In celebration of Veterans Day 2021, ASHP Official is highlighting three pharmacist members who volunteered to join the military in service to our nation. In this episode, we speak with Carol Labadie, Tim Ekola, and Kelly Lunsford about their stories and the remarkable journeys they embarked on to become pharmacists that all began with their decision to enter the military. This special episode is part reflection, part inspirational, and all entertainment.
SPEAKERS
Carol Labadie is the Medication Safety Officer at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC. Other duties include supervising the medication reconciliation technicians at the medical center and the technicians providing the medication reconciliation service virtually to the other hospitals in the Vidant Health system and precepting pharmacy school students and pharmacy residents. Prior to this position, Carol retired from Army Pharmacy after a 27-year career culminating as the Army Pharmacy Consultant to the US Army Surgeon General.
Tim Ekola, BS Pharmacy, PharmD, MBA joined the US Navy in 1984. He served as a Pharmacy Technician and Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman. He received his commission in 1996 as a MSC Pharmacy Officer.
During his career he has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, Drug Information Pharmacist, Home Infusion Pharmacist, Medication Safety Officer and Director of Pharmacy. He is currently the Chief of Pharmacy for VA Ann Arbor.
Kelly Lunsford is a native of Roxboro, North Carolina and initially enlisted in the Army in 2005 as a Pharmacy Specialist. After her initial enlistment, she attended pharmacy school at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. From there, she moved to Charlottesville, VA for two years of post-graduate training at UVA Health, where she currently serves as the lead pediatric pharmacist and program director of the PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy residency program. Kelly recently rejoined the Army Reserve in 2019 as a Pharmacy Officer.
Eric Maroyka, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Senior Director, Center on Pharmacy Practice Advancement at ASHP. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Pharmacy and Pharm.D. from Rutgers University and completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Previously, he was the Director of Pharmacy at Fauquier Health in Warrenton, Virginia and served over 22 years in the United States Army working in a variety of pharmacy and senior healthcare leadership roles.
