Honoring dedication, expanding opportunity, and recognizing leaders who strengthen student success and belonging across the school.
Photo: From left, Greer Griffith, Shannon Tucker, and Susan dosReis hold their LEADer in Inclusive Excellence Awards.
The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) community gathered Oct. 20 to celebrate the dedication and contributions of its faculty and staff at the annual Years of Service and LEADer in Inclusive Excellence Awards ceremony. Employees were recognized for reaching service milestones in 2025, while faculty and staff whose work has advanced student success, fostered a thriving culture, and strengthened institutional excellence were honored through the school’s LEADer in Inclusive Excellence Awards.
“The years of service we are celebrating today are far more than numbers,” said Sarah L.J. Michel, PhD, dean and professor of pharmaceutical sciences. “They represent a depth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom that each of you brings to the School of Pharmacy.”
Thirty faculty and staff were recognized for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service to UMSOP and the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
“I started at UMB in 2010 as a recent college graduate and contractual employee,” said Hillary Edwards, PhD, MPH, director of research for the PATIENTS Program. “Throughout my time here, I have felt supported by campus administration, colleagues, supervisors, and mentors in my professional growth. I’m also grateful to have been part of the University’s evolution, as well as the growth of the PATIENTS Program as a nationally recognized program in patient and community engagement in research.”
Michel noted that the expertise and institutional knowledge accumulated over years of service help ensure continuity, strengthen the school’s mission, and support its commitment to educational excellence. She also emphasized the important role faculty and staff play in fostering the school’s community.
“Beyond knowledge and expertise, your service has contributed to something perhaps even more precious, the sense of community that we cherish here,” Michel said. “Our community is built by people who invest their time and effort, who care about their colleagues, our students, and the greater mission of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.”
Chad Johnson, PhD, who graduated from the school in 2019 and is now an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received his five-year award. “It’s hard to believe how quickly five years have passed since I joined the school as faculty during the challenges of the pandemic in 2020,” he said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside outstanding colleagues and students, and it’s been rewarding to contribute to the school’s mission.”
Recognizing Leaders in Inclusive Excellence
Following the Years of Service Awards presentation, the school honored recipients of the LEADer in Inclusive Excellence Awards, which recognize employees whose actions create meaningful and sustained impact through enhancing holistic student success, fostering a thriving culture, and advancing institutional excellence.
Chanel Whittaker, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, professor of practice, sciences, and health outcomes research and associate dean for institutional excellence and engagement, thanked Michel for her continued support of the school’s inclusive excellence efforts and recognized the work of the UMSOP Inclusive Excellence Council, the school’s standing advisory body of faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate trainees dedicated to advancing community engagement, leadership development, and full participation across the UMSOP community.
Whittaker also acknowledged the members of the 2026 LEADer Nominations and Awards Committee, including Julianna Brammer, Lindsey Courier, Daniel Deredge, P3 PharmD student Fatima Guisse, Tuan Huynh, Ester Villalonga Olives, Yasmin Towns, and Zoe Welsh, engagement coordinator in the Office of Institutional Excellence and Engagement.
“The support of our dean and the engagement of so many people across the school exemplify our shared commitment to creating a stronger school community,” said Whittaker.
Reflecting on the origins of the award, she explained that it grew from a simple but powerful question posed by the Inclusive Excellence Council.
“When the council developed the LEADer Award two years ago, it emerged as an answer to a powerful question: How do we tell the story of inclusive excellence at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy?” Whittaker said. “The council decided that the best way is to recognize and celebrate the many ways inclusive excellence is already happening across our community.”
Individual Impact Award
The Individual Impact Award was presented to Susan dosReis, PhD, professor and co-vice chair for research and scholarship in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research (P-SHOR).
DosReis was recognized for nearly 15 years of advancing inclusive excellence through mentorship, research, teaching, and leadership. Her nomination highlighted her mentorship of more than 50 PharmD students and 26 PhD students, as well as her commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where students from diverse backgrounds are empowered to grow, contribute, and succeed.
As P-SHOR’s co-vice chair for research and scholarship, dosReis also has strengthened opportunities for faculty, trainees, and researchers through initiatives such as the Community DataBase Program and expanded access to major health care research databases. Her work has increased access to research resources, strengthened scholarship, and helped build infrastructure that benefits the entire school community.
Programmatic Impact Award
The Programmatic Impact Award was presented to Greer Griffith, MS, executive director of development.
Griffith was recognized for developing innovative programs that reduce barriers to student success while fostering a culture of generosity, belonging, and shared responsibility.
Her nomination highlighted the creation of the Student Emergency Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided resources to students facing unexpected financial hardships, as well as the Student Support Fund, developed in partnership with the Office of Experiential Learning to help students manage costs associated with Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotations.
Griffith also was recognized for building philanthropic initiatives that connect alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the school around a shared commitment to supporting UMSOP students. Since Griffith developed it in 2017, the school’s Online Giving Event has raised more than $595,000 from over 2,000 donors.
School-wide Impact Award
The School-wide Impact Award was presented to Shannon Tucker, PhD, MS, CPHIMS, assistant dean for instructional design and technology, who was recognized for her leadership in advancing accessibility, equity, and student support across the school.
Her nomination cited the creation of the school’s Educational Support and Disability Services testing space, which was designed to provide students with accommodations in an environment that promotes dignity, privacy, respect, and equitable access to educational opportunities.
Tucker also developed the Digital Accessibility Foundations microcredential and led training, consultation, and resource-development efforts that have helped faculty and staff incorporate accessibility into course design, communication, and student support practices. Her work has strengthened the school’s capacity to meet evolving accessibility standards while fostering a culture in which accessibility is viewed as a core component of student success and belonging.
Building a Stronger School Together
Concluding the ceremony, Michel expressed her appreciation to all award recipients and reflected on the collective impact of their contributions.
“The years ahead hold great promise, and it is because of dedicated individuals like you that I am confident in our collective ability to continue making a positive impact on our students, the pharmacy and health sciences professions, and society,” she said.