Preceptors

Interests: Finance, antithrombotic therapy, emerging models of care, payment modeling, specialty pharmacy

Jill Strykowski obtained her Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin and her Master of Science in hospital pharmacy (experimental pharmacotherapy) from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. 

Her Master's thesis was entitled, Implementation and Outcome Analysis of an Anticoagulation Clinic. She has lectured on anti-thrombotic topics and has published a book chapter on safe use of antithrombotics in the inpatient setting.

Prior experience includes pharmaceutical research and drug development and the implementation of a large multi-disciplinary anticoagulation clinic. Most recent interests include emergency department pharmacist practice, pharmacy leadership, global health, geriatrics and changing models of care for pharmacy practice.

Strykowski is member of the Leadership Network Partners and has mentored many students through practice management and extended leadership focus. She received an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) grant on bedside bar-coding and recently published an article in American Journal of Health System Pharmacy.

Strykowski served on the board of the Minnesota Pharmacy Association (MPhA) and was president of MPhA in 2013-2014. She is active in legislative initiatives and is serving the fourth year as co-chair of the Pharmacy Practice Act Joint Task Force. Strykowski had the pleasure of addressing the graduating class of 2015 as the commencement speaker and is currently a member of the College of Pharmacy Dean’s Advisory Board. 

In addition, she is member of the ASHP, Minnesota Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Midwest College of Clinical Pharmacy and is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. Strykowski is a mentor to staff, students and residents. Strykowski is very interested in pharmacy practice in the developing world and precepts students in Africa. 

Interests: Practice management

Brent Kosel received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University in May of 1994. He completed a masters residency in hospital pharmacy administration at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. Kosel has prior experience as a critical care specialist and manager in various practice settings. His interests include medication safety, automation and regulatory compliance.

Interests: Informatics

Dan Niznick obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota in 2005. In his current position he is responsible for the daily operations of the pharmacy, including management of drug purchasing and distribution, management of controlled substances, regulatory compliance, and other key areas. In addition to operations duties, Niznick focuses on pharmacy informatics and the use of data to improve operations and clinical outcomes.

Interests: Health-system pharmacy management, critical care, infectious disease

Ross Fishman earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. Upon graduation, he completed a critical care residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. In 2009, Fishman joined Allina Health as a clinical pharmacy coordinator at St. Francis Regional Medical Center. In 2013, He became a clinical manager at Unity Hospital, and in 2017 he took the position of clinical manager at Mercy Hospital – Mercy Campus. Fishman has been a preceptor for IPPE and APPE pharmacy students in areas of acute care, institutional practice and hospital management. He has a passion for educating staff. His primary duties involve advancing clinical pharmacy practice in a hospital setting. Fishman passed his BCPS exam and maintains board certification.

Interests: Critical care, formulary management

Kelly Ruziska received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University in 2006 and completed her pharmacy practice residency at Mercy and Unity hospitals in 2007. She represents Allina Health as system formulary coordinator and precepts the System Formulary rotation experience for all residents within Allina.

In the past, Ruziska has served as resident preceptor at Mercy Hospital for critical care and staffing rotations, and was the student coordinator and preceptor for college of pharmacy students on rotations. Her interest in teaching provided her an opportunity to become a clinical liaison to Allina Health clinics, where she educated INR nurses on anticoagulation.

Interests: Critical care, medication safety, pharmacy technician advancement

Venessa McConkey earned her doctor of pharmacy degree from Drake University in 2007 and completed a PGY-1 residency program at Mercy and Unity hospitals. Following her residency, she practiced at Unity Hospital with a focus in critical care and the OR. She has served as a preceptor for the critical care and mental health residency rotations and for college of pharmacy students. McConkey has served as the pharmacy coordinator for Mercy and Unity campuses and is currently the clinical pharmacy manager on the Unity campus.

Interests: Leadership development, cardiology, critical care and precepting.

Ashley Philibert completed the doctor of pharmacy program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2010. She went on to complete a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at Mercy and Unity hospitals prior to her position as a clinical pharmacist at Mercy for 8 years. Philibert took on the pharmacy coordinator position in January 2018.

Philibert has a strong interest in leadership development and completed the leadership emphasis area (LEA) program at the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. During her residency she maintained her focus on leadership. As a clinical pharmacist she enjoyed taking care of critically ill patients and precepting learners at various levels of education. In her current role she provides clinical and operational support at both Mercy campuses.

Interests: OR and ICU Pharmacy

Sarah Thunselle graduated from Drake University with her PharmD in 2008, completed a PGY1 at VA Puget Sound, then worked as a clinical pharmacist for a managed care organization. Thunselle moved back to the Midwest and joined Allina Health at Unity Hospital in 2010. In early 2018, Thunselle transitioned to Allina Health Home Infusion Therapy Services as the pharmacy supervisor. Currently she supervises pharmacy compounding and delivery to home infusion patients across the Allina system. Home Infusion Therapy Services is based out of Mercy Hospital and shares resources with the inpatient pharmacy.

Interests: Critical care, infectious disease

Jenny Chapeau received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy in 2004. She also completed a specialized residency in critical care at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis in 2005. 

After residency, she started her career at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC), Fairview where she practiced as a clinical pharmacist in the adult medical, surgical and cardiovascular intensive care units. She was also a co-developer and co-coordinator of the pharmacist development program at UMMC, Fairview which has now become a big part of the two-year management residency program experience. After six years at UMMC, Fairview, she furthered her career at Unity Hospital as a clinical pharmacist. Chapeau has been a Board Certified Pharmaceutical Specialist (BCPS) since 2006.

Interests: Emergency medicine

Jenna Phelps earned her PharmD degree from Drake University in 2010, and completed her PGY1 residency at Mercy and Unity Hospitals in 2011. She currently is a primary preceptor for both students and residents during their emergency medicine rotations. Phelps maintains Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.

Interests: Oncology, critical care

Jeanine Asp earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from North Dakota State University in 1987 and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida in 2011.

She attained Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy in 2012. Prior to joining the team at Unity Pharmacy, Jeanine was a staff pharmacist at Mercy for several years. She works in all areas of the hospital and enjoys this diversification. Asp co-precepts the internal medicine and mental health rotations. 

Interests: transitions of care, infectious diseases, psychiatry

Andrea Woodford earned her PharmD degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2015 and completed her PGY1 residency at Mercy and Unity hospitals in 2016. She is now a pharmacist at Mercy Hospital - Unity Campus and enjoys staffing in all areas of the hospital. 

Interests: Mental Health, Geriatrics

Carisa Finke earned her Bachelor of Science degree in pharmaceutical sciences at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. in 2002. She graduated from pharmacy school with her PharmD from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in 2005.

Upon completion, she worked for Target Corporation for five years before exploring long-term care pharmacy for one year and then settling at the Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center. There she became a certified geriatric pharmacist and was board certified in psychiatric pharmacy. She has been a preceptor for APPE students since 2008. Finke currently works as a clinical pharmacist at Unity campus primarily on the Mental Health unit. 

Interests: Emergency Medicine, Mental Health

Phat Tran received his doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Twin Cities in 2014. He completed a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at North Memorial Medical Center Level I Trauma hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., in 2015. He currently works as a clinical pharmacist at Mercy Hospital - Unity Campus and is a staffing preceptor.

Interests: Mental Health, Internal Medicine, Oncology

Toni McCain received her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth Campus in 2017. She completed a PGY-1 residency at Mercy Hospital in 2018, and she is currently a staff pharmacist at Mercy Hospital-Unity Campus.

Interests: Critical care and cardiology

Jeralyn Furst obtained her PharmD from the University of Minnesota. After graduation, she completed an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists accredited Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Minnesota Medical Center – Fairview in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In her current position she works in all areas of the hospital, with a primary focus on the cardiology and intensive care units. She is a preceptor for students and residents for in a cardiology rotation. In 2010, Furst passed the Board Certified of Pharmacy Specialties exam and to become board certified as a pharmacotherapy specialist.

Interests: Emergency medicine, infectious disease and adult/pediatric life support

Kim Levang obtained a BS in Psychology from North Dakota State University in 1997 and her PharmD from the University of Minnesota in 2002.
Levang has been employed at Allina Health - Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, MN since 2006. She maintains ACLS, PALS and NRP certifications. In 2007, Levang helped establish the dedicated emergency medicine (EM) pharmacist service at Mercy. In 2009 she helped create a Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) with Mercy Hospital's emergency medicine physician group, EPPA, to manage discharged patients' abnormal lab and cultures. In 2010 she elected to start a 5-week EM rotation with the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy and in 2011 Levang was awarded Preceptor of the Year

In 2014 Levang was awarded the 'Collaborative Colleague Award'. Mercy has had an ASHP accredited residency program since 2004 and in 2011 the EM rotation became required. She has presented posters at MSHP & ASHP Midyear for many years. She presented at ASHP EM Pearls Session in 2013 & 2015. Her work on high-dose insulin was published in the Pharmacy Practice News Journal March issue in 2013

Levang will serve as Residency Program Director for the upcoming PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency in 2020.

Interests: Emergency medicine, infectious disease, toxicology

Jessica Tonder received her PharmD at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in 2012 and then completed her PGY1 residency at Mercy and Unity hospitals.

She is one of the primary emergency medicine pharmacists and is a preceptor for the student and resident rotations in the Emergency Department at Mercy Hospital. She also has an interest in international medicine and disaster relief.

Interests: Emergency medicine, infectious disease

Jenna Paulson earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2011 from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She completed her PGY1 residency at Mercy and Unity Hospitals.

Upon completion of her residency in 2012, she remained at Mercy Hospital, where she works as an emergency medicine pharmacist. She is involved in the follow up of cultures and abnormal lab results through an emergency department collaborative practice agreement with the emergency medicine physicians. Paulson maintains Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.

Interests: emergency medicine, critical care

Dan Paley earned his PharmD in 2015 from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He completed his PGY1 residency at Mercy Hospital in 2016. He is interested in emergency medicine, infectious disease and pharmacy information technology.

Interests: critical care, internal medicine

Gina Danielson completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Minnesota in 2014. She went on to complete a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency with Mercy and Unity hospitals. Following residency, she was hired as a clinical pharmacist at Mercy Hospital. Danielson has clinical interests in critical care, toxicology, mental health, internal medicine, and ambulatory care. She enjoys working directly with patients in performing medication histories and with other pharmacists on Mercy’s pharmacy practice council.