The alumni association for the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences launched the inaugural year of its alumni awards, Thursday, Oct. 22, honoring alumni Debra Devereaux (BS ’76) and Kevin Kerr (PharmD ’11) at a virtual event in celebration of Homecoming Week.
Devereaux received the Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes CU Pharmacy graduates for distinguished contributions to the practice of pharmacy and demonstrated major accomplishments in the profession of pharmacy or pharmaceutical research and development. Devereaux was acknowledged for her body of work as a hospital pharmacist, national expert on drug utilization and Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs, and a consultant. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the alumni association.
The Horizon Alumni Award was presented to Kerr, currently the Director of Clinical Development at Aerie Pharmaceuticals where he leads early- and late-stage clinical programs to develop novel treatments for ophthalmic diseases. His award honors recent CU Pharmacy graduates within the last 10 years who have made outstanding contributions to the practice of pharmacy or demonstrated potential for major accomplishments in pharmacy practice or significant contributions in pharmaceutical research and development.
Devereaux, who was also selected by her alma mater as the Distinguished Coloradan in 2003, recently formed the Rebellis Group, a consulting enterprise focused on innovative strategies for health plan operations and technology.
Before this venture, she started consulting for the Gorman Health Group in 2006, using her clinical pharmacy skills to help clients navigate a new Medicare program. She was Senior Vice President of Pharmacy and Clinical Solutions at Gorman Health Group, now Convey Health Solutions, until December 2018.
Her other experiences after graduation include working at the University of Colorado Health Sciences as the assistant director of pharmacy, managing Wyoming Medicaid’s drug utilization review program at the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy, along with an adjunct professor role.
Devereaux is also a past president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and has served on several councils, commissions and committees for the ASHP. She is an ASHP fellow and an honorary University of Wisconsin Resident. In June 2020, Debra received the Colorado Pharmacists Association Bowl of Hygeia award.
Prior to Kerr’s tenure at Aerie Pharmaceuticals, he spent nine years at Allergan working on clinical-stage programs to treat diseases of the retina.
Also, while at Allergan, he served as the USC-Allergan Fellowship Program Coordinator and fellowship mentor. He was Allergan’s first postdoctoral fellow from CU. In addition, he precepted more than 30 pharmacy students (many from CU) on advanced experience rotations.
Kerr earned four degrees in the University of Colorado system. He is an annual guest lecturer for the Introduction to the Pharmaceutical Industry Elective course and will participate as a speaker in the Dean’s Leadership Convocation series this December to present the Annibel Gardner lecture on vision-related medicine.
“We could not be prouder of our alumni. Both Deb and Kevin embody the leadership and commitment to pharmacy that inspires all of us to reach higher, achieve more and exemplify the value of a CU Pharmacy education,” said Dean Ralph Altiere, PhD.
