Past winners: Distinguished Service Award

Learn more about past recipients in the Distinguished Service Awards Corner.


2024

Dr. Olavo Fernandes,  
RPh., BScPhm, ACPR, PharmD, FCSHP 

Toronto, Ontario

 

 
Award sponsored by Pfizer Canada

 
Olavo Fernandes is Director of Pharmacy – Clinical & Operations, University Health Network, Assistant Professor (status) at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, and Clinician Investigator (Toronto General Hospital Research Institute). Olavo completed a BScPhm (1995, UofT) and PharmD (1998, UofT) and a hospital pharmacy residency (1996, UHN).  His current Director role oversees the patient care operations and clinical pharmacy programs at six hospital sites as well as education, research, and residency programs. 

Olavo is an active member of several professional associations including the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP), where he has served in various capacities including the CSHP Board (Ontario Branch Delegate), Chair of the Educational Services Committee (organizing national hospital pharmacy conferences), and Ontario Branch Treasurer. Olavo is currently also Co-chair (2011-present) of the Canadian National Clinical Pharmacy Key Performance Indicator (cpKPI) Working Group Collaborative. He has provided long-standing contributions to CSHP continuing education and conference presentations at the local, provincial, and national levels. He has also served CSHP’s national and provincial committees/councils including Vision Committee, CSHP Board, and Ontario Branch Council. 

Olavo’s teaching interests include clinical leadership in health care/pharmacy practice and patient/medication safety. His research and publication interests include interprofessional medication reconciliation, pharmacy key performance indicators, pharmacy learner care impacts, and evaluating the patient care impact of pharmacy practice. 

Olavo’s contributions to the pharmacy profession and pharmacy practice patient care advancement/research/teaching have been recognized with a number of national and provincial awards including Ontario Pharmacists’ Association – Exceptional Achievement in Research and Academia Award (2013), University of Toronto – Arbor Award (volunteer service to the university, students, and community) (2012), and CSHP Fellow (2007). Other awards include CSHP Ontario Branch Scott Walker Research Award (2021, 2017, 2010, 2006), CSHP Ontario Branch Literary Award (2015, 2007), CSHP Ontario Branch Dan Dasko Pharmacy Administrator Award (2014), CSHP Ontario Branch Mentorship Award (2005), and University of Toronto Wightman - Berris Academy Individual Teaching Awards (2014, 2003). 

2023 

Blair Seifert, BSP, Pharm. D., FCSHP

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Award sponsored by Pharmascience Inc.

 

Dr. Blair Seifert is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Pediatrics at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and the Royal University Hospital with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.   

Blair graduated from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Pharmacy. He received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree in 1977 and then completed a CSHP approved residency in hospital pharmacy at the Regina General Hospital. Following the residency, he entered the graduate program at the University of Texas Health Sciences Centre in San Antonio, Texas, and College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin. There, he earned his Doctorate in Clinical Pharmacy with a specialty residency in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacy with a minor in drug information. In 1993, Blair was granted a Fellowship from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP). Blair worked at hospitals in Saskatchewan, Texas, British Columbia, and Manitoba and honed his knowledge and skills in the care of neonates to adolescents.  

In 2012, just 2 years after returning to Saskatchewan, he was honoured with the Hospital Pharmacist of the Year Award from CSHP Saskatchewan Branch. In 2018 the CSHP Saskatchewan Branch presented to him the J. L. Summers Achievement Award. Blair notes that this award was very special since he had the privilege of learning from Professor Summers while in university and acknowledges him as one of the several faculty and mentors that started his hospital pharmacy journey, including membership in CSHP.  

Blair is involved with the delivery of pharmacy care to pediatric and neonatal patients at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, both as a clinical practitioner and as a participant in the patient care teams. He works with many of the pediatricians and pediatric specialists and supports the pediatric pharmacy team in their excellent care of babies, infants, children, and adolescents, both as inpatients and in ambulatory care practice. He works with the pediatric neurology team, neuromuscular disorders section, as part of his clinical duties. The introduction of treatments for patients with spinal muscular atrophy has offered new hope for patients and parents for this once terminal disorder. 

His passion remains the delivery of high quality pharmacy care to children. Throughout his career, his focus has been guiding, mentoring, and inspiring pediatric practitioners and students, including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and assistants, physicians, nurses, and others, in the optimization of drug therapy for a variety of pediatric disorders.  


2022  

Glen Pearson, BSc, BScPhm, PharmD, FCSHP, FCCS

Edmonton, Alberta

Award sponsored by Pharmascience Inc.

 

Dr. Glen Pearson is a trailblazing educator, researcher, and clinician. In addition to establishing clinical and research fellowship training programs in ambulatory cardiovascular practice and multi-organ transplant at the University of Alberta, Glen developed the first Canadian advanced specialty PGY2-residency program in Cardiology. Presently, he is a tenured Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology at the University of Alberta. 

Glen is a committed and prolific researcher whose interests lie in practice-based research. Over the course of his long career, he has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, over 30 review papers, over 80 abstracts, and over 25 books chapters. Glen is passionate about advancing research on a broad scale, leading him to spend 8 years as the Associate Chair of the Health Research Ethics Board. He currently serves as Chair of the Trainee Research Access Committee in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. 

Never wavering in his commitment to exceptional patient care, Glen serves as the Medical Co-Director of the Cardiac Transplant Clinic at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. He has been a member of the Canadian CCS Dyslipidemia Guidelines primary panel since 2009, having served as both Vice-Chair and Co-Chair.

Glen is an avid proponent of the role of advanced practice pharmacists in improving the delivery of collaborative health services and improving patient outcomes. He has been recognized for his contributions to achieving these goals thorough numerous awards, including the M.J. Houston Pharmacist of the Year Award and the Alberta Pharmacy Centennial Award of Distinction. Glen received a special recognition for becoming one of the first 15 pharmacists in Canada to be granted additional prescribing authorization. He has been conferred recognition with Fellowship status in both the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and CSHP. 


2021

Margaret Gray, BSP, FCSHP
Edmonton, Alberta

Award sponsored by Pharmascience Inc.

 


Throughout her 30-year career, Margaret has left a tremendous impact on hospital pharmacy practice. Margaret has been instrumental in pharmacists’ gaining prescribing authorization in Canada, through her service in the Alberta College of Pharmacy’s working groups for Standards of Practice and Additional Prescribing Authorization, as well as on CSHP’s Pharmacist Prescribing Task Force. Margaret’s expertise continues to shape Canadian pharmacy practice: she serves on the Alberta Health Expert Committee on Drug Evaluation and Therapeutics, providing drug policy recommendations to the Minister of Health.

Since 2014, Margaret has served as Clinical Practice Manager at Alberta Health Services Pharmacy, working with others in provincial operations to advance practice change. Margaret contributed to the implementation of a province-wide CIS system, Connect Care.

Margaret has always been dedicated to the advancement and promotion of the pharmacist role in healthcare.  She has precepted innumerable students and residents, and she co-led the creation of a Year 2 pharmacist residency in infectious diseases in Alberta. She is a Clinical Academic Colleague at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Pharmacy where she teaches infectious diseases courses. Margaret's research has been published and presented in many prestigious settings, and she is a contributing editor for publications such as  Bugs and Drugs.

Margaret has been an active member of CSHP ever since she was a student at the University of Saskatchewan in the 1980s. For three decades, she has served CSHP on committees and task forces, and in leadership roles at the chapter, branch, and national levels. Margaret is a CSHP Fellow, and her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards. “Many current CSHP members credit Margaret with encouraging them to join the Society,” says Jody Ciufo, CEO of CSHP. “She’s a role model and mentor to countless pharmacists. Her impact is impossible to measure.”


2019

Moira Wilson, B.Sc. Pharm.
Moncton, New Brunswick

Award sponsored by Pharmascience Inc.

 

Until very recently, Moira Wilson served as Regional Director of Pharmacy Services for Horizon Health Network in New Brunswick, where her responsibilities included planning, leading, developing, organizing, coordinating, overseeing, and evaluating the delivery of acute care and ambulatory pharmacy services in the health region. Earlier in her career, Moira held a variety of other clinical and administrative positions, including Staff Pharmacist, Assistant Director, and later Director of Pharmacy at the Saint John Regional Hospital, as well as Director of Pharmacy for the former Saint John zone. Moira is also a former Director of the residency programs at Horizon Health Network.

Moira graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Dalhousie University and is an active member of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP). She has served as the CSHP’s Director of Finance and as a member of several CSHP branch and national committees, including the CSHP Bylaws Committee and the CSHP Nominating Committee. In addition, Moira has served on the Canadian Pharmacy Residency Board and continues to serve as a surveyor for residency programs.

Moira has received the Gordon Kane Meritorious Service Award from the CSHP New Brunswick Branch, the Dalhousie University College of Pharmacy Alumnus Award, and the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists Meritorious Service Award – to the profession.

Passionate about the full inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in all aspects of society, Moira is Past President of the New Brunswick Association for Community Living and is Vice President for L’Arche Saint John.

Moira is proud Mom to Elizabeth, Michael, Stephen, and Kevin and is also loved and walked daily by yellow labs Tucker and Casper.

Newly retired (effective January 31, 2019), Moira is happily embarking upon her next chapter, which will include lots of travel to marvelous places.


2018

Mary H H Ensom, B.S. (Pharm), Pharm. D., FASHP, FCCP, FCSHP, FCAHS
Vancouver, British Columbia


Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Family of Companies

 

 

Dr. Mary H H Ensom is a Professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Distinguished University Scholar at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is also a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Children’s & Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia. Early in her career as a hospital pharmacist, she developed clinical services in South Carolina, Washington, and Kentucky (1978-85).

Mary served on the faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCoP) and as Director of UK Medical Center’s Clinical Pharmacokinetics Service for 10 years before joining UBC in 1997. There, she was Director of the Graduate PharmD Program for 10 years (2002-12). Aside from teaching thousands of BSc(Pharm) and PharmD students, she has supervised/co-supervised more than 100 hospital pharmacy residents, MSc and PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows.

Mary has over 540 publications on clinical pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics/pharmacogenetics to her name. She has received over 85 awards for scholarship, research, and service, including 11 teaching awards [e.g., 2000 UBC Killam Teaching Prize and 2011 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Education Award]. She is one of only a few dozen Distinguished University Scholars at UBC and received the 2007 UBC Killam Research Prize in Science (one of only 5 campus-wide).

Mary is the only Canada-based recipient of the ACCP Education (2011) and Publication (2006) Awards and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Award for Sustained Contributions to the Literature (2012). Mary received the 2013 Paul F. Parker Award from the UK Pharmacy Residency Program “in recognition of an individual who has displayed sustained contribution to the profession in practice, teaching or research; a commitment to high ideals and excellence in their chosen field; leadership and innovation; and a passion to encourage the personal and professional growth of others.” She was one of four individuals inducted into UKCoP’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni inaugural class in 2015.

Mary served as Editor for the Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy for 10 years and on its Editorial Board from 1997-2016. She currently serves on editorial boards of 5 other journals. Mary served on CSHP’s Research Committee from 1999-2011 (as Chair from 1999-2005). She received the CSHP-BC Distinguished Service Award in 2014.

Mary is a fellow of ASHP, ACCP, and CSHP, and one of only a dozen pharmacists who are fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS).

Mary was recognized at a formal awards ceremony at the 49th Annual Professional Practice Conference (PPC). The ceremony was held on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at the Beanfield Centre (at Exhibition Place) in Toronto.

Mary was also presented with Honorary Membership at the awards ceremony.


2016

Donald Kuntz, BSP
Regina, Saskatchewan


Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Family of Companies

 

Don Kuntz graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1981. His career in hospital pharmacy began in the fall of 1981 when he joined the research team studying workload measurement under then Dean Bruce Schnell, travelling Canada and observing hospital pharmacists and technicians in action. In 1983, Don accepted his first hospital pharmacist job at the now closed Plains Health Centre in Regina. The plan was to stay for six months, and now 33 years later, his career with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region pharmacy services continues. After working as a staff pharmacist for 12 years, he began his role as a clinical coordinator with a cardiology focus for 10 years. When a clinical coordinator role was created at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre to enhance clinical pharmacy at this facility, Don accepted the challenge. A major initiative in 2005 began with a Saskatchewan Health Quality Council Research Grant to establish medication reconciliation on admission to long term care and reduce polypharmacy. The process has evolved into a full pharmaceutical care consultation, allergy verification and vaccination history plus medication reconciliation for each admission. Over the past 12 years, Don has been clinical coordinator for the anticoagulation clinic and the renal program including dialysis, transplant and chronic renal failure clinic pharmacists. Don was seconded to the Quality Improvement Unit in 2008-9 as manager of the medication reconciliation on admission initiative to acute care for the health region.

Don received the Saskatchewan Branch Pharmacist of the Year in 2005, the JL Summers Achievement Award in 2010, and two CSHP Pharmaceutical Care Awards in 2000 and 2001. He was a finalist for the Saskatchewan Healthcare Excellence Award in 2005. Don received a Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists Presidential Citation in April 2015.

Don has been a preceptor for pharmacy residents in cardiology, anticoagulation long term care/geriatrics rotations for the past 25 years in addition to SPEP, students and interns.

A CSHP member since 1981, Don has served on education and finance committees at the branch level and as Branch Delegate for eight years. Don has served on national committees, work groups, task forces, and steering committees, including strategic planning, AGM host committee, CSHP 2015 Initiative, and Key Performance Indicator Collaborative.

Don continues to be a clinical coordinator in Regina at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre where he focuses on direct care to patients with high level needs.

Don was recognized at a formal awards ceremony at the 47th Annual Professional Practice Conference (PPC). The ceremony was held on January 31, 2016, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.


2015

 

Margaret Colquhoun, BScPhm, RPh, FCSHP
Toronto, Ontario


Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Family of Companies


Margaret Colquhoun graduated from the University of Toronto and began her career in hospital pharmacy at Kingston General Hospital.  She quickly transitioned to working in one of the most modern hospital pharmacies in Canada at the time, University Hospital in London, Ontario. There, Brian Dinel encouraged Marg to become involved in CSHP, and he put forward her name to debate Jane Gillespie (a bit like David and Goliath!) at the Professional Practice Conference (PPC).

In 1979, Marg volunteered as Chair of the Drug Information Committee. She continued her involvement with CSHP with positions in the Ontario Branch executive and the CSHP national council. She also served as CSHP representative on the Ontario College of Pharmacists Council and the Ontario Pharmacists Council. In 2011, Marg completed a term on the Board of Fellows. Marg considers the connections and friendships she made at CSHP to be a great gift.

Marg has always been passionate about leadership and hospital pharmacy. She held leadership positions at Foothills Hospital, York Central Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, and Markham Stouffville Hospital, and she consulted for several years both nationally and internationally.

In 2001, when the profession began to learn about patient safety and the unreliability of medication systems, Marg focussed her career on medication system safety. She joined ISMP Canada in its early days and led significant projects, including the Ontario Concentrated KCl project, and the Safer Healthcare Now! intervention for medication reconciliation in Canada. As a result of this work, Marg had the privilege of leading the World Health Organization’s multi-country medication reconciliation intervention; for 6 years, she shared a wealth of Canadian experience.

In 2014, the Ontario College of Pharmacists was given the authority to inspect hospital pharmacy practice, and Marg joined the team to develop and implement criteria for inspection. This exciting project resulted in changes to hospital pharmacy practice in the province. It also allowed Marg to reconnect with friends across Ontario whom she had met during her years of service with CSHP.

In addition to this award, Marg has received other CSHP honours, including the Isabel E. Stauffer Meritorious Service Award (2002).

Marg was recognized at a formal awards ceremony at the 46th Annual Professional Practice Conference. The ceremony was held on Sunday, February 1, 2015, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.


Past award recipients

Learn more about past award recipients in the Distinguished Service Awards Corner.

 2024 Olavo Fernandes
2023 Blair Seifert
2022 Glen Pearson
2021 Margaret Gray
2020 No candidates this year
2019 Moira Wilson
2018 Mary H H Ensom
2017 No candidates this year
2016 Donald Kuntz
2015 Margaret Colquhoun
2014 Kelly Babcock
2013 Régis Vaillancourt
2012 Carolyn Bornstein
2011 Myrella Roy
2010 Emily Musing
2009 Robin J Ensom
2008 Nancy Roberts
2007 Thomas W Paton
2006 Linda Poloway
2005 Bill Bartle
2004 Garry King
2003 Bob Nakagawa
2002 Glen R Brown
2001 Charlie Bayliff*
2000 James Blackburn
1999 Bonnie Salsman
1998 Scott Walker
1997 Rosemary Bacovsky
1996 Kevin Hall*
1995 James L Mann
1994 William (Bill) McLean*
1993 Pauline Beaulac
1992 William Wilson
1991 C Brian Tuttle
1990 Reta Fowler*
1989 Alan Samuelson
1988 Bruce R Schnell
1987 Jack Dancey*
1986 William R Foltas*
1985 Donna M Shaw*
1984 Sister Grace Sauvé
1983 Mary T Gannon*
1982 J Glen Moir*
1981 Brian A Dinel
1980 Betty C Riddell*
1979 Jack L Summers*
1978 Douglas J Stewart*
1977 Phyllis Yagi*
1976 Orest Buchko*
1975 Muriel Hale
1974 Anne O’Toole*
1973 Leonard Gibson*
1972 J Edwin Smith*
1971 Paule Benfante*
1970 Gordon Brown*
1969 Isabel E Stauffer*
1968 Jacqueline McCarthy
1967 Michael J V Naylor

* indicates deceased