LAKELAND, Fla. — Katie Scanlon is a forceful advocate for pharmacy, with a firm belief that pharmacists are a critical yet underutilized component of health care.

“Pharmacies promote wellness and mitigate cost through medication adherence, immunizations, early detection and screening,” said Scanlon, senior director of pharmacy administration at Publix Super Markets. Pharmacies proved to be the most accessible health care providers during the pandemic, she adds, and in rising to that challenge pharmacies proved their worth to the communities they serve.

Scanlon was hired by Publix as a floating pharmacist in Sandy Springs, Ga., in 2007, the year she graduated from the University of Georgia with a doctor of pharmacy degree. She worked as a pharmacy manager for five years before transitioning to corporate headquarters, where she has served as a clinical pharmacist and contributed to management teams in specialty pharmacy and managed care.

Katie Scanlon

In her current role, Scanlon develops and directs strategy for the pharmacy administration team, with oversight of procurement, managed care, new business, clinical services, technology and data and analytics.

Scanlon last year represented Publix in efforts to win passage of Florida’s Prescription Drug Reform Act, which imposes greater accountability and transparency on pharmacy benefit managers’ business practices.

Publix recently honored Scanlon with its 2023 President’s Award, whose recipients are seen as champions for an inclusive workforce and who demonstrate a willingness to allocate the time and resources necessary to develop the best possible Publix leaders.

“I try to lead by example, and I have a lot of trust and faith in my team,” Scanlon said of the recognition. “I wouldn’t ever ask someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. As a team, we celebrate our successes, but we also celebrate our opportunities as a way to continue to learn.”

In honoring Scanlon, her employer cited her commitment to communicating with transparency, and with clearly defined criteria for organizational advancement so all team members understand how to succeed and advance in their careers.

For Scanlon, the award highlights the importance of hiring and promoting diverse candidates to her management group. “Our communities are made up of diverse populations, so it is inherently important our team is diverse to ensure we’re looking at things from different perspectives,” she said. “Thinking about others’ viewpoints allows us to provide a higher quality of service and a richer experience for the communities we serve.”