LKS spotlights student and alumni members that are making a difference in their chapters, in their communities, and in the field of pharmacy.
Tell us about yourself: (school, chapter, work, hobbies, LKS activities, meetings attended)
I was initiated into Xi Chapter at the University of Rhode Island in 2010 and graduated with my PharmD in 2016. At Xi Chapter I served as President, Treasurer, Fundraising Chair, and Alumni Chair and started getting involved on the national level as a Convention Ambassador at convention in Naples in 2014 and served on the Convention Planning Committee for the following biennium. After graduating I served as a Region Supervisor and Chair of the Awards Nomination & Selection Committee.
My first convention was the Biennial in Boston 2013 which really inspired me to get more involved. Since then I’ve attended meetings in Naples 2014, St. Louis 2015, Atlanta 2017, and Buffalo in 2018.
I currently work as a pharmacy manager for CVS Pharmacy in Rhode Island. I love the fast-paced environment of the very high-volume stores in the Northeast, but I do have aspirations to transition into field leadership for the company. Outside of work I love spending time with my boyfriend and our dog Howard, working out and running, traveling, and trying to put my creative energy into new hobbies.
What do you do to continue furthering your knowledge, self-development, and leadership skills?
I’ve always been really drawn to leadership and management roles, and that has followed me into my professional life. I am currently in my company’s Emerging Leader program for promotion to a District Leader position. It fills my time with a lot of personal and professional leadership development activities and sessions, opportunities to learn more about different parts of the business enterprise, and projects that allow me to gain experience in leading a multi-unit business and have a farther-reaching impact than my own store. As part of my involvement I also get to spend time helping to develop the talent pipeline myself by acting as a presenter, teacher, and mentor to other colleagues hoping to do more.
Which of our core values (sisterhood, leadership, service, scholarship and integrity) do you feel you most strongly represent and how?
Integrity. There’s nothing more important than being honest, authentic, and accountable in everything you do. Our motto says it all. Even though it gets me trouble sometimes, I am always genuine and up-front about what I feel is right.
What is one thing that LKS has helped you grow and develop in (personally, professionally, etc.)?
The connections I have made in this fraternity have been life changing. They aren’t kidding when they say that who you know is important. Being a member of LKS allows you to have an instant connection and relationship with sisters who work in all different areas of pharmacy. Networking aside, the friendships I’ve made and mentors I’ve gained have been amazing sources of support and advice both personally and professionally.
What is the best advice you could give to other members?
Work hard, maintain your relationships and connections, and have integrity in everything you do. Success will follow. As women, we are trained early on in life and careers to bend over backwards to be likable and to worry about everyone else except ourselves. Make decisions for yourself, speak up even if its unpopular, be gracious and conscious of people’s feelings, but maintain your integrity by standing by your convictions. That will get you a lot farther in life.
If you had not chose pharmacy as your career, what would have been your second choice?
Interior designer. I literally cannot walk into anyone’s home without thinking about what walls I would tear down or what color I would paint their walls.
