Jenny Kirschner has 20+ years experience in the healthcare and pharmacy sectors including as a clinical and retail pharmacist. She has a deeply personal experience of loneliness and is a passionate clinical entrepreneur who is out to inspire, educate and mobilise the entire pharmacy industry to address loneliness at patient, pharmacy and community level to improve wellbeing at scale.Jenny is the founder of the PALS (Pharmacy Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation). PALS is the first inter...

Meet Emily Griffin, a trailblazing force in the pharmacy world, renowned for her compassionate and innovative approach and multi-faceted expertise.As a credentialed consultant pharmacist, business owner, senior hospital pharmacist, and educator, Emily has made waves by co-developing the Australian-first Voluntary Assisted Dying Statewide Pharmacy Service and leading transformative initiatives through her venture, ENCAPSULED.She is also a dedicated advocate, leveraging social media to champion...

When it comes to health, Sarah Gray is a trusted expert and innovator, working to deliver products and services that truly change the healthcare landscape in Australia. Sarah’s personal purpose is to challenge the status quo, and make a difference to the health and happiness of all creatures (humans and animals) on the planet.As a registered pharmacist and nutritionist, together with holding a Global Executive MBA qualification, Sarah is able to apply a commercial and strategic lens to health...

Max Mito is the Co-Founder and CEO of StrongRoom AI (SRAI), an innovative organisation dedicated to improving patient outcomes and enhancing the administrative efficiency of healthcare providers through technology solutions and AI-driven insights. With a background in economics and history, Max leads StrongRoom AI in its mission to optimise pharmacists and healthcare facilities by delivering efficient, profitable, and patient-centric solutions. SRAI offers a comprehensive suite of medication ...

Ghassoub El Assaad is a dedicated and innovative pharmacist committed to advancing professional education and career development. With a robust background in community pharmacy, he empowers peers and future pharmacists to achieve their fullest potential both inside and outside of the dispensary.In his current role, founder of “PharmacyDownUnder”, he creates and delivers high-impact educational programs that equip pharmacists with the skills necessary to navigate the evolving healthcare landsc...

Kristin Xenos is the Education Lead for the NSW Government Pharmacy Trial at the University of Newcastle. Her experience includes roles in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and government organisations.Kristin is a Subject Matter Expert for the Australian Pharmacy Council, a member of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists Australia Infectious Diseases Leadership Committee and cohosts the Purple Pen Podcast, a clinical pharmacy podcast.Kristin also has experience in developing and reviewing ...

Mina Wanis is an experienced Product Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Health Informatics, Business Planning, Sales, Databases, and Administration. Strong product management professional with a Master's degree focused in Information Technology from University of New England (AU). He completed his Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney and pursued his passion of digital health completing a Grad. Cert. in eHe...

Cathie Reid and her husband Stuart Giles co-founded the Epic Pharmacy Group in 1998 and also co-founded Australia’s largest dedicated cancer care provider, the Icon Group in 2012. In 2020 Cathie and Stuart established their family office Arc31, where her long term activity in the healthcare and technology sectors is providing insights and access to a wide range of global investment opportunities.She is the Chair of AUCloud, the Canberra based sovereign cloud infrastructure as a service ...

Vanessa Lontos is a community pharmacist, previous pharmacy owner and inspiring pharmacy leader, speaker, and coach.  Vanessa provides coaching and development to pharmacists and pharmacy teams across Australia, focusing on patient engagement, team culture, leadership, and change management to enhance their ability, and confidence, to deliver comprehensive health solutions and expanded pharmacy care.  Prior to launching her consulting business, Vanessa led the Learning and Development team...

Yvette Anderson is a clinical accredited pharmacist and pharmapreneur passionate about neurodevelopmental conditions. Spanning over 15 years as a registered pharmacist Yvette has experience in aged care, consultancy, community pharmacy and both private and public hospital pharmacy. In 2020 Yvette launched The Spectrum Pharmacist, a combination of professional knowledge and lived experience to increase awareness, promote inclusion, and provide education and support. In 2022 Yvette won...

Steve Morris is the CEO, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Steve is motivated by making positive and real change in people’s lives through improved health care. After completing a degree in pharmacy and spending time volunteering early in his career in India, Steve realised his strengths were strategic and that he wanted to make a wider difference with the work that he did. Steve has worked in numerous clinical and management roles within health spanning pharmacy practice including...

Vivian Lee is a Senior Consultant at IQVIA, as part of the Strategic Insights and Analytics team. Her expertise is in leading and executing projects in the management consulting and commercial effectiveness area of practice for Consumer Health and Pharmaceutical clients, where she brings her in-depth industry knowledge of the retail pharmacy landscape, categories and consumer behavioural trends. Vivian’s background is a registered Pharmacist with 15 years of experience working in various...

Tom Simpson is the President, Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia and Executive Director, Statewide Hospital Pharmacy Tasmania, and has held positions as Chair, Statewide Pharmacy Executive Committee, the Tasmanian Minister’s Health Council and the Pharmacy Board of Tasmania. Tom is a member of the SHPA Leadership and Management Specialty Practice Leadership Committee and holds a conjoint position as Senior Clinical Lecturer with the University of Tasmania School of Pharmacy. Tom...

Jamil Karaki, a Locum Pharmacist deeply rooted in the world of retail pharmacy and education. Jamil wears multiple hats, not only as a dedicated educator in the pharmacy program at the University of New South Wales but also as a dynamic content creator on TikTok, where he imparts invaluable health tips and tricks to the public as @megamindpharmacist. Jamil's pharmacy odyssey began during his student years when he ventured into retail pharmacy, swiftly climbing the ladder to manage large...

Brooke Shelly is one of the few pharmacists across the country working in General Practice as a General Practice Pharmacist (GPP), she was one of the first to hold this role in Victoria. Currently, Brooke enjoys a portfolio career, working as a GP Pharmacist consulting at Ontario Medical Clinic, Consultant/Credentialed Pharmacist delivering Home Medicine Review (HMR) services, and her role as a Senior Clinical Pharmacist at Beyond Pain. Brooke regularly acts as pharmacist lead for the Murray...

We're delighted to bring you a very special conversation. We have with us the dynamic duo at the helm of the National Australian Pharmacy Student Association, or NAPSA. Our guests are none other than President Flynn Swift and Treasurer Georgia Bridges who work tirelessly to support, guide, and advocate for pharmacy students nationwide. They've been involved in numerous initiatives, supporting the professional growth of thousands of students, and they're here today to share their insights,...

Jacquie Meyer is a pharmacist and pharmacy owner who provides a team of pharmacists to her communities to engage in their health and well-being journey. Using robot technology and a forward pharmacy model, Jacquie values the role of the Pharmacist.   Breaking the barrier between hospital and community Pharmacy, Jacquie provides a unique environment for Pharmacists to experience both within her LiveLife Cooroy Pharmacy in this Hybrid model. She also has experience and exposure to palliative...

Dr Ramesh Walpola is a Pharmacist, Certified Health Manager (CHM) and the Pharmacy Academic Lead & Program Authority at the School of Health Sciences. His main area of research expertise and interest is in patient and medication safety, particularly examining the social determinants of safe practices. Ramesh completed his PhD at The University of Sydney in 2016, which focused on the development of educational interventions to enhance generational change in patient safety practices in the...

A discussion about Australian Pharmacy Student Research is featured in this episode, in which the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Australian Pharmacy Students' Journal, Elissar Mansour, and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Dr Fei Sim, share their research journey and encourage more pharmacy students to participate. Australian Pharmacy Students' Journal is the only peer-reviewed pharmacy student journal in the world, providing pharmacy students around the world with the...

Nichole Lanham is a University of Queensland graduate with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours). Her passion for Pharmacy in general is evident in her work, however she has a particular interest in the clinical areas of skin, asthma, and generic / biosimilar medications. Nichole is a Pharmacist Policy Advisor with The Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Secretariat and works within the Practice, Policy and Regulations team. Nichole has previously worked as a Chief Pharmacist and Business...

Natasha Jovanoska is a passionate pharmacist and pharmacy owner working in the ACT and in rural NSW.  She is always willing to give anything a go and does so with a smile. Natasha has been known as one half of the ‘singing pharmacist’, undertaken postgraduate study in wound care and dermatology, become a Heart Foundation Health Professional Ambassador, an AHPRA Oral Examiner, PSA ACT Early Career Pharmacist Working Group member and intern preceptor. She is also on the University of...

Hayley Smilie is on the PDL NSW / ACT local advisory committee and is a Professional Officer for PDL. With over 20 years’ experience as a registered pharmacist, Hayley has worked as a manager in a community pharmacy, as a hospital pharmacist, pharmacist preceptor for student placements and national coordinator for a highly regarded intern training program. Hayley has written continuing education, worked as a rural remote Section 100 supply and coordination pharmacist in remote indigenous...

Chantelle Turner is a pharmacist, emotional intelligence practitioner, leadership coach and the founder of TURN Pharmacy Leadership, a leadership coaching business created by a pharmacist for pharmacists and people within our industry. Through her business, Chantelle fulfils her purpose of empowering pharmacists and key personnel to become game-changers in their lives, workplaces, and communities. Chantelle has been described by her colleagues and clients as an inspiring and passionate...

Miruna Vivekanandarajah is a Self-Employed Pharmacist (Locum) who completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy, with a Major in International Pharmacy at The University of Sydney. Miruna commenced pharmacy career training in the pharmaceutical industry in regulatory affairs and in community pharmacy. Currently focussed in expanding clinical, professional and personal skills through working in different pharmacies in rural/regional Australia, Miruna is an early career pharmacist with a goal to work in...