College celebrates exceptional graduates at 2025 Alumni Awards Ceremony
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy held its annual Alumni Awards Ceremony on Nov. 14 at the Longaberger Alumni House. The event invited alumni award winners and their friends and family, along with college faculty and staff, to reunite and celebrate the outstanding achievements of this year's eight awardees.
2025 Alumni Awards Recipients
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Weber, PharmD '10, MS '82, BS '80, BCPS, FASHP
This award was established for outstanding lifelong accomplishments in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences or public service. The impact of the candidate’s stellar contributions to the professional, scientific and/or educational communities is judged by biographical data, including published work and previous honors.
Recipients must have completed a degree or post-graduate training at the College of Pharmacy. This award is not given in any regular, repeating time period, but only when truly outstanding candidates are identified.
Dr. Weber is a retired clinical professor and Director of the Master of Science in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (MS HSPAL) program at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. He previously served as the Chief Pharmacy Officer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Administrator and Assistant Dean for Medical Center Affairs of the College of Pharmacy and Ohio State Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC).
Dr. Weber's lifelong interest is changing pharmacy practice through programs that establish patient-centered roles for pharmacists to improve the safety and efficiency of medication use. He has a specific interest in the cause and prevention of medication errors, practice management and pharmacist credentialing and privileging. As an educator, Dr. Weber developed the format for converting the MS HSPAL program into an online format, allowing working professionals to train in the program.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Weber served as a local, regional and national advocate for the COVID-19 vaccines through his work in presenting virtual education sessions, writing commentaries, setting up mass vaccination sites and administering vaccines. He has been recognized for his professional organization contributions by selection to participate in ASHP's 2010 Practice Model Summit, the OSHP Practice Model Summit and an ASHP advisory panel on reducing medication errors from insulin. He spearheaded the credentialing practice at OSUWMC, the first and most effective program in the country.
Dr. Weber has published 143 peer-reviewed papers, 17 book chapters, two books and other publications, and oral presentations related to medication safety and hospital pharmacy practice. In 2021, Dr. Weber received the Walter M. Frazier Award from the Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists, recognizing lifetime achievement in health-system pharmacy. An award honoring Dr. Weber is presented annually to an OSUWMC pharmacy resident who excels in medication safety and quality.
The Josephine Sitterle Failer Alumni Award
E. Michael Murphy, PharmD '18, MBA '22, BS '14
Named in honor of Josephine Sitterle Failer, BS ’39, a longtime benefactor who contributed service to the college for nearly five decades. The award recognizes an alumnus who has received a professional degree or completed post-graduate training from the College of Pharmacy within the past 10 years and has made an outstanding contribution to community or professional service.
Dr. Murphy is an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the College of Pharmacy and a senior advisor for state government affairs at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).
A dedicated advocate for pharmacy policy, Dr. Murphy works closely with policymakers, professional organizations and health systems to advance legislative and regulatory initiatives that expand pharmacists' roles in patient care. His expertise spans payment for pharmacists' services, drug reimbursement reform and optimizing pharmacist payment models.
Dr. Murphy has presented at numerous national and state conferences and has collaborated with federal and state agencies to enhance pharmacy practice. His research and advocacy efforts focus on ensuring pharmacists receive recognition and reimbursement for their critical health care services. He completed his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2018, residency training in ambulatory care in 2019, and a fellowship in pharmacy advancement and advocacy in 2021 at the College of Pharmacy.
The Jack L. Beal Post-Baccalaureate Award
Anish Konkar, PhD '96
Named in honor of Jack L. Beal, PhD ’52, professor emeritus of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at the College of Pharmacy. The recipient of the Beal Award must have a post-baccalaureate degree from the College of Pharmacy and have contributed significantly to research and scholarship in the pharmaceutical sciences and/or contributed outstanding service to the professional practice of pharmacy.
Dr. Konkar is Vice President and Head of Bioscience in the Early Cardiovascular Renal and Metabolism Therapeutic Area at AstraZeneca. He began his career in the pharmaceutical industry at Bayer in West Haven, Conn., where he researched novel treatments for obesity. Subsequently, he worked in the Metabolic Diseases department of Hoffmann-La Roche in both Nutley, NJ, and Basel, Switzerland.
During this period, the preclinical gut peptide team led by Dr. Konkar advanced several drug candidates into the clinic, including the first-of-their-kind dual and triple incretin analogs of GLP-1, GIP and/or glucagon receptors. He continued on to lead pre-clinical teams that successfully advanced several drug candidates into the clinic, including an orally delivered peptidergic GLP-1 receptor agonist.
To broaden his expertise in metabolic diseases, Dr. Konkar joined Snofi in Frankfurt, Germany, where he initially led the Gastrointestinal Endocrinology and Obesity Department and then the Diabetes Therapeutic Area. He later moved to Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, IN, to lead the cardiometabolic and Renal department in the Diabetes and Complications therapeutic area. He was later recruited back to AstraZeneca.
Dr. Konkar credits his success to an incredible research and educational experience at Ohio State, where he had the privilege of training with Drs. Dennis Feller and Allan Burkman, and postdoctoral training at Wayne State University and Pfizer with Dr. James Granneman on beta-adrenergic receptor pharmacology.
Anandi V. Law PhD '98, MS '93, FAPhA
Dr. law is currently immediate Past-President of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), where she lived her theme of "reach out. Engage. Elevate. in words and action. In her day job, Dr. Law is Associate Dean for Assessment and Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration at Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy, where she has been since July 1999. her teaching includes a course in practice management, a health systems modules, a four-year longitudinal leadership curriculum, and a stress management elective teaching medication, mindfulness and yoga.
She has been active with APhA House of Delegates and various committees, served as faculty advisor for AMCP and APhA-ASP, and belongs to Rho Chi and Phi Lambda Sigma. Dr. Law serves on two editorial advisory boards and as associate editor for Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. Dr. Law founded a telehealth center at WesternU, training PharmD students to provide patient care in a value-based payment model. She directs a novel postdoc trainee program to provided telehealth services to patients of local independent pharmacies.
Dr. Law has a BS Pharm from the University of Mumbai, India, and MS in Pharmaceutics, and PhD in Pharmaceutical Administration. She maintains an active research profile focused on practice and payment transformation, health outcomes measurement and pharmacist roles in improving medication use outcomes. She directs an ACCP peer-reviewed health outcomes research fellowship, graduating 10 fellows since 2003. Dr. Law has numerous grants, over 85 peer-reviewed articles, over 100 abstracts and 10 book chapters in her areas of interest. She has given several invited talks across the globe. Dr. Law has been awarded the APhA Research Achievement Award and WesternU's Provost's Distinguished Scholar Award.
The Distinguished Alumni Award
Binita Patel, PharmD, MS '08
Recipients must have a degree from the College of Pharmacy or completed post-graduate training; have made distinguished contributions in the fields of public health and public service; have performed outstanding activities in the interest of the college and its students; and have an outstanding record in the profession of pharmacy.
Binita Patel, PharmD, MS ’08, is currently the Vice President of Pharmacy Services at Memorial Hermann Health-System in southeast Texas, where she is responsible for pharmacy services across the continuum of care that spans 15 acute care hospitals, over 10 service lines, home infusion pharmacy, specialty pharmacy and two retail pharmacies (over 700 FTE). Dr. Patel also is the program director of the health-system administration residency program.
Prior to joining Memorial Hermann Health-system, Dr. Patel was a senior director at Pharmacy Healthcare Solutions, where she focused on specialty pharmacy and PBM practice. She spent two years at Lash Group developing patient assistance programs as a senior director of Strategic Account Management. Dr. Patel then spent eight years in academic medicine serving as the Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, where she developed clinical ambulatory practices, including retail/mail pharmacies, specialty pharmacy (URAC), pharmacist managed clinics, prior authorization and patient assistance programs. She also developed a community resident program and was responsible for strategic growth for ambulatory services across the health system. Previously, Dr. Patel was the chair of the Vizient Ambulatory Committee and chair of ASHP Compensation and Sustainably. She currently sits on the SPPL Committee on Multi-Hospital Pharmacy Executives at ASHP and was one of the co-authors for the latest AJHP Forecast. Dr. Patel recently won Women Who Mean Business in Healthcare and Texas Medical Center Hero due to her efforts fighting COVID-19.
Dr. Patel received her BS in Microbiology at the University of Georgia, PharmD at the University of North Carolina and Post-graduate year 1&2 with a MS in pharmacy administration at The Ohio State University.
William H. Puckett, MS '70, MBA, RPh, BS '68, FASHP
William H. Puckett, MS ’70, MBA, RPh, BS ’68, FASHP, has worked as a surveyor of pharmacy residency programs for ASHP and estimates that between that and his consulting work, he has visited over 150 hospitals in the US and Canada. Dr. Puckett has precepted 76 residents and has held faculty positions at five colleges of pharmacy. Most recently, he held consulting positions at five national pharmacy consulting companies. He has spoken and published at many levels over the years—over 100 opportunities—and has served on the ASHP Board. Dr. Puckett has been a presidential officer in three different state societies and is a two-time recipient of ASHP’s National Research Award.
In addition to Dr. Puckett's pharmacy degree from Ohio State, he has achieved an MS in hospital/clinical pharmacy from Ohio State and an MBA from Capital. He is a graduate of the Pharmacy Residency Program at Grant Hospital and has been awarded the Latiolais Leadership Medal. He is a Buckeye through and through, being a member of the Ohio State Alumni Association for over 57 years and supporting the college through the Latiolais Leadership Program. Dr. Puckett was vice-president of his graduating class and has been a Captain and Pharmacy Officer in the US Army. In his retirement in Florida, he has driven monorail trains at Walt Disney World for 10 years and currently is a vice-president, board member and docent of a regional railroad historical museum. Dr. Puckett and his wife Jan recently celebrated their 57th anniversary.
Tejal Vishalpura, PharmD '03
Tejal Vishalpura, PharmD ’03, is a purpose-driven global biopharmaceutical executive who has had a significant positive impact on global public health. As Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy & Marketing at Novo Nordisk, Dr. Vishalpura has pioneered initiatives on GLP-1s and innovative medicines in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hepatology and Alzheimer’s. At Novartis, she served as U.S. Head of Immunology, VP of U.S. Market Access National Payers and PBMs, and Global Head of Enterprise Capabilities. Her leadership journey also includes senior roles at GSK as VP of Sales, Global Head of Digital Transformation, Regional VP of Specialty Business, and VP of Pipeline & Future Medicines Development.
Dr. Vishalpura’s career began in consulting at Xcenda, helping small and midcap biotech companies achieve the full societal and business potential of their science. She has held executive leadership roles in the U.S., U.K. and Switzerland at three global Fortune 100 companies across the biopharmaceutical value chain, including Corporate Strategy, Research & Development, Medical, Market and Patient Access, Marketing, Sales, and Business Transformation.
Dr. Vishalpura’s personal and professional mission—to democratize modern medicine—was shaped by her upbringing in a rural farming village in India, where she was raised by her grandmother with no running water, electricity or health care. After immigrating to the U.S., Dr. Vishalpura’s landed her first job at 16 in a neighborhood pharmacy, where she was exposed to the daily struggles and frustrations families face in accessing life-changing medicines. Those experiences shaped her career. She now mentors health care and business students and professionals worldwide, coaching them to align their careers with their ikigai to serve the world and lead fulfilling lives. Dr. Vishalpura earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University in 2003.
The Outstanding Community Engagement Award 
Katelyn (Krieger) Alexander, PharmD '11, BS '07
This award recognizes an alum from any training or academic program of the College of Pharmacy for outstanding accomplishments in the community. Recipients have been involved in outreach and engagement that includes collaboration with one or more community partners who may be public and/or private sector, local to global and external to the university. This work must have provided valuable learning experiences for students and/ or demonstrated impact that addresses an important need.
Katelyn (Krieger) Alexander, PharmD ’11, BS ’07, is Director of Experiential Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy in Johnson City, TN. Prior to her administrative appointment, Dr. Alexander worked with several local independent pharmacies to provide clinical patient care services and helped to develop and launch the ETSU Charitable Pharmacy inside the Johnson City Community Health Center, where she served as inaugural pharmacist-in-charge. She has also supported regional pharmacy practice transformation as a coach with the Community Pharmacy Foundation’s Flip the PharmacyTM initiative.
Dr. Alexander is deeply engaged in teaching, mentoring and service. She served as Residency Program Director for the college’s PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency program from 2017-2020. Dr. Alexander’s teaching focuses on nonprescription medicines, and she serves as a facilitator in the interprofessional education curriculum. She also precepts final-year students and post-graduates on elective academia rotations. Dr. Alexander has sustained service within the college, particularly in areas of curricular oversight and assessment, and is engaged at the university, state and nation levels, particularly within APhA and AACP. She also serves as a faculty advisor for the college’s nationally recognized APhA-ASP student chapter. Locally, Dr. Alexander volunteers at drug take-back events, vaccination clinics and by coaching youth sports.
Dr. Alexander is a two-time graduate of Ohio State, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 2007 and her PharmD in 2011. She subsequently completed a PGY1 community-based pharmacy residency at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy prior to joining the faculty at ETSU in August 2012.