Despite the pandemic and unconventional methods of award presentations, alumni at the College of Pharmacy continued to be recognized for outstanding professional and service contributions.
“Across the board, we have a stellar group of alumni who represent our College well,” said Dean Kelly Smith, a ’92, ’93 alumna herself. “We were proud to be able to honor individuals who have made a difference in the Pharmacy profession.
The following is a list of award-winning alumni and the recognitions they received this academic year:
Dr. Ashish Advani ’07, UGA 40 Under 40 Class of 2020
UGA’s 40 Under 40 celebrates young alumni leading the pack in their industries and communities. Dr. Advani is the founder of InPharmD, a mobile app and website that provides customized, evidence-based responses to questions from healthcare providers.
Dr. Marie Chisholm-Burns ’92, ’93, 2020 College of Pharmacy Distinguished Service Award
The College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes excellence and service to the pharmacy profession. Dr. Chisholm-Burns was honored for her extraordinary accomplishments and contributions to higher education and the field of health care, and her longstanding commitment to and support of the College.
Dr. Marie Chisholm-Burns is Dean of the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, professor in the Department of Surgery in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Medicine, and in 2020 was appointed a UTHSC Distinguished Professor. Dr. Marie Chisholm-Burns is nationally and internationally known for her work in improving health care and outcomes through increasing solid-organ transplant recipients’ adherence to medication protocols, health literacy, and access to medical care. She is a prolific scholar, with more than 345 publications and over $17 million in external funding as a principal investigator and co-investigator from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and several foundations.
Dr. Chisholm-Burns serves on various boards and committees, including the American Society of Transplant’s newly created Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access to Life (IDEAL) Task Force. She is a great advocate of education and believes education will help solve many problems facing society.
Dr. Stephen Cutler ’84, ’89, 2020 College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumnus
The College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and devotion to the pharmacy profession. Dr. Cutler has had a remarkable career and currently serves as the Dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina. He has received over $40 million dollars in federal funding for his research and research programs under his direction.
With his leadership, the UofSC College of Pharmacy developed and implemented saliva-based coronavirus testing across the university. They partnered with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), the Medical University of South Carolina and Clemson University to secure grant funding and brought testing to other higher education institutions across the state.
Dr. Cutler was nominated by colleague and fellow PharmDawg, Dr. Chris McCurdy ’98, who remarked what a champion he has been for pharmacy and how he elevated the careers of so many others.
Dr. Terri Davidson ’80, 2020 College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumna
The College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and devotion to the pharmacy profession. Dr. Davidson is accomplished in the field of pharmacy oncology and has extensive practical and clinical experience in oncology healthcare, team management, and sales in the medical communications arena.
Colleague and fellow PharmDawg, Dr. Brooke Bernhardt ’03, nominated Dr. Davidson and described her as dedicated to excellence as a leader, pharmacist, and advocate for healthcare professionals. In her work she maintains the highest level of integrity and professional relationships, and encourages others to do the same.
Dr. Christy Forehand ’10, 2020 College of Pharmacy Outstanding New Alumna
The College of Pharmacy Outstanding New Alumni Award recognizes alumni of the past decade who have experienced significant achievements and outstanding contributions to the pharmacy community. Dr. Forehand is a critical care clinician with a sustained record of dedication to critical illness related research and project management, learner education and post-graduate training, and professional service.
Dr. Forehand loves working with students and giving back the way her mentors did for her, and appreciates the variety of opportunities and activities she is afforded working at AU Medical Center and the College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Rebecca Mock ’14, 2020 College of Pharmacy Outstanding New Alumna
The College of Pharmacy Outstanding New Alumni Award recognizes alumni of the past decade who have experienced significant achievements and outstanding contributions to the pharmacy community. Dr. Mock’s work had been focused on clinical trials primarily related to AIDS and HIV. With the arrival of COVID-19, her role shifted to working multiple Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) clinical trials that are part of the ongoing efforts of Operation Warp Speed. She has been working tirelessly for the last several months on the cutting edge of an issue of significant global importance.
Dr. Mock remarked that earning her PhD and completing a certificate in clinical trials helped grow her career, as she had both the scientific training and critical skills that are so highly valued by employers. While at the college, she was the first graduate student to work in Dr. Jason Zastre’s lab and received exceptional training under his wing.
UGA Bulldog 100 Class of 2021
The Bulldog 100 recognizes the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni each year. This year’s Bulldog 100 recognized three PharmDawg-owned businesses who ranked as follows:
Dr. Matt Donato ’14, Golden Isles Pharmacy – #3
Dr. Dorris Ottens Hyer ’12 and Dr. John Hyer ’12, King’s Pharmacy Hayesville – #31
Dr. Christa Bailey ’91, ’08 and Dr. Kevin Florence ’09, ADD’s Personal Care Pharmacy – #97
