NSU College of Pharmacy Hosts Annual Distinguished Alumni Forum

NSU College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Blanca R. Rivera, R.Ph., C.Ph., M.Pharm., M.B.A., and Christopher G. Lynch, Pharm.D., M.Ed., pose with students and faculty.

The NSU College of Pharmacy (COP) proudly celebrates American Pharmacist Month (APM) during October. One of the premier events during APM is the College’s annual Distinguished Alumni Forum. The Forum provides alumni, students, and faculty the opportunity to engage in an informal presentation and discussion whereby the alumni presenters share their story from the time when they decided to explore the pharmacy professions through their graduation from the COP and into the professional world of pharmacy. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Forum – “Exploring Pharmacy Professions: from student, to alumni, to professional” was hosted on October 2, 2014 in the Health Professions Division’s Chancellor’s Dining Room. We were very honored to have Drs. Christopher G. Lynch and Blanca Rivera as our Distinguished Alumni presenters.

Christopher G. Lynch, Pharm.D., M.Ed., received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from NSU’s College of Pharmacy in 1997 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy’s Medical Service Corps. Lynch has since served in a multitude of clinical and leadership roles at various military treatment facilities both in the continental United States and abroad. Currently, he is assigned as the assistant head of pharmacy services at Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida, which encompasses the Navy’s 3rd largest medical network and largest family physician teaching hospital. In 2005, Lynch was selected as the Navy’s first pharmacist to attend full-time, out-service training to obtain a master’s degree in educational leadership. In addition to serving in both clinical and education roles, Lynch has served in various leadership positions. In 2007, he was deployed as the head of a joint military and federal pharmacy team aboard the naval hospital ship USNS Comfort in support of medical humanitarian operations in 12 different Central and South American countries. Lynch’s interests are in pharmacy leadership and education, and his passion is mentoring. He is currently enrolled in the 2014 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Pharmacy Leadership Academy, and plans to pursue a second career in academia after his anticipated retirement from military service in the late summer of 2015.

Blanca R. Rivera, R.Ph., C.Ph., M.Pharm., M.B.A., earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from NSU’s College of Pharmacy in 1990 and went on to complete her Masters of Science degree in Pharmacoeconomics from the University of Florida, and Master of Business Administration degree From Stetson University. She is a clinical affiliate professor for NSU’s College of Pharmacy. Rivera was the director of pharmacy services at University of Miami Hospital/Cedars Medical Center from 2002 – 2011 before transitioning to her current role as executive director of pharmacy services for UHealth in 2011. Rivera has assisted the University of Miami Hospital transition from a community hospital to a university-based health system by providing the vision of a comprehensive and progressive pharmacy department in both operations and clinical services. She manages and plans for ongoing growth of the department, and supports innovation and cost-effective improvement efforts as they relate to quality of service rendered to patients.

Christopher G. Lynch; Pharm.D., M.Ed.; Lisa Deziel, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean, NSU College of Pharmacy; and Blanca R. Rivera, R.Ph., C.Ph., M.Pharm., M.B.A.