Thank you all for being here this evening. Congratulations to each of the award nominees and recipients. It is such an honor to hear about your accomplishments and to celebrate alongside you tonight.  

To continue with a focus on appreciation, I’d like to first thank Emily Zadvorny for her endless support and dedication to CPS and its leaders. Your work and mentorship are invaluable. I’d also like to thank Lisa Nguyen for her guidance over the years and for always making me laugh. I’ll miss working with you on the Board.  

Lastly, I’d like to thank my predecessor, Sarah Bow, for her leadership as President of the Society this year. While Sarah and I have the same name, our leadership styles are a bit different. These different styles paired well together, and it was wonderful to learn from her steady, focused approach. Sarah, thank you for all you’ve done for CPS over the years and in your time as President. If you could please join me for a moment, I’d like to give you a small token of my appreciation.  

(Pause for gift/photo)  

Now, thinking of the year ahead. It is truly an honor to stand before you today as incoming president of the Colorado Pharmacists Society. As I begin this role, I feel a deep sense of responsibility. We are in some incredibly challenging times as a profession. Workforce shortages, pharmacy closures, workplace conditions concerns, declining reimbursement, and decreased pharmacy school enrollments, to name of few. These issues create significant stress across practice settings. At the same time, these challenges are driving innovation and advocacy efforts, positioning the profession to redefine its role in healthcare. This brings me a sense of hope. Having CPS as the collective voice representing all of pharmacy in the state of Colorado gives strength and a sense of unity. I am grateful to be part of such a committed, resilient, and forward-thinking community of pharmacy professionals.  

As I reflected on what this upcoming year should represent, three words kept coming to mind: 

Purpose. Passion. Progress.

Purpose is what grounds us. It’s why we chose this profession. It’s why we continue to advocate for the profession, expand our roles, and remain dedicated to high-quality patient care even in challenging environments. Thinking of my own purpose often provides a renewed sense of energy – and I’d like to share a bit of my own story tonight. A little-known fact about me is that I am a 5th generation pharmacist. My great-great grandparents went to pharmacy school together in Oslo, Norway before immigrating to South Dakota. They established their own pharmacy in Bridgewater, South Dakota in 1881, which was then owned and operated by three generations of Wettergreens over a span of 77 years. My grandpa then served as a naval pharmacist during world war 2, and decided to stay in California thereafter, working as an outpatient pharmacist for Kaiser. Continuing the pharmacy tradition, my dad graduated from pharmacy school in 1986 and has practiced in community pharmacy for Safeway since that time – a remarkable span of 39 years. I think we need to have a big party next year for the 40th. I have a deep appreciation for my pharmacy roots, and this fuels my drive to see the profession succeed across all settings.  

Next is Passion – which is the fuel that drives us day to day. It’s the energy we bring to every patient interaction, every student we mentor, and every policy conversation had at the Capitol. I feel honored to have found a career in pharmacy that I am passionate about and find joy in each day. This year, we will channel that passion into advocacy – and yes, I hope that WE includes YOU, too! Whether you're emailing your representative or testifying at the Capitol, we will provide tools and support to help you raise your voice with confidence and impact. 

And finally, Progress - what moves us forward and sustains us into the future. For CPS, this means growing our membership, deepening member engagement, investing in our organizational processes, and building stronger bridges with our partners. It also means recognizing the people behind our progress—through member appreciation and renewed energy across our academies and committees. 

So, this is my plan for the year:  

As we begin this year, I encourage each of you to consider how you can support CPS this year. I want to thank you for trusting me to lead the Society. I am so excited to serve and to collaborate with you this year. Thank you!