CALIFORNIA CHAPTER 2014 ELECION
CANDIDATE BIOS
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Laura C. Elliott, PharmD, CGP
Laura C. Elliott graduated from University of New Mexico in 1987 with a B.S. in
Pharmacy then practiced in a hospital setting post graduation in Yuma Arizona.
In 1990, Elliott came to San Diego and practiced in another hospital setting
followed by a retail pharmacy setting.
In 1999, while working in a long-term pharmacy -- Pharmacy Support Services
an interest was sparked in Laura for geriatrics, which lead to consulting
opportunities in the local community. With the changes in the San Diego longterm pharmacy market, Pharmacy Support Services merged with OmniCare. In
2005, Elliott became a CGP while working with Omnicare. An opportunity to
return to hospital practice occurred with Palomar Health, a Public District Hospital
System in 2005. In the fall of 2005, Laura returned to school and worked on her
PhamD through the University of Florida’s Working Professionals PharmD
Program and graduated in 2008. According to Elliott, the opportunity for learning
more about geriatric patients is a life long learning and teaching goal.
Elliott believes in a multi-disciplinary patient centric practice that offers
collaboration between physician, nursing, and pharmacy.
This includes
supporting healthcare district inpatients, nursing home and ambulatory care
endeavors. One of the ways Laura facilitates multi-disciplinary collaboration with
other team members is by precepting both students and PGY1 residents district
wide with being lead preceptor of our Geriatric rotation.
In the inpatient setting many patients are elderly. Laura is the healthcare
district’s Geriatric Pharmacist and it is important to educate others about safe
medication use with geriatric patients. In addition, Laura is the Trauma/Surgical
ICU Pharmacist for Palomar Medical Center and uses her geriatric medication
knowledge with critically injured elderly patients.
“ASCP has a lot to offer its’ membership and with the changes in the healthcare
arena happening at expedited pace -- all opportunities available to become a
Senior Healthcare Pharmacist should be explored,” says Elliott. Laura also
believes we should foster support at the state level with the national level of
ASCP for Provider Status for pharmacists. “Finally, fostering collaboration
between members from all of California we can support ASCP goals and
initiatives,” says Elliott.
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Darlene Fujimoto, Pharm.D.
Darlene received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern
California.
Fujimoto did a pharmacy residency at the University of California, Irvine where
she worked with Family and Internal Medicine to start the Geriatric Assessment
program. She was on an interdisciplinary team who saw and evaluated older
adults. She continued at UCI as an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist with a focus in
Geriatric disease management and Long Term Care Consulting. She served as
Regional Clinical Coordinator for Clinical Care and continued as a Pharmacy
Education and Consultant at PharMerica.
Fujimoto also worked in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry: Director
of Medical Affairs and Science Liaisons (MSL), Program Associate Director
Management in Pain Management (Purdue Pharma), Oncology and
Rheumatology (Biogen Idec). She additionally managed Corporate Medical
Compliance, Grants programs, Education and Patient advocacy. She was a
member of the CA Hospice Association Board of Directors and the Education
Committee. She was on the California State Board of Pharmacy until 2001 as
the Long Term Care representative. She continues as a consultant and works
with the Board on the Prescription Medication Abuse Committee and she
currently participates with the San Diego Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
task force.
She sees the potential for pharmacists to be recognized for their expertise in
medications with the knowledge and ability to provide medication management
for older adults, especially those at risk for side effects and medication
misadventures.
POLICY AND ADVOCACY CHAIR
Lee Meyer, PharmD, CGP, FASCP
Dr. Lee Meyer of Irvine, California, is management consultant to long term care
pharmacies and long term care facilities focusing on clinical, regulatory, quality
assurance and cost containment.
Prior to starting his current business with M2:Pharmacists, he served as Director
of Pharmacy Services for Golden Living Centers, a national nursing company
operating over 300 skilled nursing facilities in the United States. There, he was
responsible for approximately 175 skilled nursing facilities in one of two regions
of the company. He was also the Team leader of the Medication Safety Team at
Golden Living.
Dr. Meyer has spent over 35 years in long term care initially as a full time
consultant pharmacist to skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities. He also
has experience in long term care pharmacy operations including routine
management of daily operations, marketing and sales, and development of
intravenous therapy, enteral nutrition, and medical supply programs.
Dr. Meyer is a Past-President and Chairman of the Board of the American
Society of Consultant Pharmacists, and a member of the ASCP Council of
Presidents. He currently serves on the Advocacy Council, DEA Task Force and
Political Action Committee, and represents ASCP as co-chair of the Pharmacy
Quality Alliance (PQA) Long Term Care Workgroup.
Dr. Meyer’s is also active with the California Pharmacists Association serving on
the CPhA-CHSP Joint Transitions of Care Task Force, and Chair of the Strategic
Planning Committee. He previously served on the CPhA Board of Trustees of the
California Pharmacists Association as the representative of the Academy of Long
Term Care in 2010-2011, Audit Task Force, Long Term Care Management
Council, CEO Search Committee 2010, Best Practices Committee, Emerging
Issues Committee.
He is also a member of the American Geriatrics Society, serving on the Public
Awareness Committee and the Health Systems Innovation – Economics and
Technology Committee. Dr. Meyer was guest editor for the California Pharmacist
2011 and has published several articles and presented various long term care
pharmacy topics to a variety of audiences in California and nationally.
Dr. Meyer received his BA and PharmD degrees from the University of the
Pacific School of Pharmacy in Stockton, California.
COMMUNICATIONS/NEWSLETTER CHAIR
James Santa, Pharm.D.
Santa received his Pharm.D. Degree from the University of the Pacific in
Stockton California. He has spent time in hospital, community pharmacy,
teaching (university), corporate and now long term care pharmacy settings.
Currently Santa is working with Consonus Pharmacy and is focusing on patient
safety, continuum of care and process discipline within his organization.
Consonus LTC Pharmacy offers all pharmacy services for skilled, assisted living
and memory care facilities. Jim resides in Sacramento and on his off time he
loves to ride motorcycles and travel.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Connie Kang, PharmD, BCPS, CGP
Connie is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences at Keck Graduate Institute
School of Pharmacy. Prior to teaching, Connie worked in a broad range of
practice settings.
Most recently she was a clinical pharmacist at Children's Hospital of Orange
County, prior to which she worked at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles,
Sutter Roseville Medical Center, and Dameron Hospital in Stockton, California.
Before her inpatient career, Connie worked at Pharmacy Care Concepts, a
hospice and residential care pharmacy in Stockton, and Sam's Club in Santa
Clarita, California as a pharmacy manager. She started her career as a
pharmacist at a Sav-on Pharmacy in Los Angeles.
Connie is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and Certified Geriatric
Pharmacist and holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from University of the Pacific. She
currently is finishing her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at
University of the Pacific.