Genisse Gonzalez

Spark into pharmacy:
My passion for pharmacy was shaped by both my family and personal experiences. My mom inspired me to pursue higher education so I could create opportunities and a future for my family that she was not able to have herself. I was also deeply impacted by my grandmother’s experience with polypharmacy and unsafe medication use while living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Seeing how medication-related challenges affected her reinforced the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care and showed me the meaningful impact pharmacists can have on patients and their families. Those experiences continue to motivate me to care for every patient with empathy, attention, and the same level of compassion I would want for my own family members.

Professional Interests:
My professional interests include ambulatory care, pharmacy leadership, medication safety, and advancement of pharmacy practice. I am especially interested in ambulatory care because it allows pharmacists to build long-term relationships with patients while helping manage chronic disease states through direct patient care and collaboration with healthcare teams. I enjoy the opportunity to provide individualized education, improve medication adherence, and empower patients to better understand their health and treatment plans. I am also passionate about pharmacy leadership because I value creating supportive environments that encourage collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth while advocating for initiatives that positively impact both patients and student pharmacists.

Journey to PSF Executive Committee:
I first became involved with ASHP through the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice Advisory Group (APPAG), where I served as Vice Chair during the 2024-2025 year and Chair during the 2025-2026 year. Through these experiences, I collaborated with student pharmacists from across the country and contributed to initiatives focused on advancing pharmacy practice and supporting student engagement. Being involved in APPAG introduced me to the PSF Executive Committee and showed me the impact national leadership can have on both student pharmacists and the profession. My experiences within ASHP inspired me to continue growing as a leader while advocating for student pharmacists at a national level. I am now proud to serve as a PSF Executive Committee member for the 2026-2027 year.

Why PSF Executive Committee:
I applied for the PSF Executive Committee because I wanted the opportunity to contribute to national initiatives dedicated to supporting and empowering student pharmacists. Throughout my involvement in ASHP, I have seen how impactful national collaboration, mentorship, and leadership opportunities can be in shaping students both personally and professionally. I also wanted to connect with student pharmacists from across the country who are passionate about advancing the profession and supporting their peers. Serving on the Executive Committee allows me to help create meaningful initiatives, advocate for students, and continue fostering engagement within ASHP PSF.

Benefits of being involved in ASHP as a student:
Being involved in ASHP has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally while connecting with student pharmacists and professionals from across the country. Through PSF, students are exposed to innovative initiatives, leadership opportunities, mentorship, and national collaboration that can positively shape their pharmacy journey and help advance the profession. ASHP also provides a strong support system where student pharmacists can build meaningful connections, share ideas, and learn from one another. Through these experiences, I have developed greater confidence as a leader, strengthened my communication and collaboration skills, and gained valuable perspectives from peers with diverse experiences and interests. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and relationships ASHP PSF has provided me with.

Goals for the year as a PSF Executive Committee Member:
One of my main goals as a PSF Executive Committee Member is to increase collaboration among the advisory groups and create more opportunities for groups to work together on shared initiatives. There is great potential in connecting the different charges and purposes across advisory groups in ways that make them more digestible, accessible, and impactful for student pharmacists. By encouraging communication and collaboration, I hope to help create initiatives that are more unified and beneficial to students nationwide. I also want to continue fostering engagement and meaningful involvement within ASHP PSF while helping students feel supported and connected at the national level.

Fun Fact:
I studied abroad in Japan last summer, where I had the opportunity to learn about their hospital systems, explore differences in pharmacy education and career pathways, and compare which medications are available over the counter versus by prescription compared to the United States. The experience gave me a greater appreciation for global healthcare systems and how pharmacy practice can vary across countries. One of the most memorable parts of the experience was meeting amazing friends from around the world who I keep in contact with today.