Your Pharmacy Career Podcast

Vanessa Lontos is a community pharmacist, previous pharmacy owner and inspiring pharmacy leader, speaker, and coach.  Vanessa provides coaching and development to pharmacists and pharmacy teams across Australia, focusing on patient engagement, team culture, leadership, and change management to enhance their ability, and confidence, to deliver comprehensive health solutions and expanded pharmacy care.  Prior to launching her consulting business, Vanessa led the Learning and Development team at Sigma Healthcare.  Vanessa is also currently a Learning Consultant with THINKA supporting leaders and teams to develop skills and capabilities in Thinka’s ‘human skills’ curriculum.  In 2010 Vanessa was a finalist for the City of Port Phillip Citizen of the Year award and won the 2019 ARCHI Award at Sigma Healthcare.  Vanessa lives with her daughter in Melbourne.You can find Vanessa Lontos on LinkedIn.

Yvette Anderson is a clinical accredited pharmacist and pharmapreneur passionate about neurodevelopmental conditions. Spanning over 15 years as a registered pharmacist Yvette has experience in aged care, consultancy, community pharmacy and both private and public hospital pharmacy. In 2020 Yvette launched The Spectrum Pharmacist, a combination of professional knowledge and lived experience to increase awareness, promote inclusion, and provide education and support. In 2022 Yvette won the PSA Pharmacy Shark Tank and the PSA Victorian Pharmacist of the Year for her commitment and initiatives in the neurodivergent space.You can find Yvette Anderson on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Steve Morris is the CEO, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Steve is motivated by making positive and real change in people’s lives through improved health care. After completing a degree in pharmacy and spending time volunteering early in his career in India, Steve realised his strengths were strategic and that he wanted to make a wider difference with the work that he did. Steve has worked in numerous clinical and management roles within health spanning pharmacy practice including hospital, community, primary care, industry and NGO sectors.Career highlights have included three years driving change at NPS MedicineWise ensuring a collaborative and consumer centred approach to improving outcomes. Overseeing significant reform of pharmacy services in SA Health, developing and driving the strategy that increased efficiencies and reduced service inequities, increasing the employee base while simultaneously delivering $30 million in savings. Previous to that Steve developed and delivered a strategy to successfully bring more business focus, increasing the funding base and more flexible service delivery to the National Prescribing Centre in the UK. You can find Steve Morris on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Vivian Lee is a Senior Consultant at IQVIA, as part of the Strategic Insights and Analytics team.Her expertise is in leading and executing projects in the management consulting and commercial effectiveness area of practice for Consumer Health and Pharmaceutical clients, where she brings her in-depth industry knowledge of the retail pharmacy landscape, categories and consumer behavioural trends.Vivian’s background is a registered Pharmacist with 15 years of experience working in various roles within the industry, including ownership of multiple pharmacies, Digital Marketing Manager, Examiner for the Pharmacy Council of NSW and Pharmacist Advisor to the aviation health industry.You can find Vivian Lee on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Tom Simpson is the President, Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia and Executive Director, Statewide Hospital Pharmacy Tasmania, and has held positions as Chair, Statewide Pharmacy Executive Committee, the Tasmanian Minister’s Health Council and the Pharmacy Board of Tasmania. Tom is a member of the SHPA Leadership and Management Specialty Practice Leadership Committee and holds a conjoint position as Senior Clinical Lecturer with the University of Tasmania School of Pharmacy.Tom was awarded 2018 Tasmanian Pharmacist of the Year and the 2019 SHPA Medal of Merit, recognising outstanding contribution to pharmacy practice locally and nationally.You can find Tom Simpson on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Jamil Karaki, a Locum Pharmacist deeply rooted in the world of retail pharmacy and education. Jamil wears multiple hats, not only as a dedicated educator in the pharmacy program at the University of New South Wales but also as a dynamic content creator on TikTok, where he imparts invaluable health tips and tricks to the public as @megamindpharmacist.Jamil's pharmacy odyssey began during his student years when he ventured into retail pharmacy, swiftly climbing the ladder to manage large pharmacies and lead teams of up to 47 staff members by the young age of 27. Along this journey, he started sharing his wealth of knowledge through what he termed 'Megamind sessions' - educational forums where he enlightened fellow pharmacy professionals and students about common ailments and their treatments.These sessions served as the foundation for Jamil's rapidly growing social media presence, amassing nearly 60,000 followers and counting. But Jamil's passion for teaching didn't stop there. Upon joining the pharmacy course at UNSW, he collaborated with Dr. Ramesh Walpola to teach the double-degree pharmacy course. This opportunity allowed Jamil to nurture his newfound passion for guiding the future generation of pharmacists, ensuring they grasp and excel in the intricacies of the profession.Yet, Jamil's ambitions reach even further. He aspires to become a pharmacy owner, with a vision to revolutionise the pharmacy experience for the public in an unprecedented and innovative manner. Join us as we explore Jamil Karaki's incredible journey, filled with dedication, education, and the relentless pursuit of transforming the world of pharmacy.You can find Jamil Karaki on LinkedIn, TikTok or Instagram.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Brooke Shelly is one of the few pharmacists across the country working in General Practice as a General Practice Pharmacist (GPP), she was one of the first to hold this role in Victoria. Currently, Brooke enjoys a portfolio career, working as a GP Pharmacist consulting at Ontario Medical Clinic, Consultant/Credentialed Pharmacist delivering Home Medicine Review (HMR) services, and her role as a Senior Clinical Pharmacist at Beyond Pain.Brooke regularly acts as pharmacist lead for the Murray PHN on their clinical working group teams and has contributed to various Health Pathways as Subject Matter Expert. She has also facilitated and participated in many government round table events representing rural pharmacy at both State and Federal levels. She has recently commenced her first term on the PSA Victorian Branch Committee and the Board of the Pharmaceutical Society Victoria.Brooke Shelly is a thought leader and conversation starter. She champions the cause to see diversification of the traditional pharmacist role for our next generation of pharmacists, in particular advocating for innovative models of care for pharmacists delivering primary health care to the 30% of Australians who live in regional, rural and remote Australia.She graduated with a B.Pharm in 2009 from La Trobe University in Bendigo and in her final year of study was awarded the Pharmacy Student of the Year for Victoria. Most recently she was a Finalist in the Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Allied Health.Brooke holds a Graduate Diploma of Management, HMMR/RMMR credentialing and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, she is also a Pharmacist Immuniser.Over the past 4 years, Brooke has been privileged to play her role as the medication expert at Ontario Medical Clinic as their GP Pharmacist. There she is involved in pre-consultations with patients, reviewing patients history, pathology and collaborating with the patients GP to achieve medication optimisation. She assists in the training of the GP registrars, nurses and in the clinical placements of medical students in the chronic disease management space and enjoys overseeing the PIP QI program. Brooke never misses an opportunity to teach the next generation of healthcare professionals about the benefits of inter-professional collaboration and the integration of allied health into Primary Care as part of multidisciplinary teams.You can find Brooke Shelly on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

We're delighted to bring you a very special conversation. We have with us the dynamic duo at the helm of the National Australian Pharmacy Student Association, or NAPSA. Our guests are none other than President Flynn Swift and Treasurer Georgia Bridges who work tirelessly to support, guide, and advocate for pharmacy students nationwide.They've been involved in numerous initiatives, supporting the professional growth of thousands of students, and they're here today to share their insights, experiences, and advice with you all.We will be talking about their journeys in pharmacy school, what motivated them to take on these roles, and how being part of NAPSA has influenced their pharmacy education and future careers.So whether you're an aspiring pharmacist, an early career pharmacist, or someone interested in student leadership, this episode is packed with insights you don't want to miss.About Flynn SwiftHi everyone, my name is Flynn and I'm the National President of the National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA). I am a 4th-year pharmacy student at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.About Georgia BridgesHi I’m Georgia, I’m a current 4th year pharmacy student. I’m the 22/23 outgoing treasurer of NAPSA, a position I’ve held for 2 years now as well as the vice president of the RMIT Association of Pharmacy Students. I came into pharmacy after pursuing another health career but have grown to love it and I’m excited to see it continue to expand and new roles for pharmacists emerge every day! You can find Flynn Swift and Georgia Bridges on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Jacquie Meyer is a pharmacist and pharmacy owner who provides a team of pharmacists to her communities to engage in their health and well-being journey. Using robot technology and a forward pharmacy model, Jacquie values the role of the Pharmacist. Breaking the barrier between hospital and community Pharmacy, Jacquie provides a unique environment for Pharmacists to experience both within her LiveLife Cooroy Pharmacy in this Hybrid model. She also has experience and exposure to palliative care through her Cooroy pharmacy. Jacquie is continually learning and is not only a naturopath but also training to become a lactation consultant.As a former PSA QLD Branch President, Jacquie has had much involvement with advocacy at a state level as well as launching the PSA QLD ECP group to engage at a student level and assist in the development and mentoring of soft skills not taught at University. Jacquie has been a Preceptor to over 10 Intern Pharmacists, assisted in writing the LiveLife Intern Program and has mentored 3 LiveLife Early Career Pharmacists into their Ownership Pathway in the LiveLife Pharmacy Group. She is passionate about the future of Pharmacy and is always highly engaged with pharmacists to fulfill their career pathways.Located in the enviable northern region of the Sunshine Coast, Jacquie is a partner in the LiveLife Pharmacy group, which is the largest employer of community pharmacists on the sunny coast. She welcomes any pharmacist to make contact with her to discuss not only partnership opportunities within a trusted and well respected network but to talk about the ever changing landscape of our pharmacy profession.You can find Jacquie Meyer on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Dr Ramesh Walpola is a Pharmacist, Certified Health Manager (CHM) and the Pharmacy Academic Lead & Program Authority at the School of Health Sciences. His main area of research expertise and interest is in patient and medication safety, particularly examining the social determinants of safe practices.Ramesh completed his PhD at The University of Sydney in 2016, which focused on the development of educational interventions to enhance generational change in patient safety practices in the pharmacy setting. He was awarded the FIP Young Pharmacist Award for Professional Innovation in 2012 in recognition of the novelty of this work. Following his PhD, he worked in a number of clinical research roles, including a multi-centre deprescribing randomised controlled trial, development of inter-professional student-led clinics and a review of the junior undergraduate pharmacy practice curriculum at The University of Sydney. Ramesh’s current research spans a number of areas including patient and medication safety, safety culture, health professional education, patient experience with a focus on vulnerable populations. Ramesh is currently leading the implementation of the new pharmacy program in the School of Health Sciences, as part of the suite of new and relaunched health professional programs. You can find Ramesh Walpola on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

A discussion about Australian Pharmacy Student Research is featured in this episode, in which the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Australian Pharmacy Students' Journal, Elissar Mansour, and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Dr Fei Sim, share their research journey and encourage more pharmacy students to participate. Australian Pharmacy Students' Journal is the only peer-reviewed pharmacy student journal in the world, providing pharmacy students around the world with the opportunity to develop research skills and publish their work. In addition to publishing their own work, interns and students have the opportunity to review and edit others' work.About Elissar MansourElissar Mansour recently graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons I + University Medal) from the University of Sydney and she is now completing her internship at Blacktown Hospital in Western Sydney (NSW). Passionate about research from a very young age, she has been involved in diverse research projects ranging from Pharmacy Practice to Pharmaceutical Sciences, and has recently completed her honours project in the field of Drug Development. Her passion for the Pharmacy profession also drove her to be a leader at her university where she was elected as President at the Sydney University Pharmacy Association (SUPA) in 2021, and Executive Director at the National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA). Her role within NAPSA expands to also being the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Australian Pharmacy Students' Journal (APSJ), a journal that was created to provide students and interns with the opportunity to publish their work, become reviewers and be involved in editing roles.Having had the privilege of experiencing research from her first year at university, Elissar hopes to utilise her role within NAPSA to increase the engagement of students in research and create more opportunities for young researchers.You can find Elissar Mansour and Dr Fei Sim on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact usor meet our team.

Nichole Lanham is a University of Queensland graduate with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours). Her passion for Pharmacy in general is evident in her work, however she has a particular interest in the clinical areas of skin, asthma, and generic / biosimilar medications. Nichole is a Pharmacist Policy Advisor with The Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Secretariat and works within the Practice, Policy and Regulations team.Nichole has previously worked as a Chief Pharmacist and Business Development Manager - Dispensary with Chempro Chemists and Chemist Outlet Groups, providing ongoing training, mentoring, and regulatory advice to pharmacists and pharmacy owners, along with assisting in the development of pilot patient support programs with various companies.Nichole enjoys providing and facilitating training to Pharmacists and Pharmacy Assistants on a variety of topics and applications within the Pharmacy industry.Nichole enjoys presenting on her passions within pharmacy and educating those around her. You can find Nichole Lanham on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Natasha Jovanoska is a passionate pharmacist and pharmacy owner working in the ACT and in rural NSW.  She is always willing to give anything a go and does so with a smile.Natasha has been known as one half of the ‘singing pharmacist’, undertaken postgraduate study in wound care and dermatology, become a Heart Foundation Health Professional Ambassador, an AHPRA Oral Examiner, PSA ACT Early Career Pharmacist Working Group member and intern preceptor. She is also on the University of Canberra’s Course Advisory Group and most recently was responsible for the involvement of the Capital Chemist Group at the 2023 Annual NAPSA Congress in Canberra.Natasha is the most recent recipient of the ACT PSA ECP of the Year Award in 2022.Natasha's passion lies in community pharmacy - specifically in health services and community health outcomes - and community pharmacy ownership. She advocates for doing what you love and following your passion. You can find Natasha Jovanoska on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Hayley Smilie is on the PDL NSW / ACT local advisory committee and is a Professional Officer for PDL. With over 20 years’ experience as a registered pharmacist, Hayley has worked as a manager in a community pharmacy, as a hospital pharmacist, pharmacist preceptor for student placements and national coordinator for a highly regarded intern training program. Hayley has written continuing education, worked as a rural remote Section 100 supply and coordination pharmacist in remote indigenous communities and practised as a registered pharmacist in Great Britain. Hayley also has extensive experience in risk management and as a risk consultant and is passionate about professional support for pharmacists.You can find Hayley Smilie on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Chantelle Turner is a pharmacist, emotional intelligence practitioner, leadership coach and the founder of TURN Pharmacy Leadership, a leadership coaching business created by a pharmacist for pharmacists and people within our industry. Through her business, Chantelle fulfils her purpose of empowering pharmacists and key personnel to become game-changers in their lives, workplaces, and communities.Chantelle has been described by her colleagues and clients as an inspiring and passionate leader who helps others fulfil their potential by seeing opportunities and perspectives that would not have otherwise been seen. The insight she brings is built from first-hand experience, long days and hard lessons learned, as well as a personal ongoing pursuit for growth and mastery.Through her business values of trust, upskilling, reigniting and nurturing, she aims to bring everyone to the table to find common ground, growth and success for all and at the expense of no one.You can find Chantelle Turner on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Miruna Vivekanandarajah is a Self-Employed Pharmacist (Locum) who completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy, with a Major in International Pharmacy at The University of Sydney. Miruna commenced pharmacy career training in the pharmaceutical industry in regulatory affairs and in community pharmacy. Currently focussed in expanding clinical, professional and personal skills through working in different pharmacies in rural/regional Australia, Miruna is an early career pharmacist with a goal to work in all the states and territories in Australia!In this episode, Miruna shares with us many practical tips and useful advice to help fellow pharmacists who are interested in starting or excelling on their locum journey. As a bonus in this episode, Allie Xu invited the general manager of Raven’s Recruitment, Heidi Dariz. Heidi shares with us her insights from the 2022 Pharmacy Salary and Market Report, the 7CPA Emergency Locum Service Program, and Heidi is also bringing exciting news about a new initiative at Raven’s Recruitment.You can find Miruna Vivekanandarajah on LinkedIn.You can find Heidi Dariz on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Dr Fei Sim is the first female National President to lead PSA since its Federation in 1977. Dr Sim is a Senior Lecturer and the Coordinator of International Engagement in the Curtin Medical School at Curtin University, Western Australia (WA).In 2020 she was also made a Fellow of the Society before being appointed as a Director on the PSA National Board in 2021. Dr Sim has over 14 years of clinical practice experience and is currently a practising community pharmacist and a community pharmacy proprietor. Dr Sim also served as PSA’s WA President from 2017 to 2021.Dr Sim holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmacy and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree with First Class Honours and is a qualified pharmacist immuniser and an Accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor. She is a Fellow of the PSA and the Higher Education Academy, and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Dr Sim serves on a number of professional and academic committees.Dr Sim was awarded the Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award in 2014, the PSA WA Early Career Pharmacist Award in 2018 and the National Early Career Pharmacist of The Year Award in 2019, all of which are testament to her commitment to patient care, learning and teaching, leadership in pharmacy, innovation and initiative in pharmacy service delivery, as well as peer and professional engagement.Dr Sim is an active pharmacy practice researcher and is also the recipient of a number of research grants and projects focusing on advancing the practice of pharmacy and the implementation of professional pharmacy services in community pharmacy, including the noteworthy JM O’Hara Research Fund grant from the Pharmaceutical Society of West Australia (PSWA) in 2018. Through this grant, Dr Sim and her team conducted and published on a feasibility study on point-of-care C-reactive protein testing in community pharmacy. It is hoped this project will contribute towards facilitating antimicrobial stewardship and advancing evidence-based community pharmacy practice to improve recognition of pharmacists’ roles and remuneration.You can find Dr Fei Sim on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Nick Panayiaris is a practising pharmacist with over 30 years’ experience and is an owner of a community pharmacy in South Australia. Nick is the SA Branch President and the Senior National Vice President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and has been a National Councillor for 10 years. He was the Chair of the Guild’s Member Services and Innovation Committee and is a current member of the Health Economic and Policy Committee which negotiated the 6th and 7th Community Pharmacy Agreement.Nick’s other roles include – Board member of the World Pharmacy Council, immediate past member of the Priceline Brand Advisory Committee, the co-Chair and member of the Guild's CP2025 project and is a Director of the Guild Group of companies including Guild Super, Guild Link and Gold Cross.On a personal note, Nick is married with two children and his interests include fishing, the outdoors, growing vegetables and making wine. Nick's voluntary roles include his Life and Board membership of the Adelaide Comets Football Club with a focus on Junior Development.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Ayomide Ogundipe is an early career pharmacist with experience in community pharmacy, policy and advocacy, teaching and research. Ayomide has successfully coordinated and introduced a number of innovative programs and services to her practice, including the Your Health Expo for the Pharmacy 777 Group, demonstrating her capability in project coordination. Notably, her passion, organisation skills and professional reputation have earned her a national award, the 2019 MIMS PSA Intern Pharmacist of the Year.Passionate about digital health transformation, Ayomide is determined to make a meaningful contribution to the Pharmacy profession and is currently researching the technological needs of pharmacists to enable contemporary pharmacy practice in current and emerging roles.You can find Ayomide Ogundipe on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.

Samantha (Sam) King is a current Intern Pharmacist with Queensland Health, Metro South; and, a graduate of Bachelor of Pharmacy, with First Class Honours, from the University of Queensland class of 2021.Passionate about equity in quality use of medicines; cultural safety; advancement in pharmacists’ professional scope of practice; and, student engagement in clinical research - she has been fortunate to engage in a variety of unique and rewarding professional development opportunities. Samantha has accrued over four years of employment experience within the pharmaceutical industry and has practised within a wide scope for her age - including: community pharmacy, aged care, private hospital, public hospital - in both digital (ieMR-based) and non-digital hospital delivery formats.Samantha demonstrates continued passion and interest for the pharmacy profession through leadership in the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA), the Queensland Pharmacy Students’ Association (QPSA), The University of Queensland pharmacy student mentor and leadership program, and the Academic Advocacy Network.Samantha King is nationally recognised for her outstanding contributions and professional achievements to pharmacy by professional organisations including the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the University of Queensland (UQ).You can find Samantha King on LinkedIn.Do you have questions about your pharmacy career? Then contact us or meet our team.