PLANO, TEXAS (October 11, 2022) – Avita, a national health care services organization that offers a full suite of sexual wellness, pharmacy, and 340B management solutions, is proud to announce that its team members received multiple honors at the 2022 Next-Generation Pharmacist awards. Avita Chief Advocacy Officer Glen Pietrandoni won the Lifetime Leadership award, Lead Technician Shayla Smith took home the Technician award, and Specialty Clinical Pharmacist and Assistant Clinical Director Breannie Charles was a Specialty Pharmacist award finalist.
Hosted by Pharmacy Times, the annual awards event highlights exceptional pharmacists, student pharmacists, technicians, and advocates across 10 specialized areas of the profession. Nominated by their peers, finalists and winners are ultimately selected by a panel of industry experts from large chain retailers to independent pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, military bases, health clinics, and educational institutions.
“Glen, Shayla, and Breannie exemplify Avita’s core values every day,” says Avita CEO Michael Yount. “We’re thrilled they’ve been recognized for their work to reduce health care inequities by bringing compassionate care to our patients, partners, and local communities.”
Avita’s Next-Generation Pharmacist awards honorees:
Glen Pietrandoni, RPh, AAHIVE, chief advocacy officer
Winner: Lifetime Leadership award
Glen won the event’s Lifetime Leadership award, which recognizes a licensed pharmacist who has made significant contributions to the pharmacy industry resulting in meaningful improvements in the quality of patient care, improved delivery models, and pharmacy’s role on the health care team. An award-winning pharmacy leader, passionate 340B program advocate, and internationally respected HIV and LGBTQ+ activist, Glen has been a pharmacist since 1979 and joined Avita in 2020. “As a fifth grader, I wrote a homework assignment about wanting to become a ‘pharm-ASSIST’ and travel the earth,” Glen says. “My dreams did come true, but I didn’t realize back then that a new disease (HIV) would change my perspective about the people I would meet along the way. This recognition is a validation of the impact pharmacists can have on individuals and communities.”
This recognition is a validation of the impact pharmacists can have on individuals and communities.
Shayla Smith, CPhT, lead technician
Winner: Technician award
Shayla was distinguished as the winner of the event’s Technician award, which honors a certified pharmacy technician who demonstrates the highest professional standards of patient care and performs consistently and reliably as a valued pharmacy team member. She joined
Avita’s onsite pharmacy location at the Kind Clinic in Austin, Texas, in 2013, works as an adjunct instructor teaching pharmacy technician courses, and is committed to always putting patients first by making them feel safe, welcome, and beautiful. “I am extremely grateful, honored, and humbled to be chosen as the 2022 Pharmacy Technician of the year,” Shayla says. “This experience has been truly amazing.”
I am extremely grateful, honored, and humbled to be chosen as the 2022 Pharmacy Technician of the year. This experience has been truly amazing.
Breannie Charles, Pharm.D., BCPS, AAHIVP, CSP, specialty clinical pharmacist and assistant clinical director
Finalist: Specialty Pharmacist award
Breannie was honored as a finalist in the Specialty Pharmacist award category for her work providing specialty services and disease management—including patient education, promotion of adherence, and efficient drug delivery—to patients with complex or rare diseases being treated with high-touch, high-cost specialty medications. She joined Avita’s Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pharmacy in 2015, is licensed to practice pharmacy in nine states, and is an AAPE Preceptor at Xavier University. “It was an honor to be nominated by my pharmacy leaders for the privilege of serving our patients on a daily basis by improving quality of life, providing healthy equity, and helping to decrease health disparities,” Breannie says. “It was also an honor to be in the presence of colleagues that share the same passion of dedication to healthcare. Thank you to Pharmacy Times and Parata Systems for creating this platform.”
It was an honor to be nominated by my pharmacy leaders for the privilege of serving our patients on a daily basis by improving quality of life, providing healthy equity, and helping to decrease health disparities.
ABOUT AVITA
Avita is committed to reducing health inequities by bringing compassionate LGBTQ+, HIV, PrEP, and sexual wellness care to its covered entity partners and patients. With a trusted suite of 340B program solutions, integrated pharmacy services, and holistic care approaches, Avita provides award-winning care for more than 145,000 patients through over 320 covered entities at 65+ locations nationwide. To learn more about how Avita is unlocking healthier lives and long-term success, visit avitapharmacy.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
A. Dawn Rosenberg
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