Trailblazers Podcast

Episode 21: Farm to Pharm Kids – Andrew Wagner

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with IPA President Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy, and Andrew Wagner, owner of Wagner Drug, to discuss his path to pharmacy ownership, managing the family calendar, opportunities under standard of care, and reinventing independent community pharmacy.
Andrew Wagner, PharmD, owns Wagner Drug in Eagle Grove and Britt, Iowa, and has been an active member of IPA since starting pharmacy school at Drake University in 2013. At Drake, Andrew was heavily involved with the local NCPA chapter and part of multiple chapter submissions for the national business plan competition. As a practitioner, Andrew is a passionate advocate for the profession, serving several years on IPA’s Legislative Committee and taking part in many advocacy days at the capitol. He precepts students from Drake University CPHS and gives lectures on campus about pharmacy ownership, earning Drake’s APPE Preceptor of the Year award in 2023-2024.  Additionally, Andrew is the Vice President of the Wright County Public Health Board and is heavily involved in his community and church, holding multiple leadership positions on various committees and boards.
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Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Episode 20: With Dissatisfaction Comes Opportunity – Tracy Weber

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with IPA President Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy, and Tracy Weber, Clinical Concierge Pharmacist at Integrity Pharmaceutical Advisors, to discuss her path to pharmacy and consulting, fighting impostor syndrome, prioritizing family, and more!
Tracy Weber, PharmD, BCACP, is a Clinical Concierge Pharmacist at Integrity Pharmaceutical Advisors, where she’s responsible for providing personalized pharmaceutical care to clients. Prior to her current role, Tracy was the owner of True Wellness Pharmacy Consulting. Tracy earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Following pharmacy school, she completed PGY1 and PGY2 residencies in ambulatory care at the University of Iowa Health Care, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to her work in the healthcare industry.
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Tracy Weber
Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 19: The Power of Positivity – Dana McDougall

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with IPA President Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy, and Dana McDougall, a hematology/oncology pharmacist at MercyOne Waterloo Cancer Treatment Center. Dana shares his path to oncology pharmacy, his passion for fighting Alzheimer's disease, and his Mount Rushmore of professional wrestlers.
Dana McDougall, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, earned his PharmD from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2011. He has since achieved board certifications in pharmacotherapy (2012) and oncology (2023). Dana served as the Chair of the Policy Committee on Professional Affairs in 2025 and has been actively involved with IPA since 2014. Dana was a 2015 graduate of the Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference. He currently serves as a preceptor for University of Iowa College of Pharmacy students and is a course instructor for third-year pharmacy students’ integrated pharmacotherapy hematology and oncology course. 
Outside of his professional pursuits, Dana co-founded Battle for Betsy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for Alzheimer’s disease research. He has served as Vice President of the organization since 2021. Dana lives in Hudson, IA, with his wife, Rachel, and their three children.
Learn more:
Website: Battle for Betsy
Facebook: Battle for Betsy
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Dana McDougall
Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 18: Leap of Faith – Mylo Wells

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with IPA President Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy, and Mylo Wells, pharmacist and owner of Wells Hometown Drug, to discuss his passion for community pharmacy, his innovative plans under the standard of care framework, his family’s support, and more!
Mylo Wells, PharmD, is a 2018 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. An entrepreneur from a young age, Mylo owns two community pharmacies in Bloomfield and Keosauqua, IA. Both of his pharmacies are members of the CPESN network and are focused on providing clinical pharmacy services to the rural communities of southeastern Iowa. Mylo was recognized as Cardinal Health’s 2022 Future Ready Pharmacist of the Year, as well as IPA’s 2022 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year. His pharmacy was recognized as a Small Business of the Week by Senator Joni Ernst in 2024. Mylo is a current IPA Board member and active member of NCPA. He and his wife, Jackie, have two young boys, Freddie and Isaiah.
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Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 17: Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up – Jennifer Simmons

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with IPA President Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy, and Jennifer Simmons, Pharmacy Coordinator at MercyOne, to discuss her start in pharmacy, the value of professional engagement, and the key to keeping succulents alive!  
Jennifer Simmons, CPhT, CMA, has over fifteen years of experience in the healthcare field, serving as a dedicated pharmacy technician since 2014. Jennifer is passionate about improving patient access to essential medications and advocating for comprehensive pharmacy services. She works closely with and supports healthcare professionals to help strengthen collaboration across healthcare teams. Jennifer is an active IPA member committed to advocating for fellow pharmacy technicians and advancing pharmacy’s role in patient-centered care.
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Jennifer Simmons
Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 16: Full Steam Ahead – Wes Pilkington

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with Wes Pilkington, Pharmacist in Charge at Evans Crossing Pharmacy and IPA’s 147th President, to discuss his path to community pharmacy, his goals for the association, his favorite golfers and more!
Wes Pilkington, PharmD, is the pharmacist owner of Evans Crossing Pharmacy in Evansdale, IA. Wes earned his PharmD from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2011. An active member of IPA since 2014, Wes’ involvement includes: serving on the IPA Board of Trustees (2024 Speaker of the House), Iowa Medicaid/Pharmacy Benefits Manager Committee, Legislative Committee, Behavioral Health Ad-Hoc Committee, and Policy Committee of Professional Affairs. Wes was awarded the Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year Award in 2019 and was one of the recipients of the Poster Presentation Award in 2020. Wes and his wife, Sarah, live in Cedar Falls with their three children.
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Matthew Pitlick
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 15: Raise the Floor – Matthew Pitlick

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Kate Gainer sits down with IPA President Jim Hoehns for his final episode, welcoming incoming CEO Matthew Pitlick to discuss his pharmacy journey, his vision for the association, his passion for professional wrestling and more!
Matthew (Matt) Pitlick, PharmD, BCPS, is a graduate of Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Pitlick served as clinical faculty at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, MO, for eight years before returning to his home state of Iowa. Prior to joining IPA, Pitlick spent several years in the industry space. In addition, Pitlick completed IPA’s Executive Fellowship in Association Management in 2019. Bringing a wealth of experience in association management, academia, industry and health system practice, IPA looks forward to his leadership for the profession.
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Matthew Pitlick
Jim Hoehns
Kate Gainer
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 14: Accidental Dean – Jill Kolesar

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Kate Gainer sits down with IPA President Jim Hoehns, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care Preceptor at Cedar Valley Primary Care, and Dr. Jill Kolesar, Dean and Professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. Learn about Dean Kolesar’s upbringing, her fascinating research, her plans for the college, and her “accidental” deanship!
Jill Kolesar, PharmD, MS, serves as Dean and Professor and the Jean M. Schmidt Chair in Drug Discovery at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where she also completed a residency and fellowship in oncology.
Dean Kolesar’s research focuses on precision medicine and oncology drug development. She has authored more than 400 abstracts, research articles, and book chapters, and as a principal investigator has received more than $25 million in research funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), ARPA-H, the American Cancer Society, and other sources. In addition, she has 9 patents or patents pending and has founded two start-up companies, Helix Diagnostics and VesiCure Technologies, based on technologies developed in her laboratory. She also edits leading pharmacy textbooks, including Pharmacotherapy Principles and Practice and the Top 300 Pharmacy Flash Cards.
More Information:
ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health | Video
IPA Annual Meeting 2025 – Friday Keynote: “Iowa Pharmacy Trifecta: Tradition, Transformation and Tomorrow”
Iowa PharmTour – August 11-15, 2025
University of Iowa Homecoming – September 21-27, 2025
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Jill Kolesar
Jim Hoehns
Kate Gainer
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for a new episode of the Trailblazers Podcast each month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!