Members Section

PHARMACIST SPOTLIGHT: PAMELA WILTFANG, PHARMD

Pamela Wiltfang, PharmD, MPH, BA, CHES Pharmacist-in-Charge, NuCara Health Solutions & NuCara Pharmacies The profession of pharmacy appeals to many people in many ways. A shared commonality is the joy of helping people, which is one of the main reasons why Pamela (Wong) Wiltfang chose to pursue a career in pharmacy. Growing up, she didn’t know she would become a pharmacist, but she did know her love of science, teaching and helping people could not be ignored. In high school, Dr. Wiltfang was fortunate to job shadow Diane Reist, BS, PharmD, RPh, at Mercy Hospital, where she was able to experience her passion for science, teaching and helping people all together in one place. After that first exposure to pharmacy, Dr. Wiltfang fell in love with the profession and all that it had to offer.

Dr. Wiltfang attended the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and the University of Iowa College of Public Health, pursuing her PharmD and Master’s degree in Public Health. After graduating in 2012, Dr. Wiltfang accepted a position as the pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) for NuCara Pharmacy in Marshalltown. She soon became PIC for the Fairfield NuCara, and after that, she accepted the position as the Director of Clinical Services & Innovative Practice for all NuCara pharmacies. Currently, she serves as the PIC for NuCara Health Solutions in Coralville and NuCara pharmacies in Montezuma, Traer, Ackley and Conrad. To fulfill her desire for teaching, Dr. Wiltfang is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She teaches Fundamentals of Compounding to first-year student pharmacists. She also serves as the primary preceptor for students undergoing their introductory or advanced pharmacy practice experiences at the NuCara Health Solutions site.

With all of these different roles, no two days are the same. As Director of Clinical Services & Innovative Practice at NuCara, Dr. Wiltfang works largely from home or from her office in Coralville. Her day usually consists of countless emails, phone calls and Zoom meetings with students, staff or patients. As the pharmacist-in-charge of five pharmacies (four telepharmacies) and overseeing forty employees on payroll, there are numerous questions to be answered, prescriptions to be checked, and patients to be counseled. Dr. Wiltfang’s role as adjunct assistant professor at the University of Iowa makes Thursday her favorite day of the week in the fall.

Being a full-time pharmacist and full-time mom, Dr. Wiltfang has become an expert in work-life balance. She does admit she would not be able to do it alone. With incredible support from her husband, Jason, who also has a busy schedule as a partner attorney at Scheldrup Wiltfang Corridor Law Group, they are able to spend quality family time with their three children, Bradley (5), Jackson (3) and Ava (6 mo.). Some of their favorite family memories are visiting Lake Okoboji in the summertime and flying down to Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas to visit Jason’s friends, family and childhood home. Their youngest child, Ava, was born in July of 2021, so she has not yet been able to meet many of Jason’s family and friends due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope they can make a trip down to Marsh Harbour once the pandemic calms down, so Ava can have that same hometown experience.

In regards to IPA, Dr. Wiltfang knows how impactful grassroots advocacy can be, so she takes full advantage of IPA’s resources. She feels networking is one of the greatest opportunities the association offers. As an IPA Board member and committee member, Dr. Wiltfang meets IPA members from all areas of pharmacy practice and is able to discuss ideas, working conditions and hardships that they are all experiencing. In doing so, she is able to see the broader issues pharmacy is facing and take action to better the profession.

Dr. Wiltfang’s involvement in professional organizations does not end there. She also serves as the Vice Regent for the Iowa Graduate Chapter of the Kappa Psi Northern Plains Province professional pharmacy fraternity, is on the Montezuma Iowa Chamber of Commerce, and has been a member of the American Pharmacists Association for over thirteen years. Through her involvement in IPA and success as a young pharmacist, Dr. Wiltfang received the Iowa Pharmacy Association’s Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award in 2020.

In the future, Dr. Wiltfang sees pharmacy services continuing to expand for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. With the COVID-19 pandemic, she says the silver lining for pharmacy has been the trust to vaccinate, test and treat COVID-positive patients within the community. Dr. Wiltfang is extremely grateful to work as a pharmacist in Iowa, where she and other pharmacists are able to pilot and lead many of these programs to advance the profession of pharmacy.

Thank you, Dr. Wiltfang, for your leadership and continued passion for the profession! ■

MEMBER MILESTONES

Best of luck to Candy Jordan, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, in her new role as Manager of Health Plan Pharmacy Services at Molina Healthcare!

Best of luck to Jared Butler, PharmD, MS HIA, BCPS, DPLA, in his new role as Pharmacy Program Manager – Informatics and Medication Quality and Safety at the VA Central Iowa Health Care System!

Best of luck to Dalton Fabian, PharmD, in his new role as Data Scientist – Senior Analytics at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield!

Best of luck to Kyle Hilsabeck, PharmD, in his new role as VP of Quality at Eco Lips, Inc.!

Congratulations to Dena Dillon, PharmD, AAHIVP, who was awarded the University of Iowa’s Longevity Award for 25 years of continuous service! Congratulation to Ryan Jacobsen, PharmD, MS, who was awarded the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy’s Faculty Preceptor Excellence Award!

Congratulations to James Ray, PharmD, CPE, who was named President-Elect of the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists for the upcoming year!

Congratulations to Iowa State Representative John Forbes, RPh, who was awarded Drake University’s Community Service Award as part of its 2022 annual Alumni Awards!

Congratulations to Charlie Hartig, PharmD, JD, who was awarded Drake University’s Young Alumni Achievement Award as part of its 2022 annual Alumni Awards!

Congratulations to fourth-year student pharmacist Molly Nelson at Drake University CPHS, who was named one of three national finalists for the 2022 Next-Generation Future Pharmacist™ Award!

WELCOME NEW IPA MEMBERS JULY 1–SEPT. 30, 2022

Madelynn Aeilts Haris Ali Brianna Anderson Mackenzie Beam Courtney Becker Allison Bich Kari Bradley Jonathan Brewster Georgia Bunkers Matthew Busalacchi Andres Cancel Christine Chang Kyung Choi Ayla Danabasoglu Bailey Davis Ashley DeSmet Armin Dogic Nuttika Estvander Mary Fanshaw Tiffany Flohr Olivia Franklin Johanna Goeman Katelyn Gordon Grace Heikens Jamie Heren Jennifer Hernandez Elaina Hines Victoria Incandela Calea Jones Oksana Karpenko Samuel Karrick Anastasia Kirillov Justin Klein

Amelia Koster Ryan Krumholz Olivia Kube Emma Kuss Janel Larew Thy Le Tom Le Darci Lewis Sara Mask Julie McPhillips Kelsey Mews Katelyn Michalski Ashley Muenzenmeyer Lindsay Murphy Emma Murter Sohida Muslem

Nicholas Nielsen Emra Oglecevac Morgan Olhausen Jennifer Panther Rebecca Park Zeel Patel Homeen Patel Constance Penzotti Sharon Prombo Mitchell Reeser Ava Ressler Lauren Roscizewski Haley Rupert Cassandra Schendt Callahan Schlueter Sarah Schumacher

Dani Schuyler Alicia Seifert Megan Seiler Samantha Shaffer Seth Simonson Bella Smith Jessica Strobl Lainie Thomas Alexa Tinder Christopher Toporek Thomas Tuggle Jenna Van Beek Bryce Verzani Irma Vlahovljak Abby Weiler Elise Young