Trailblazers Podcast

Episode 13: “Why Not?” – Monica Nikseresht

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 Monica Nikseresht, Clinical Pharmacist and​ Pharmacy Manager of Medicap Pharmacy in Glenwood, IA, to discuss her story, including submitting the first successfully paid point-of-care testing claim under the medical benefit through Iowa Medicaid.
Monica Nikseresht, PharmD, is a proud third-generation pharmacist who graduated from Drake University College of Pharmacy with her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2021. Since then, she has returned to her hometown of Glenwood, IA, as a Clinical Pharmacist and Manager at her family’s Medicap Pharmacy to expand patient-centered pharmacy services to her community. Programs she has successfully put into practice include point-of-care testing, pharmacogenomic screening, chronic care management, and smoking cessation education, just to name a few. She serves as an enrolled Iowa Medicaid Provider, which has expanded her ability to be reimbursed for clinical services to a large portion of her patient population.
She has implemented the MediPack Wellness Program, which allows her to bill for medication therapy management services to Iowa Medicaid, so members may benefit from monthly medication therapy check-ins, access to preventative healthcare services such as smoking cessation and immunizations, and medication packaging at no cost to them. She believes our accessibility as pharmacists to the community is the key to helping close critical gaps in preventative health and chronic care management. As our profession continues to advance, she looks forward to exploring alternative revenue streams and being on the forefront of innovation alongside fellow independent pharmacists.
More Information:
Glenwood Medicap Website
Glenwood Medicap Facebook
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Monica Nikseresht
Jim Hoehns
Kate Gainer
Iowa Pharmacy Association
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Episode 12: If You Knew You Wouldn’t Fail – Erik Maki

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. Erik Maki, Dean at Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, to discuss his path from community college to Drake and the twists and turns along the way.
Erik Maki, PharmD, is Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and a Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Drake University. Dr. Maki grew up in Iowa City, where he also received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree and met his wife, Jenifer (who is the best pharmacist in the family). After completing a residency at Texas Tech University, Dr. Maki came to Drake to work with wonderful people who shared a commitment to student success through teaching excellence, cultivation of meaningful personal relationships, and mentoring. Dr. Maki has held a variety of departmental, college and university leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the University IRB and an elected representative on the faculty senate. Prior to serving as Dean, Dr. Maki was the Chair of the Pharmacy Practice Department.
Outside of Drake, Dr. Maki is currently in his second term on the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, where he serves as Vice Chair of the Board and a member of the Rules Committee. On the Board, Dr. Maki has had the opportunity to help develop new rules resulting from the updated Pharmacy Practice Act and the Governor’s Executive Order. Nationally, he serves as a member of the Pharmacotherapy Specialty Council for the Board of Pharmacotherapy Specialties, where he assists with the oversight and development of requirements and the exam for Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy.
More Information:
Drake University CPHS
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Erik Maki
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 11: Bringing Curiosity to Pharmacy – Matthew Witry

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 Matthew Witry, Associate Professor in the Division of Health Services Research at the University of Iowa, to discuss his start in socioeconomic pharmacy, his inspiration, his band, and much more!
Matthew Witry earned his PharmD and PhD in Pharmaceutical Socioeconomics from the University of Iowa, where he also received a certificate in College Teaching from the College of Education. Witry currently is an Associate Professor in the Division of Health Services Research at the College. Witry has collaborated with colleagues at the College of Nursing, the Iowa Pharmacy Association, Iowa community pharmacies, Iowa State University, and others. In addition, Witry works with the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy (UICOP) community pharmacy residency program, graduate students, and student pharmacists on a variety of research projects. Witry teaches on topics related to patient-centered communication and mixed methods research. Recent projects include establishing medication-taking habits in primary care, testing nurse decisions to report errors at the bedside, promoting communication about antimicrobial stewardship. Witry is interested in advancing the pharmacist’s impact on public health, including with medication adherence, point of care testing, vaccine and antibiotic communication, and cancer screenings.
More Information:
Google Scholar Profile
UIowa Pharmacy Profile
Publication: Evaluation of a Revised Home Medication Experience Questionnaire (HOME-Qv2)
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Matthew Witry
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 10: Leadership Lessons Learned on a Bicycle – Helen Eddy

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 Helen Eddy, Director of the Polk County Health Department (PCHD), to discuss her career journey, Friday dance parties, RAGBRAI rules, and much more!
Helen Eddy, RPh, MBA, received her B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and her MBA from Drake University. She has served as the Director of Public Health for Polk County, Iowa, since 2018. Her responsibilities include planning, organizing and directing Polk County’s long-term community health strategy. Additional duties include the enforcement of health laws and regulations, community leadership responsibilities, disease control and prevention, emergency preparedness planning, health planning and education, and clinical and laboratory services.  
Prior to joining the Polk County Health Department, Helen was an executive at Hy-Vee and enjoyed a 30-year career, leading pharmacy and health and wellness initiatives. During her tenure at Hy-Vee, she implemented pharmacy education and training initiatives, including immunization, asthma, and diabetes education. Helen also served as the Executive Director of the Healthiest State Initiative.
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Helen Eddy
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 9: Stay Out of the Minutia – Brett Faine

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 Brett Faine, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Research Operations at the University of Iowa Department of Emergency Medicine, to discuss career missteps and lessons learned, work-life balance with young kids at home, and more!
Brett Faine, PharmD, MS, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy and Emergency Medicine at the University of Iowa and Director of Research Operations at the University of Iowa Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Faine graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2007 and completed a PGY1 Acute Care Pharmacy Residency at UIHC. Upon completion of his residency, he started the Emergency Medicine Pharmacy program at UIHC, where he continues to practice. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Faine teaches at UI College of Pharmacy and is active in EM clinical research. He co-founded the Emergency Medicine PHARMacotherapy Research NETwork (EMPHARM-NET), the first multi-center network of EM clinical pharmacist researchers in the U.S. He is also a current member of the IPA Board of Trustees.
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Brett Faine
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 8: So. Many. Mentors. – Jackie Gravert

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 Jackie Gravert, PGY1 Acute Care Pharmacy Residency Program Director at the University of Iowa Health Care and Pediatric Pharmacy Operations Manager at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Jackie Gravert, PharmD, MPH, received her PharmD from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and completed a combined PGY1/PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency at UI Health Care while earning a Master of Public Health at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. She has experience working in large health-systems and community hospitals, both in Iowa and Minnesota, and her professional areas of interest include human resource management, medication safety, and lean process improvement. She recently completed two years of service on the IPA Board of Trustees and remains active through committees and the House of Delegates. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jackie Gravert
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 7: Iowan Through and Through – Jim Hoehns

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, to discuss what IPA membership means to him, his involvement in clinical trials, and more!
Jim Hoehns, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, was installed as the association’s 146th President at the IPA Annual Meeting in June. Hoehns earned his BS in Pharmacy and PharmD from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. He currently serves as the Division Head of Applied Clinical Sciences at the college. Hoehns has received numerous awards for his research, as well as Faculty Preceptor of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards. IPA is excited for the year ahead under his leadership!
Resources from today’s episode:
Meet IPA President Jim Hoehns (Video)
BPS Frequently Asked Questions
APhA: Chronic Care Management
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jim Hoehns
Kate Gainer
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for the next episode of the Trailblazers Podcast on the first Friday of the month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!

Episode 6: Living in the Grey – Ben Miskle

During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Kate Gainer sits down with IPA President John Hamiel, Regional Director of Pharmacy at MercyOne Northeast Iowa, and Ben Miskle, a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, to discuss his unique work with substance use disorders, engaging your local pharmacy associations, and more!
Ben Miskle, PharmD, completed a psychiatric pharmacy residency program at the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chillicothe, Ohio. He has published articles on addiction treatment services across the United States, substance use and stigma in pregnancy, older adult first-time admissions for substance use disorders, and cannabis use disorder treatment, to name a few. Dr. Miskle helped start the Naloxone in Schools project to assist schools across the state of Iowa on overdose and naloxone education. Dr. Miskle currently works in the University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative, where he works in an interdisciplinary team setting providing care for patients with substance use disorders.
Resources from today’s episode:
How Adding a Clinical Pharmacist Improves Access to Addiction Care – Online Training by Ben Miskle, PharmD and Alison Lynch, MD, MS
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Ben Miskle
Kate Gainer
John Hamiel
Iowa Pharmacy Association
Watch for the next episode of the Trailblazers Podcast on the first Friday of the month. Subscribe today so you don’t miss an episode!