On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA’s Vice President of Professional Affairs, Brian Wall, sits down with Iowa Board of Pharmacy Chair Erik Maki and Vice Chair Connie Connolly to discuss public service, meaningful engagement in the regulatory process, and key takeaways from the Board’s July meeting. Listeners will gain a clearer understanding of how the Board, state lawmakers, IPA, and pharmacy professionals each contribute to advancing safe and effective pharmacy practice in Iowa.

Erik Maki, PharmD, BCPS, serves as Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and as a Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Drake University. Erik grew up in Iowa City, where he also received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree and met his wife, Jenifer. After completing residency at Texas Tech University, Erik came to Drake to work with wonderful people who shared a commitment to student success through teaching excellence, cultivation of meaningful personal relationships, and mentoring. Erik has held a variety of departmental, college, and university leadership roles, including services as the Chair of the University IRB and an elected representative on the faculty senate. Prior to serving as Dean, Erik was the Chair of the Pharmacy Practice Department. He is currently serving his second term on the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

Connie Connolly, BS Pharm, BCACP, attended pharmacy school at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She has practiced at Osterhaus Pharmacy in Maquoketa, IA, for over twenty years and has precepted student pharmacists at Drake University and the University of Iowa for even longer. Connie served as President of the Iowa Pharmacy Association from 2019-2020 and currently serves on the IPA Foundation Board of Directors. She is serving her second term on the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA’s Vice President of Professional Affairs, Brian Wall, welcomes Anne Schlepphorst and Craig Ford to share insights from the May 5-6, 2026, Iowa Board of Pharmacy meeting, as well as advice for those interested in association or regulatory leadership roles.

Anne Schlepphorst serves as the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy and Monitoring Bureau Chief. Prior to this role, Anne spent 6 years with the boards, most recently serving as Chief Investigator for the Iowa Boards of Pharmacy and Medicine.

Craig Ford, PharmD, serves as MercyOne’s Regional Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy, overseeing 25 pharmacies across the state, including retail, long-term care, and infusion pharmacies. He previously spent 17 years with Walgreens. Craig is an active IPA member, serving as an IPA Delegate and on IPA’s Policy Committee on Professional Affairs. He was appointed by Governor Reynolds to serve his first term as a pharmacist member of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, beginning May 1, 2026.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA’s Vice President of Professional Affairs, Brian Wall, welcomes Jasmina Bjegovic, PharmD, and Andrew Funk, PharmD, from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to discuss the transition from the Iowa MPJE to the Uniform MPJE. Tune in to learn what stayed the same, what has changed, and how learners can best prepare for this new law exam format.

Jasmina Bjegovic serves as the Chief Officer of Examination Services at NABP, overseeing all NABP exams, including the high-stakes NAPLEX and Uniform MPJE. Prior to NABP, Jasmina practiced as a clinical pharmacist at Walgreens for over 20 years.

Andrew Funk serves as the Director of Member Relations and Government Affairs at NABP. In this role, he assists NABP’s member boards in providing necessary resources to further their mission of protecting public health. Previously, Andrew served as the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick welcomes Anne Schlepphorst, Bureau Chief of Monitoring and Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, as well as Jillian (Jill) Kremmin, PharmD, BCPS, a compliance officer for northwest and western Iowa. Anne and Jill provide an update from the latest Board of Pharmacy meeting, specifically related to compounding.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA’s Vice President of Professional Affairs, Brian Wall, welcomes Maggie Phelps, Program Administrator at the Iowa Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), to discuss her work with the Board, recent enhancements to the PMP, as well as tips, tricks and resources for pharmacies using the PMP.

Maggie Phelps, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist with over 15 years of experience in pharmacy practice, regulatory compliance, and public health. A proud graduate of Drake University, she began her career managing a high-volume pharmacy, where she developed a deep understanding of patient care, medication safety, and operational leadership. Dr. Phelps transitioned to regulatory work in 2021, serving as a Compliance Officer for the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. In this role, she conducted inspections, investigations, and helped ensure adherence to state and federal pharmacy regulations across various practice settings. In December 2024, Dr. Phelps was appointed Program Administrator for the Iowa Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), where she now leads statewide efforts to promote safe prescribing of controlled substances and reduction of prescription drug misuse and abuse.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, IPA CEO Matt Pitlick welcomes Anne Schlepphorst, Bureau Chief of Monitoring and Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, for an update from the Board, covering standard of care, immunizations, and more.

Anne Schlepphorst serves as the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, Interim Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Nursing, and Monitoring Bureau Chief. Anne has worked with the boards for the past seven years, most recently serving as the Chief Investigator for the Iowa Boards of Pharmacy and Medicine. When not working, Anne and her husband spend most of their time at the baseball field, hockey rink, wrestling mat, or football field watching their two teenage boys.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, Kate Gainer welcomes IPA lobbyist Kate Walton to recap the 2025 Iowa Legislative Session and the steps that led to the passage of IPA’s PBM reform bill, SF 383, which was signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on June 11, 2025.

**A lawsuit was filed in federal court against SF 383 on June 23, 2025. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking most of SF 383 from being enforced against the named plaintiffs. SF 383 remains enforceable for all fully insured health plans regulated by the Iowa Insurance Division, as well as any self-funded plans not named in the lawsuit. Stay tuned to IPA communications for legal updates regarding SF 383.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, Kate Gainer welcomes Andrew Funk, PharmD, Director of Member Relations and Government Affairs at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Kate and Andrew discuss what the Uniform Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (UPJE) looks like, why NABP deemed it valuable, and how it will impact pharmacy practice.

In his current role, Andrew assists NABP’s member boards in providing necessary resources to further their mission of protecting public health. Prior to NABP, Andrew served as the Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

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Introducing the Uniform Version of the MPJE

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, Kate Gainer welcomes Scott Pace, PharmD, JD, a pharmacy owner and partner at Impact Management Group (IMG), a government relations, public affairs, and consulting firm based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Kate and Scott discuss PBM reform, the role of the courts, PSAOs and more!

Scott Pace joined IMG after more than twelve years with the Arkansas Pharmacists Association (APA), where he served as CEO and COO. While at the APA, Pace successfully worked with the legislature to pass scope of practice legislation for pharmacists, legislation to amend the Arkansas Constitution to require a pharmacist consultant be a part of the Arkansas medical marijuana dispensaries, and he worked with Governor Asa Hutchinson and the legislature to pass legislation to license and regulate pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) in Arkansas.

Scott was also instrumental in crafting and passing Arkansas Act 900 of 2015, the pharmacy legislation that was the subject of the landmark Rutledge v. PCMA case that was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in December of 2020.

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On this episode of IPA’s What, Why & How podcast, Kate Gainer welcomes Iowa pharmacist and State Representative Brett Barker, PharmD, to discuss his public service leading up to the Iowa Legislature, why it’s important for pharmacists to serve in elected office, and how pharmacy professionals can get involved at the local, state or national level.

Representative Brett Barker serves the people of Story and Marshall Counties in District 51. Rep. Barker serves as Vice Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and on the Commerce, Economic Growth and Technology, and Natural Resources Standing Committees.

Representative Barker graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2008 and began his career as the Pharmacy Manager of NuCara Pharmacy in Nevada, Iowa. He currently serves as Vice President of Operations for NuCara Management Group. Rep. Barker was appointed to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy in 2017 by Governor Terry Branstad. In 2010, Rep. Barker joined the Nevada City Council before being elected Mayor in 2017. Rep. Barker, his wife, Tracy, and their five children continue to call Nevada home.

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