Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

11/19/2025

🌟 Alumni Spotlight 🌟

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is proud to recognize Dr. Chris Maminakis, PharmD, as a recipient of our 2025 Distinguished Young Alumni Award. A 2018 graduate of the Doctor of Pharmacy program, Chris began his career at Vertex Pharmaceuticals as a contractor before being hired full time. Over the years, he has excelled in multiple medical information and medical affairs roles, and in June, he was promoted to Director of U.S. Medical Affairs.

With Vertex, Chris played a key role in the domestic launch of the cystic fibrosis medications Trikafta and Alyftrek, contributing to innovations that improve patient lives. Congratulations, Chris! Your leadership and impact in the pharmaceutical industry continue to make WNE proud.

11/18/2025

WNEU PharmD alum, developed strong leadership skills through student organizations and built lasting faculty mentorships that guided their mission to serve the underserved.

11/17/2025

Western New England University's PharmD program provides diverse clinical experiences, from global health in Thailand to managed ambulatory care at the VA.

11/16/2025

🌟 Alumni Spotlight 🌟

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is proud to recognize Dr. Kristie Reed, PharmD, as a recipient of our 2025 Distinguished Young Alumni Award. A member of the first Doctor of Pharmacy class, Dr. Reed earned her PharmD in 2015 and became the first graduate of the WNE Doctor of Pharmacy program to obtain her pharmacy license.

After graduation, Kristie joined Harrington Hospital, where her leadership and expertise propelled her to the role of Director of Pharmacy. In this position, she successfully guided the department through Harrington’s acquisition and integration into the UMASS Health System. A remarkable achievement in her career.

Congratulations, Kristie! Your leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence continue to inspire our WNE community.

11/14/2025

From Research to Recognition: WNE’s Veronika Hicks Shines at National AMCP Conference

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences student Veronika Hicks, Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, Class of 2027, recently represented the University at AMCP Nexus 2025, held in National Harbor, Maryland. The annual conference, hosted by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), brings together pharmacy professionals, residents, fellows, and students from across the country to explore innovations and career pathways in managed care pharmacy.:

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences student Veronika Hicks, Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, Class of 2027, recently represented the University at AMCP Nexus 2025, held in National Harbor, Maryland. The annual conference, hosted by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), brings together pharma...

11/14/2025

Last week, WNE pharmacy students attended a guest lecture organized by third-year student Jillian Baldinelli as part of Dr. DeFilipi's herbal medicine elective. The hour-long Intro to Homeopathy lecture was presented by Dr. Meagan Garza, PharmD, a pharmacist and educator for Boiron, the largest manufacturer of homeopathic products in the world.

Boiron also generously provided lunch for the attendees, who learned about the principles of homeopathic medicine practice, the regulatory status and manufacturing practices of homeopathic products, and how to best counsel patients on this unique area of integrative medicine. A huge thank-you to Boiron for a great lunch and learn as well as for supporting experiential learning at WNE!

11/13/2025

A big congratulations to Irina Zivin & Vivian Shi!

These outstanding students represented Western New England University in the quarterfinals of the 2025 ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge in Minneapolis last month!

Your hard work, dedication, and excellence make WNE proud way to go, Golden Bears! 🐻💊

11/11/2025

🌟 Alumni Spotlight 🌟

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is proud to recognize George Abdallah, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP, as a recipient of our 2025 Distinguished Young Alumni Award. A proud graduate of our founding Class of 2015, George is board-certified in both cardiology and critical care and has made remarkable contributions to the field of pharmacy.

In 2022, he earned the Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Preceptor of the Year Award, and he continues to advance professional education and scientific engagement through his active involvement in the American College of Cardiology. George currently serves as a Medical Science Liaison in Hematology and Critical Care at Grifols Biopharmaceuticals.

Congratulations, George your achievements and dedication continue to make WNE proud!

11/10/2025

Happy Monday, we are kicking off this week with a WNE Research Spotlight!

Congratulations to Dr. Cassia Mizuno (COPHS) and Dr. Thomas Mennella (College of Arts & Sciences) on their new publication in Chemistry & Biodiversity! Their study explores natural antifungal compounds that show potential for developing safer, more effective treatments against Cryptococcus neoformans.

🔗 Read more: https://ow.ly/EI1H50Xpnwa

10/27/2025

Happy Monday, Golden Bears! We’re kicking off Raffle Week starting today through Thursday with the winner reveals at the Fun Run! 🏃‍♀️💛💙

🎁 Prizes include:
Raising Cane’s gift basket
Springfield Thunderbirds t-shirts + tickets
Free one-hour massage
Majestic Theater tickets
Gift cards to local restaurants

All proceeds go toward supporting our Pharmacy and OT students as they enter their final year of rotations and fieldwork! So go grab your tickets, cheer on your classmates, and support the future of health care!

10/24/2025

We are so excited to share that our very own Dr. Arin Whitman is serving as an Expert Volunteer at The USP for the 2025-2030 cycle.

It’s an inspiring time to be involved with an organization that is deeply committed to advancing people’s health through science-based quality standards and values collaboration with independent experts from a variety of fields.

Dr. Whitman is looking forward to contributing to USP’s mission to help ensure patients and consumers have access to safe, quality medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. I encourage you to learn more by visiting USP.org.

10/22/2025

Congratulations to our newest PTE inductees!

The Western New England University Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program is proud to announce the newest members of Pi Theta Epsilon, the National Occupational Therapy Honor Society.

Please join us in celebrating: Ericka Phillips, Indy Jenkins, Brie Dube, Rebecca Mayer, Elayna Ferrick, Armani Mayes, and Dani Martinez.

Your commitment to excellence and leadership in the field of occupational therapy continues to inspire our community.