Anne Zepeski is the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award.
Zepeski is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and Carver College of Medicine and an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist. Zepeski was the first resident to complete PGY2 (Postgraduate Year Two) training in emergency medicine pharmacy at UI Health Care and has played an integral role in the continued success of the residency program, serving as the residency program coordinator since 2019.
As the team lead for the emergency department pharmacy team, Zepeski earned the respect of her physician, pharmacist, and nursing colleagues as a vital team member. With quality patient care at the center, Zepeski has implemented more than 10 new protocols and collaborative practice agreements with providers in the past five years.
In addition to her clinical role, Zepeski is a dedicated educator, leading the development of a first-of-its-kind Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Certificate Program. She is also an avid researcher across emergency medicine, pharmacy, and neurology with more than 30 peer-reviewed publications.
Ryan Jacobsen was named Health-System Pharmacist of the Year, which recognizes a health-system pharmacist who demonstrates service to the pharmacy profession, specifically hospital pharmacy; contributions to pharmacy programs; cooperation with the entire health-care team; and service to the community.
Jacobsen is a clinical associate professor in the College of Pharmacy, where he has been a faculty member since 2008. He has contributed many scholarly articles, posters, and presentations through the IPA Journal and IPA events. He is also active at the national level providing posters and presentations on the importance of pharmacist-led quality improvement projects and the role of the pharmacist on the care team.
Jacobsen is active within his community, contributing annual to Poison Prevention Week activities and is a member of local cycling teams.
Jeff Reist, clinical associate professor and director of the Pharmacy Practice Learning Center in the UI College of Pharmacy, received the Thomas R. Temple Mentorship Award, which recognizes an individual who has mentored, supported, and sponsored pharmacists in a transformative way.
Reist practices at UI Health Care in the Department of Family Medicine Geriatric Clinic, where he is a member of an interprofessional team specializing in the care of older adults.
Reist joined the faculty in 2003 as the lead instructor in the Pharmacy Practice Lab. In precepting students, Reist demonstrates a bottom-up approach, focusing on the needs and goals of those he mentors. His enthusiasm for guiding the future of the profession is evident, as Reist has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards.