017 from Goldey-Beacom College. He successfully completed the Healthcare Executive Leadership program from University of Kentucky in 2022. He has certifications for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Specialty Pharmacist (CSP). Shah has been an active member of ASHP, most recently serving as the vice chair for Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners (SSPP) Educational Steering Committee. He previously has been involved with several different SSPP advisory groups. Shah has been involved with the ASHP Executive Forum on Cold Chain Management, ASHP Specialty Pharmacy Certificate, ASHP Pharmacy Forecast Survey, and ASHP Specialty Pharmacy Competency Assessment Center. He also co-authored publications in AJHP and has given poster and podium presentations at ASHP meetings.
Rushabh Shah can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.
Director-at-Large (2025-2027)
Abbi M. Pitzer (Blevins), PharmD, MBA, CSP
Abbi M. Pitzer (Blevins) is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and Residency Program Director at WVU Medicine Specialty Pharmacy & Home Infusion. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University School of Pharmacy and then completed a PGY1 Community-Based Residency at Kroger Pharmacy in affiliation with WVU School of Pharmacy. Following residency training, Pitzer (Blevins) took a clinical staffing position with Kroger in Charlottesville, VA. In 2018, she returned to Morgantown, accepting her current position at WVU Medicine Specialty Pharmacy where her clinical practice is management of inflammatory diseases. She has participated in multi-center research in both rheumatology and multiple sclerosis with other Health-System Owned Specialty Pharmacies. Pitzer (Blevins) also established WVU Medicine's first PGY1 Community-Based Residency Program with a focus in specialty pharmacy and currently serves as Residency Program Director. She maintains an active partnership with the local school of pharmacy, contributing to the advancement of specialty pharmacy education by coordinating an elective course in specialty pharmacy and serving as the primary preceptor for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) students during their clinical rotations. Pitzer (Blevins) plays an active role on multiple department committees, contributing to various initiatives and organizational efforts. Additionally, she has been a dedicated member of ASHP, serving on several Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioner Advisory Groups and currently serves on the section's Executive Committee as Director-at-Large.
Abbi M. Pitzer (Blevins) can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.
Director-at-Large (2026-2028)
Kristel M. Geyer, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS
Kristel M. Geyer is the specialty pharmacy manager and residency program coordinator for the PGY1 community-based residency program at Cleveland Clinic Specialty Pharmacy in Cleveland, Ohio. Geyer completed both her Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and PharmD at Concordia University of Wisconsin before completing a PGY1 pharmacy residency at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Community Memorial Hospital in Milwaukee. In her current role, she supports all elements of the specialty pharmacy process, sitting on several local and system committees, and leading clinical and operational initiatives for specialty pharmacy services. Recognizing the need for further specialty training opportunities, Geyer led the implementation of a residency program at the specialty pharmacy serving as its initial RPD and currently serves as the RPC. Geyer has been an active member of ASHP for over 10 years, and most recently serving as a member of the SSPP Educational Steering Committee. She previously participated for several years in the SSPP Advisory Group for Workforce Development, including serving as vice chair and chair. She is passionate about servant leadership, participating as a mentor in both the ASHP Student and Residency Program Director Mentorship programs. Geyer has acted as program chair and faculty for ASHP Midyear Meeting sessions over several years, focusing on a variety of hot topics relevant to specialty pharmacy, including student sessions raising awareness of specialty pharmacy post-graduate opportunities, remote work implementation and sustainability, and biosimilar integration.
Kristel M. Geyer can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.
Director-at-Large Elect (2026-2027)
Allison C. Trawinski, PharmD, MBA
Allison C. Trawinski serves as the assistant director of specialty pharmacy and the residency director for the PGY1 community-based residency program at University of Rochester Medicine Specialty Pharmacy in Rochester, New York. She earned her PharmD from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and an MBA from Simon Business School. Her post-graduate training includes a PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency at Strong Memorial Hospital. In her current leadership role, Trawinski guides a team of managers in developing strategies and executing tactical plans to expand the specialty pharmacy program and enhance efficiency through technology optimization.
Trawinski is an active member of ASHP, where she has served as both a member and chair of the Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners advisory groups on Business Development and on Operational and Workforce Development. She is a frequent presenter at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting management pearls session, as well as for ASHP webinars and podcasts. Her leadership has been instrumental in implementing significant changes within her specialty pharmacy and across health system committees, including the adoption of new EMR modules, the development of strategies to mitigate the impact of external factors such 340b changes and impacts, and the continuous growth of services while maintaining high patient and provider satisfaction.
Allison Trawinski can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.
ASHP Staff
Gabrielle Pierce, PharmD, MBA
Gabrielle (Gabby) Pierce serves as a Director of Member Relations at ASHP, and is staff liaison to the Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners. In this role, Dr. Pierce leads the development and implementation of programs and initiatives related to specialty pharmacy practice. Prior to this role, Dr. Pierce completed ASHP’s Executive Fellowship in Association Leadership and Management in Bethesda, Maryland. She received her Bachelor’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Master of Business Administration, and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Following graduation, Dr. Pierce completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency in specialty pharmacy at the University of Illinois - Chicago within their Specialty Pharmacy Services in Chicago, Illinois.
Gabby Pierce can be e-mailed at sections@ashp.org.