Focus on Faculty With Jenelle Sobotka, PharmD

The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy welcomes Jenelle Sobotka, PharmD, to the position of professor and director of the online certificate and master’s programs in pharmacy leadership. These programs are new to the college in the 2016-2017 academic year with the groundwork laid by Professor Emeritus Marianne Ivey, PharmD. Ivey joined the college in 1988 and led a professional focus in the area of clinical pharmacy service delivery, leadership and health care policy until her retirement in 2016.

"I certainly applaud Dr. Ivey and the UC team for their vision in creating a program to address the need for leadership development in our profession. I am excited to help start up this fully online program for working pharmacists from all practice backgrounds,” Sobotka says.

Sobotka brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. Before coming to UC, she was professor and endowed chair of pharmacy practice at Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy. She was responsible for enhancing the professional leadership and innovative patient care components in the students’ curriculum. She also taught in the area of global and national health policy and the role of the pharmacist in self-care.

Sobotka received her BS and PharmD degrees from the University of Iowa. Her early career roles included community pharmacy, clinical specialist/internal medicine (with the Department of Veterans Affairs), association management, industry, and academia. She was associate director of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and director of the Iowa Center for Pharmaceutical Care – a coordinated effort between the Iowa colleges and professional society to change pharmacy practice that gained both national and international recognition. Sobotka co-authored the book, A Practical Guide to Pharmaceutical Care. Prior to joining ONU, Sobotka was director of professional relations for Procter & Gamble at their headquarters in Cincinnati.

Sobotka was the 2012-13 American Pharmacists Association (APhA) president and has served two terms with the APhA Board of Trustees. In 2015, she was elected to the executive committee of the academic section of the Federation of International Pharmacists (FIP). Sobotka has also dedicated time, energy and leadership to public initiatives, through service on the Hardin County Memorial Hospital – Quality Committee, and former service as a board member for the American Academy of Pediatricians – Ohio Chapter and the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy of Cincinnati.
Sobotka has received several honors and awards including the 2008 Kappa Epsilon National Career Achievement award, the 2003 University of Iowa Rho Chi Honorary Alumni Award, and was recognized as an APhA Fellow in 2003. She was presented with an honorary degree by Western University and honored as a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Pharmacy. She is also a Distinguished Fellow and Member of the National Academies of Practice.

In Sobotka’s own words:

When did you decide pharmacy was your career path?
I decided this in my high school years, when I knew I wanted to help people improve their health and was fascinated with the miracle of medicines that could cure disease and improve symptoms.

Why did you choose UC?
I have been very impressed with the recent advancements at the college made under Dean Neil MacKinnon's leadership, including the approval of the new Master's and Certificate Programs in Pharmacy Leadership that are unique in the country. Because these new programs are a partnership with UC's Lindner College of Business and the College of Allied Health Sciences, I am also looking forward to the collaboration and expertise brought from our combined efforts to help the programs excel. 

What area of pharmacy draws your attention the most? 
Since my earliest student days working in a pharmacy I have believed the pharmacist should be allowed to do more to improve the medication use of their patients. Unfortunately there have been many barriers to this—not the least of which is assuring recognition of and payment for pharmacists' patient care services. By actively engaging in pharmacy organizations, first through meeting participation, later in committee and board of director roles, and finally as the 2012-13 president of the American Pharmacists Association—I have always focused on advancing our patient care practice and ensuring the pharmacist's value in improving medication use is recognized in our health care system. A highlight of my time as an officer with APhA, was the introduction of the federal Provider Status legislation. Now we MUST get the bill passed through Congress! Continued advocacy for this and other approaches to advance the practice of pharmacy, giving patient’s access to the pharmacist's patient care services will remain my focus in my professional organization work.

Outside interests?
My husband and I have two children who are grown and finishing college so we are empty nesters. However, we recently added Mia, a new puppy, to our family and we are spoiling her with lots of attention! As for hobbies, I would have to say that professional involvement in pharmacy organizations has always been important and I’ve found volunteering my service to be both challenging and rewarding. Having completed my officer term with APhA, I'm now increasing my involvement with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the FIP. This past year I have served as a facilitator to the AACP Academic Leadership Fellows Program. At the global level, I was elected last fall to the executive committee of the academic section of FIP. In this role, I'm looking forward to contributing to work to advance pharmacy education around the world.