Trailblazers Podcast
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The Trailblazers Podcast, hosted by IPA CEO Matt Pitlick and current IPA President Wes Pilkington, dives into the personal stories of pharmacy leaders and innovators who are redefining the healthcare landscape. Each month, we sit down to hear what ignited these leaders’ passion for pharmacy, as well as discuss challenges, triumphs and lessons learned along the way. Get ready to embark on an inspiring, thought-provoking, and trailblazing adventure!
2026
Episode 22: Freedom to Make Decisions, Freedom to Make Mistakes – Greg Johansen
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 Greg Johansen, BS Pharm, founder and former president of GRX Holdings, to discuss his early exposure to pharmacy, his leadership style, and his confidence in the next generation of pharmacists.
2025
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, PharmD, 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.
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, PharmD, BCACP, Clinical Concierge Pharmacist at Integrity Pharmaceutical Advisors, to discuss her path to pharmacy and consulting, fighting impostor syndrome, prioritizing family, and more!
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, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, 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.
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, PharmD, 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!
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, CPhT, CMA, Pharmacy Coordinator at MercyOne, to discuss her start in pharmacy, the value of professional engagement, and the key to keeping succulents alive!
Episode 16: Full Steam Ahead – Wes Pilkington
During this episode of the Trailblazers Podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick sits down with Wes Pilkington, PharmD, 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!
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, PharmD, BCPS, to discuss his pharmacy journey, his vision for the association, his passion for professional wrestling and more!
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, PharmD, MS, 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!
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, PharmD, 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.
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, PharmD, 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.
2024
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, PharmD, PhD, 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!
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, RPh, MBA, Director of the Polk County Health Department (PCHD), to discuss her career journey, Friday dance parties, RAGBRAI rules, and much more!
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, PharmD, MS, 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!
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, PharmD, MPH, 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, to discuss her unique career journey, her early connections to the University of Iowa, and more!
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, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, 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!
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, PharmD, 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!
Episode 5: What’s a Tweener? – Micaela Maeyaert
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 Micaela Maeyaert, PharmD, BCPS, DPLA, Director of Pharmacy at Spencer Hospital, to discuss innovation at a “tweener” hospital, work-life balance as a mom of two, and more!
Episode 4: 10% Success – Aaron McDonough
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 Aaron McDonough, PharmD, Co-Owner and Chief Innovation Officer of Towncrest Pharmacy Corporation, to discuss rejection, professional identity, and more!
Episode 3: Happy Chaos – Sara Wiedenfeld
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 Sara Wiedenfeld, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, to discuss failing forward, career changes, and more!
Episode 2: Setbacks Make You Stronger – Bola Thompson
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 Omobola (Bola) Thompson, RPh, MPH, Population Health Pharmacist for MercyOne’s PHSO, to discuss learning from setbacks, embracing the unexpected, and more!
Episode 1: Follow or Control Your Path – Samm Anderegg
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 Samm Anderegg, PharmD, MS, Chief Executive Officer at DocStation, to discuss professional identity, forging your path, and more!
