Candidate Data Appearing in the Ballot

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Name of Candidate:
Alysha Buck

Email Address:
alysha.g.buck@gmail.com

Years of Practice:
21

Years of Practice in Manitoba
21

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
NA

Current Place of Employment
Community Pharmacist, Winnipeg (Contract / Self Employed)

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Community, academic, corporate, regulatory, primary care, long-term care and distance distribution experience

Advanced Practice Designations:
NA

Awards/Recognition:
The North West Company President's Award for Leadership, nominee for Shoppers Drug Mart Western Pharmacist of the Year

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
Pharmacists Manitoba advocates for change, growth, and improvement in the profession of pharmacy. It empowers and supports pharmacy professionals by advocating for fair remuneration, full scope of practice, and stronger healthcare integration. By fostering collaboration within the profession, with allied health professionals, and with regulatory and government stakeholders, it promotes pharmacists as essential healthcare providers who deliver exceptional care and drive meaningful improvements in patient health and system efficiency.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
Pharmacy is at a pivotal moment, with national Pharmacare, changes to the Canada Health Act, and the transition to The Regulated Health Professions Act reshaping the profession. Expanding scope, securing fair remuneration, ensuring accurate regulatory drafting, and further integrating pharmacy into essential patient care services are critical. Pharmacy’s future must be self-determined—not left to those who may not fully understand our potential.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
‐ Advocate for the opportunity for pharmacy professionals to practice to the full extent of their training and abilities, aligned with other Canadian jurisdictions. ‐ Strengthen professional development to equip pharmacy professionals with the tools and support needed to empower them to practice to their full scope. ‐ Enhance collaboration with stakeholders to develop and implement sustainable public health initiatives and policies that recognize pharmacy’s essential role in healthcare.

What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
-Pharmacy operations management and leadership roles across multiple settings ‐ Developer of educational programs and instructor for pharmacy technician students ‐ Member of the Rady College of Pharmacy Indigenous Health Advisory Council ‐ Canadian Association of Pharmacy for the Environment volunteer governance consultant ‐ Chairperson of UAS Eastern European Adoptions Inc. board of directors., a charitable not-for-profit organization

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
I bring a unique combination of leadership, regulatory knowledge, and strategic thinking to the table. My experience across various pharmacy sectors has given me a well-rounded understanding of industry needs, and I am committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, growth, and continuous learning. By supporting positive change and collaboration, I hope to contribute to meaningful progress for pharmacy professionals in Manitoba.

Other Comments:
As the daughter of a pharmacist in Northern Manitoba, I saw firsthand the positive impact pharmacists have on their communities. I aim to be that same kind of pharmacist, and support my colleagues in using their knowledge, skills and abilities to make a difference. I encourage members to vote, as each voice plays a vital role in shaping the profession’s future. Together, we are stronger and can drive meaningful change.

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Name of Candidate:
Jason Hoeppner

Email Address:
ms0331@store.medicineshoppe.ca

Years of Practice:
24

Years of Practice in Manitoba
24

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
None

Current Place of Employment
The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy Osborne St, Winnipeg

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Staff Pharmacist - St Boniface Hospital 2002-2012

Advanced Practice Designations:
Certified Diabetes Educator 2012-present

Awards/Recognition:
Medicine Shoppe Canada - Licensee of the Year 2017

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
To be the voice of all pharmacists in Manitoba. To advocate not only for regulatory changes but compensation models that allow pharmacists to practice to the full extent of their scope and be reimbursed accordingly.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the central role the neighbourhood pharmacy plays in the health of our communities. As pharmacists take on a more clinical focus, the community pharmacy is seen as a hub for health products, information and referral.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
With the prospect of National Pharmacare, a new interpretation of the Canada Health Act, Pharmacy Benefit Managers and expanded scope of practice, pharmacy practice will change more in the next 3-5 years than I've seen in 24 years of practice. My goal would be to bring my background and perspectives to the Pharmacists Manitoba Board so we can be a strong voice for pharmacy practice in the province.

What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
I was a board member and baseball convenor of the Riverview Community Centre for 6 years. have also been a baseball coach with both Riverview Community Centre and Fort Garry Community Centre for the past 8 years.

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
I believe my background as a hospital pharmacist for 11 years and a community pharmacy owner for 13 years gives me a unique perspective on the issues facing pharmacists in both areas. I have conducted multiple television, radio and print interviews in the past and feel comfortable in these settings.

Other Comments:
I would be honored to represent your interests as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member. Thank you for your consideration.

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Name of Candidate:
Jennifer Hlynsky

Email Address:
j.hlynsky@rrcoop.com

Years of Practice:
7

Years of Practice in Manitoba
7

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
NA

Current Place of Employment
Red River Co-op

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Various roles in community pharmacy since 2015

Advanced Practice Designations:
injection certified, authorized to prescribe for self-limiting conditions, smoking cessation, uncomplicated cystitis, OAT training

Awards/Recognition:
NA

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
Pharmacists Manitoba is a non-profit professional association for pharmacists in Manitoba. The role is to unify and advance the pharmacy profession, to support the pharmacy community in awareness and navigation of the changing pharmacy landscape, advocate for pharmacists by enhancing the recognition and compensation of professional services while inspiring excellence in practice. This includes networking and developing meaningful opportunities for interprofessional collaboration and partnership.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
Pharmacy practice is changing rapidly – there has been a shift that continues to trend away from pharmacists simply dispensing medication, and toward more clinical services that utilize the full extent of pharmacists’ education including prescribing, giving injections and vaccinations, and medication management services, to meet more of the healthcare needs of the population. This has looked different across the country, due to differences in regulatory framework and funding models.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
My goals as a board member are to build relationships with key stakeholders and promote the value that pharmacists bring to the healthcare system in Manitoba already, and how much more pharmacists can help with optimizing patient outcomes once they are able to practice to the full extent of their education. Another key goal is negotiating sustainable funding models for current and future pharmacy services.

What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
I have been an interim board member on Pharmacists Manitoba since April 2024 and serve as the Secretary and Chair of the Good Governance Committee. I also sit on the Internal Relations and External relations committees. I currently work as the Senior Director, Pharmacy Operations for Red River Co-op. I have also been a preceptor for many pharmacy students and interns.

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
I have participated in many team sports throughout my life which has made me understand the value of teamwork in accomplishing any goal. I bring lots of experience in community pharmacy operations. I have also pursued further education and completed the MBA Essentials program to better understand the business and financial side of pharmacy practice.

Other Comments:
Thank you for considering me to represent Pharmacists Manitoba! I am so proud to be a pharmacist and am excited for the future of pharmacy in Manitoba! We have a lot of work to do, but with dedication and focus, we can turn challenges into opportunities :)

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Name of Candidate:
Darren Murphy

Email Address:
darren.murphy@northwaypharmacy.ca

Years of Practice:
18

Years of Practice in Manitoba
18

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
Part B Ontario

Current Place of Employment
Northway Pharmacy

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Past President of Pharmacists Manitoba

Advanced Practice Designations:
None

Awards/Recognition:
Pharmacists Manitoba Business Leadership , Bowl of Hygeia, McKesson Practice Achievement, Apotex Apothecary Heroes, Young Leader Award

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
To unify and advance the profession of pharmacy in Manitoba. In addition, advocate for sustainability of pharmacy practice in Manitoba. This includes appropriate reimbursement and expanded scope.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
We are seeing expanded scope and remuneration roll out across the country and Manitoba is behind. We need to catch up so Manitobans have the same access to healthcare as all Canadians.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
I’d like to contribute my knowledge of the business landscape and pharmacy to help negotiate reasonable and sustainable reimbursement models in pharmacy.

What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
Served 3.5 terms as President of Pharmacists Manitoba, served as a board member and VP as Winnserv Inc., currently on the fundraising committee for the new hockey arena in La Salle tasked with raising the final $1,000,000.00 required for the build, past board member of Fairfax Community Resources, currently on the Main Street Project Capital Cabinet for new housing initiatives, also the current founder and CEO of Northway Pharmacy.

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
A mix of business and non-profit board experience. A high level of knowledge of the pharmacy industry and real-world data that can be useful in discussions with government. I also have developed some good relationships with MB Health and government over the last 4 years as President of Pharmacists Manitoba.

Other Comments:
I look forward to serving a 3rd 2-year term before my term limit is up. We have a very strong Board and great group of people to work with. During my 3.5 terms as President we have had a lot of success and wins for the profession of pharmacy in Manitoba and I would like to see through some current projects we are working on.

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Name of Candidate:
Christine Vaccaro

Email Address:
cvaccaro05@gmail.com

Years of Practice:
1.5

Years of Practice in Manitoba
1.5

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
ON

Current Place of Employment
Primary: Loblaw Pharmacy

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Previous CAPSI National President, member of Pharmacists Manitoba since 2018

Advanced Practice Designations:
ACPR (ambulatory care)

Awards/Recognition:
Award of Merit (Pharmacists Manitoba), Past President Award (CAPSI/CFP)

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
I believe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba is to represent the profession of pharmacy to stakeholders (including government and the public) and to promote the advancement and sustainability of pharmacy so that pharmacy teams can better service patients in Manitoba.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
Accelerated by COVID and an ongoing primary care shortage, I believe patients are turning to pharmacists for help more often. I don’t see this as “filling gaps” but rather an opportunity to collaborate with prescribers and provide more complete patient care. It is exciting to see other provinces have the appetite for and start to develop pharmacy-led clinics and pilots.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
1. Be an active board member, sharing my diverse experiences in discussions and projects 2. Be transparent with members, including hosting Chats with Chris, an opportunity for you to talk to learn more about what we are doing and to contribute your opinions 3. Promote the value of pharmacy teams to government and the public through and continuing my work with the Community Relations working group What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
1. I served 5 years with CAPSI National, most recently completing a term as president 2. I have volunteered with Pharmacists Manitoba since 2018, completing a year term as student liaison, contributing to the conference planning committee, and most recently sitting on External Relations 3. I am currently chairing the Community Relations working group, which has developed the recently shared public facing advocacy posts (e.g. birth control, therapeutic substitution)

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
As a candidate I bring three unique qualities to the board, I have experience in community and primary care in 2 provinces, I am knowledgeable in how Pharmacists Manitoba and related associations (e.g. CAPSI, CPhA) operate, and I am eager to share my perspectives as a newer pharmacist to the board.

Other Comments:
Thank you for your consideration.

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Name of Candidate:
Edward Ahoff

Email Address:
eddie@lifesmarthealth.ca

Years of Practice:
11

Years of Practice in Manitoba
11

Other Jurisdictions of Licensure
NA

Current Place of Employment
LifeSmart Health and University of Manitoba

Other Relevant Employment History (Pharmacy/Healthcare/Advocacy):
Staff Pharmacist Sobeys 2014-16 Pharmacy Manager Sobeys 2016-2024

Advanced Practice Designations:
None

Awards/Recognition:
None

Describe the role and mandate of Pharmacists Manitoba, from your perspective:
Pharmacists Manitoba is our vehicle for promotion, communication, and advocacy of the profession. It has a responsibility to actively engage with policy makers, other heath care professionals and the public in order to ensure the sustainability of pharmacy practice for the future. It must weight the interests of the public and private practice to maximize the role of pharmacists within the healthcare team and systems.

Describe from your perspective how the practice of the profession of Pharmacy is changing:
Pharmacy is at an inflection point. It has long been the case that the structure for reimbursement does not accurately reflect the impact that pharmacists can provide within healthcare. That is being felt to an increasing degree with continued tightening and scrutiny on reimbursement models for pharmacy along with the increasing standard of education provided by the PharmD program in Manitoba.

What would be your goals and objectives as a Pharmacists Manitoba Board Member?
I would aim to work with the public, clinicians, stakeholders, legislators, and regulators to help Manitoba transition pharmacy practice into a sustainable model. The hurdles that stand in the way of a progressive pharmacy practice in Manitoba are multifactorial, however communication is at the core of each. Finding innovative ways to showcase pharmacy to the parties listed above would be my main objective.

What leadership roles, including Board and Committee work, have you held in your profession and your community?
I have practiced pharmacy since graduating in 2014. Since then, I have worked as a staff pharmacist, pharmacy manager, and Experiential Education Facilitator and most recently Director of Pharmacy with LifeSmart Health. Outside of my titles I have been every active with students from the University of Manitoba, MITT, and other colleges, provided training on new programs for colleagues, and served on Discipline Committee.

What unique qualities would you bring to the Board?
I have had the opportunity to work for a large company of many years alongside some wonderful pharmacists and other staff in addition to acting as a mentor to a number of students over the years. I feel this has given me a good insight of not only where pharmacy has been, but where there is momentum to grow into.

Other Comments:
I appreciate the time you have taken to learn a bit about me and hope to work on our profession’s behalf.