The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences recently honored recipients of its annual Pharmacy Distinction Awards and the Excellence in Education Award during a faculty senate meeting. These awards celebrate exceptional faculty members and community partners for their significant contributions to advancing the practice of pharmacy.
The Excellence in Pharmacy Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, provide outstanding service, and/or have made significant contributions to the pharmacy profession. These individuals have advanced the profession of pharmacy and improved the health and welfare of society. This year’s recipient is Dmitry Kunin, PharmD, MBA, who serves as the Senior Program Director for the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) at the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations.
Throughout his tenure, he has spearheaded initiatives aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of Board processes. Dr. Kunin has collaborated with CU Pharmacy and the Colorado Pharmacists Society to integrate statewide protocols into rule and has updated many organizational procedures. He implemented emergency rulemaking to reflect 2021 legislation that allows pharmacists direct prescriptive authority for vaccines in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling, or national guidelines. Kunin has also worked closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to allow pharmacists to obtain a DEA registration to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder
The Pharmacy Faculty Member of Distinction Award recognizes a full-time CU Pharmacy faculty member who demonstrates distinctive traits that makes them an outstanding role model for peers and students. This year’s recipient is Assistant Professor Kristina Brooks, PharmD. Dr. Brooks serves on the Department of Health and Human Services Guidelines for using antiretroviral medications during pregnancy. She serves on early investigator training committees for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) to advocate for young investigators in the pharmacy profession.
Brooks holds several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as principal or co-principal investigator (~$1M/year) and consistently publishes her work in top-tier journals (52 in total). She is a leading go-to pharmacologist for the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) network and has contributed to studies that led to new pediatric indications. She received a mentorship award last year and is a prominent teacher in CU Pharmacy programs including pharmacokinetics, antiviral pharmacotherapy, journal club, and research methods.
The Excellence in Education Award recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies outstanding teaching excellence through a scholarly, evidence‐based approach to education. This award celebrates those who foster a learning environment that promotes student success and drives continuous improvement in teaching. This year’s recipient is Assistant Professor Kelsey Schwander, PharmD.
Dr. Schwander’s nomination stood out for the depth of her scholarly, evidence-informed approach to teaching and her commitment to innovative, student-centered education. The selection committee was particularly impressed by her leadership in pioneering specifications grading within Pharmacy Management, a course often perceived as challenging for engagement. Her redesign not only introduced an evidence-based, mastery-focused assessment model but also demonstrated measurable impact: post-course surveys showed a jump in student understanding of pharmacy business finance fundamentals from 24.2% to 69.2%.
Beyond grading reform, Schwander’s initiatives such as “Five Minutes of Finance,” the Billing for Clinical Services module, and the Leadership Book Club reflect her ability to connect classroom content to real-world skills while aligning with the CU Pharmacy mission to develop innovative, patient-centered pharmacy leaders.