Sierra Richard

Sierra Richard is a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist – Investigational Drug Service at the University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia, MO. After receiving her PharmD from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Sierra completed a PGY1 residency at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX. She is currently a member of the NPF Personal Development Advisory Group.

Professional Interests
I have several professional interests including well-being and resiliency in pharmacy, general pediatrics, and gene therapy. My introduction to gene therapies occurred during residency and I was fascinated by how these treatments worked. I have seen firsthand how life-changing these therapies can be and I believe that this technology has the potential to change the way we treat genetic diseases. As a pharmacist, I know there are many opportunities for pharmacists to help in the process including storage, preparation, immunosuppression, treatment planning and more.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?
I am incredibly passionate about improving the well-being of others. With the recent rise of burnout in the pharmacy profession, I wanted to be a part of the solution by joining the personal development advisory group.

What would you tell others if asked how to get involved with ASHP?
I would recommend visiting the ASHP website and reviewing all the involvement opportunities available and then applying for the one that you are most interested in. Just go for it!

What unique characteristic/perspective do you bring to your everyday work or the pharmacy profession?
I'm a person who loves system optimization. I love looking at processes and workflows to determine how they can be optimized to improve the process. I have found this to be a beneficial way to reduce stress in the pharmacy.

What do you like to do for fun? What are some of your interests/hobbies outside of pharmacy?
I enjoy traveling and hiking with my husband, reading, and following space news including NASAs upcoming missions. I'm a member of the Geyser Observation and Study Association (GOSA) because I love geysers! Yellowstone is my favorite place to travel.

What advice would you give to other new practitioners?
Allow yourself to be a beginner and enjoy the process. You won't know all the answers and that's okay. Use this time to learn as much as possible, but don't forget to take care of yourself.