Health Professions Day Schedule

Breakout Session Schedule

Keynote Panel

Panel Moderator

Corey Lewis

Corey brings over ten years of expertise as a Health Coach, with a background in corporate wellness and clinical environments. He earned his Health Coaching degree from the University of Iowa. He expanded his knowledge through additional training at Johns Hopkins, focusing on behavior modification, weight management, and tailored coaching approaches. Currently, as a Clinical Health Coach at Safety Net Hospital in Des Moines, IA, Corey commits himself to assisting patients in reaching their health objectives and controlling chronic illnesses.

Drawing from his work with underserved populations and personal encounters with the healthcare system, Corey is driven to enhance healthcare experiences for those most in need. He established The Healthy Project, a company dedicated to generating health equity content, such as the Healthy Project Podcast and the mental health series, Coffee Can't Fix Everything, and My City My Health, a health equity conference series promoting health equity conversations

Panel Participants

Brenda Lugo

Brenda Lugo, PA-C completed her medical education at Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado- School of Medicine- in Venezuela where she graduated as a Medical Doctor.

After graduation, she worked at a rural hospital for one year as a Physician and as the Medical Staff Coordinator. Several years later, here in the US, she attended Physician Assistant School at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she graduated with her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) and is now a Family Medicine certified Physician Assistant at UnityPoint Clinic in Des Moines.

When not at work, you may find her jogging with her dogs, reading, listening to podcasts, or traveling with her family.

Angela Mickens Bolden

Angela Mickens Bolden, is a Board Member of Black Women 4 Healthy Living (BW4HL). She was a Surgical Nurse for 27 years before moving to Infection Prevention at UnityPoint DesMoines. She is graduate of Grand View University Nursing, she has her Bachelors in Nursing and Theology. Her vocational purpose is to bring awareness to Health disparities of the African American Community. She writes a Wellness Wednesday blog on the BW4HL FB page.

Angela has been married to Clifton Bolden for 10 years; and has 5 children together: Jessica, Arica, Eric, Sienna and Xarius. They have been blessed with 6 grandchildren. She is a member of Corinthian Baptist Church and their Deaconess Ministry.

Dr. A.J. Stefani

Dr. A.J. Stefani is a board-certified internal medicine physician practicing as an acute care hospitalist with UnityPoint Clinic Central Iowa Hospitalists who’s been in practice since 2014. He’s a native Iowan that received his undergrad training at University of Iowa, medical school at Des Moines University and IM residency at University of Iowa- Des Moines campus based at Iowa Methodist hospital. He has served as the medical director for his department since 2018 and is the current Vice Chief of Staff for the UnityPoint Des Moines hospitals. He is openly gay and has special interests in LGBTQ health disparities providing education to UnityPoint Physicians, American College of Physicians – IA Chapter, and a contributor to the Society of Hospital Medicine LGBTQ Special Interest Group. He currently serves on the hospital systemwide DEI committee, mentors other LGBTQ medical students and residents and works daily to shine visibility on being a gay physician because representation matters and wasn’t always possible in the generation before him. When not working, he spends time with his husband, Michael, and 3 miniature schnauzers at home or traveling the world, most recently visiting Thailand and Cambodia in January 2024. Advocacy, authenticity, empathy and a desire to do better when we know better are values he espouses to help make a difference. He is very thrilled to be joining this esteemed panel at Drake University.

Leah Siegfried

Leah is Physician Assistant at Primary Health Care, a federally qualified health care center with 6 locations in in Des Moines, Ames, and Marshalltown. Her clinical practice is a mix of family medicine and specialty care for people living with HIV.

She has been in practice for 16 years and has experience working in private practice, free clinics, medical missions, community health clinics, school based clinics and homeless shelters.

Guest Speakers

Vinh Nguyen (LSI rep) 

Vinh Nguyen was born in Saigon, Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam War in the early 1960s. Growing up in a family of ten brothers and sisters, Vinh developed a strong sense of collaboration for success and helping others at a young age. Soon after the Vietnam War came to an end on April 30, 1975, life in South Vietnam changed completely as the government tried to put socialism and communism into practice. In summer 1981, his parents decided to have him escape from Vietnam to seek freedom and opportunities for his future. He was smuggled out of Vietnam along with another 134 Vietnamese on a tiny, less than seaworthy boat, but their vessel was fortunate enough to be finally saved by an oil tanker, and they were sent to a refugee camp in Thailand. He later was accepted by the United States and resettled in Des Moines, Iowa.

With no English language skills, he found many difficulties in adjusting to life in America beginning at the age of twenty-two; he struggled in communication in English and often relied on others to help in finding jobs, interpretation, etc. He then decided to enroll in classes to learn English and worked many different odd jobs to survive. He currently works for Lutheran Services in Iowa, is very active in the language minority communities, and serves as the president of Vietnamese American Community in Iowa. Vinh also serves as a storyteller, speaker, and consultant for many topics related to Vietnam, Southeast Asia, refugee and resettlement process, and second language acquisition issues throughout Des Moines and surrounding areas.

Vinh was the recipient of the “Passport to Prosperity Award” from the Iowa Council for International Understanding in 2004; the “Dan Chavez, Beyond the Horizon Award” in 2005, a prestigious award given to an individual who demonstrates extraordinary effort on behalf of immigrant, refugee, and non-English speaking populations of Iowa; the DMACC Alumni Award in 2009; and the Governor’s Volunteer Award in 2010.

Kayla Bell (QPR Training)

Kayla is a queer-identifying therapist and has worked in the mental health field since 2016. She is formally trained in EMDR, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Level 1 Internal Family Systems Therapy, andspecializes in trauma informed approaches, especially as it relates to racial and LGBTQ+ related trauma, inner child work, and shame/low self-esteem. In her free time, Kayla enjoys dancing, content creating, playing the clarinet, playing basketball, lifting weights, and spending time with loved ones.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. After this 1-hour training, you will become a QPR Gatekeeper, and more aware of the ways to intervene when someone is having a mental health emergency.

Heather Watson

I'm a licensed Mental Health Counselor and an International Alcohol and Drug Counselor. My clinical interests include working with marginalized communities and oppressed systems. I've been providing support services in the Des Moines community for nearly 10 years, while nurturing my personal recovery journey for 13 years. 

During the breakout session We'll answer questions centered around who is at risk and why addiction is categorized as a disease.  We'll examine the diagnostic criteria for a substance abuse disorder (SUD) and examine the disease model of addiction. 

Lindsay Gilbert

I'm Lindsay Gilbert, adjunct instructor at Drake University for the past 14 years. I served as Drake's SJMC Assistant Director of Career and Professional Services last year before taking time off in the spring to focus on my mental and physical health. I also live with two chronic and incurable rare disorders (Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome with complications), a vascular disorder (brachial plexus neuropathy) and live with chronic severe depression, anxiety and Complex-PTSD. 

My philosophy has always been human first. By sharing information about rare diseases and the barriers to care, I hope to shed light on an underserved, isolating and often unknown population. I will delve into my rare diseases and provide some context into rare and invisible diseases in the hopes all listeners will all see their patients as a human first, and a patient second.

Dr. Haack, Yusuf Ibrahim, and Emma Hepworth 

Sally Haack is a pharmacy professor in the CPHS.  She teaches in the Skills-Based Lab Course as part of the PharmD program and also precepts students at Primary Health Care Clinic.  Yusuf Ibrahim and Emma Hepworth are current P4 students on rotations at Primary Health Care, a federally-qualified community health center in Des Moines.

This breakout session will focus on providing patient-centered care in a federally-qualified community health center.  Interprofessional teams are especially important in settings where health disparities exist to address social determinants of health.  The breakout will use patient case examples to prompt discussion about approaches to improve health equity.

DISCO - Disability Coalition

Talia (she/her) - I am a sophomore studying health sciences and psychology on the pre-occupational therapy track. I am the current programming chair for DISCO. As a disabled and chronically ill student, I am very passionate about the US healthcare system and the impacts that it has on individuals, specifically those with rare diseases or rare presentations of diseases. 

Riley (he/him) - I am a junior majoring in Secondary Special Education with a concentration in Behavioral Analysis of Developmental Disabilities. I hold the secretary and treasurer positions for DISCO. As a disabled future educator, I care greatly about the resources available to students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, especially for those whose schools require a diagnosis in order to implement educational accommodations and supports.

We will be discussing what Drake’s Disability Coalition (DISCO) is and the impact it has had on the community. We will also be delving into the diagnostic process and experience, specifically with rare diseases, along with the impact of a diagnosis. We will also touch on health professionals and the education system.

Laura Delaney (PA-C)

 Is the director of clinical education for the DMU PA program. She has been in academia for 15 years but still practices one day a week in a pediatric clinic. She started her medical career as a RN working in the newborn intensive care unit as a transport nurse, flying to get critically ill newborns and attending high risk deliveries at Methodist Hospital in DSM. Laura Has traveled on many medical missions as a PA with medical students . Mali, Africa, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Honduras, St. Lucia, and Haiti.

Cultural humility framework, which holds to a lifelong commitment to self-reflection and the redressing of power imbalances to build mutually beneficial relationships, can produce positive outcomes with short-term mission participants. With a goal of cultivating mutuality and developing respectful relationships with an objective to increase the provider’s knowledge, attitude, and communication skills with patients from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Stelter and Dr. MB  

Dr. Wendy Mobley-Bukstein PharmD is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Drake University in 1999 and is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist and Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She teaches a Medication Management elective, co-teaches the Advanced Diabetes Care elective, and coordinates the Intermediate Pharmacy Skills and Applications 2 lecture and lab. She teaches in the Pharmacy Skills and Applications course series and the Self Care & Nonprescription Products course. She maintains a clinical practice at Primary Health Care EastSide Clinic where she precepts third- and fourth-year student pharmacists, focusing on interprofessional ambulatory care and diabetes as a specialty practice. Her areas of interest in practice and scholarship are diabetes, medication management services and community education. She is the Immediate Past President of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management, President and Advocacy Lead for the Iowa Chapter of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists Coordinating Body, an active member of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, where she sits on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee and Technology Committee. She is an active member of the Iowa Pharmacy Association, where she participates on the Legislative Committee. She is currently studying to become a certified personal trainer and certified nutrition coach. She has a passion for helping people dream, set and achieve their goals

Nora Stelter, PharmD, CHWC, is an Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, and Coordinator, Community Pharmacy Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences at Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.  She is a 2000 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and completed a residency in association management at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). Dr. Stelter is also a certified health and wellness coach. In her current role, Dr. Stelter’s passion is mentoring and teaching future pharmacy leaders at Drake. She teaches the Self-Care course, Continuing Professional Development III course, and an elective course on Health Coaching. Dr. Stelter also works with students to provide wellness services for university employees including immunizations and health coaching. Dr. Stelter serves as a preceptor for introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences. Dr. Stelter also enjoys dedicating her time as a chapter advisor for the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) at Drake. 

Dr. Stelter has a deep connection with APhA dating back to her collegiate days, which she accredits to helping shape her pharmacy career path. As a student pharmacist at the University of Iowa, she served as Chapter President, as well as Region 5 Midyear Regional Meeting Coordinator. After graduation, in her position at NACDS Dr. Stelter collaborated with APhA on a multitude of initiatives, such as the development of an MTM training program. In her faculty role at Drake University, Dr. Stelter’s passion is mentoring students as the APhA-ASP Chapter Advisor for more than a decade. Her extensive involvement in APhA also has included serving as reviewer and chapter author for the Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs textbook as well as a Contributed Papers Program abstract reviewer and poster judge. She has served on the APhA Pharmacy Today Editorial Advisory Board, Taskforce on Digital Transformation, and two terms on the APhA-APPM Education Committee. Additionally, Dr. Stelter has served as an Iowa representative in the APhA House of Delegates.

Based on Mel Robbins’ podcast and utilizing the free workbook that she created, we will help you step into 2024 with clarity about what you want and help you devise a plan to make it happen. This workbook is backed by scientific evidence on the methods of behavior change and goal setting. 

You will receive the 29-page workbook and we will actively workshop utilizing the workbook during this session to help you become inspired, energized and feel in control of 2024. 

Pre-session Assignment: Listen to the Mel Robbins Podcast entitled Make 2024 Your Best Year (~40 minutes)

YouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Amazon Music

Exhibition Hall & Program Sponsors

Allen College provides students with a rich tradition of excellence in healthcare education, diverse learning opportunities, and structured programs in health sciences and nursing, to prepare professionals for the demands of a rapidly evolving healthcare system. Motivated students in all of our healthcare programs benefit from small classes and dedicated faculty. Invested in student success, Allen College builds an environment of academic exploration and trust. If you want to do meaningful work, Allen College can help you get there. Make a difference in your community with a rewarding education in healthcare!

ChildServe improves the health and well-being of more than 5,600 children each year through specialized clinical, home, and community-based programs and services. We are experts in pediatric rehabilitation and care for children and young adults who have a wide variety of developmental delays, disabilities, injuries, and other special healthcare needs.

DELTA stands for Drake Entrepreneurial Leadership Tools for Advancement. The DELTA Rx Institute facilitates the integration of entrepreneurial leadership into practice and pharmacists’ professional lives by providing and increasing access to tools that have been developed to advance practice.

Pharmacy is a unique body of knowledge that can be used to create value through advancing health and identifying new services, products, markets and opportunities to enhance people’s lives in both health-related and non-health-related areas. The DELTA Rx Institute serves to provide a leadership role and be a catalyst in identifying and developing these opportunities to create a stronger profession of pharmacy for the benefit of society.

Des Moines University is a graduate, health sciences in institution. We offer programs in anatomy, biomedical science, health care administration, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, podiatric medicine and public health.

The Iowa Pharmacy Association is the state society representing the profession of pharmacy in Iowa, united for the purpose of promoting safe and effective medication use to improve the health of patients. Established in 1880 and strengthened in 1999 through unification with the Iowa Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Iowa Pharmacy Association preserves and advances the interests of the profession and serves the professional needs of all pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.

NuCara Pharmacy is passionately committed to providing diverse pharmacy and other health care products and services, emphasizing excellence, innovation, and creativity for the benefit of patients. NuCara strives to be the recognized leader in successfully identifying, developing, and delivering superior pharmacy and other health care products and services to the delight of all patients.

There is not a pharmacy within reach for many Americans, either because the locally-owned pharmacy has shuttered or a chain pharmacy has moved out of the area. In fact, recent research indicates that there may be nearly 100 million Americans without sufficient access to a nearby neighborhood pharmacy. These individuals live in what is known as a "Pharmacy Desert." Like "food deserts" where it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food, "pharmacy deserts" exist in communities lacking easy access to prescription medications and pharmacy advice. Without this access, residents in these communities face significant obstacles to obtaining vital prescription medications and accessing much-needed information relating to drug interactions, dosage, and potential side effects. At OneroRx, we are dedicated to restoring quality, affordable pharmacy care to underserved communities.

Since 1944, SPH has prepared some of the most influential leaders in the field and has transformed the way public health is practiced around the globe. The School of Public Health improves the health and well-being of populations and communities around the world through excellence in research and education, and by advancing policies and practices that sustain health equity for all.

A trusted, global innovator in retail pharmacy with approximately 13,000 locations across the U.S., Europe and Latin America, Walgreens Boots Alliance plays a critical role in the healthcare ecosystem. The company is reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all as part of its purpose – to create more joyful lives through better health. Through dispensing medicines, improving access to a wide range of health services, providing high-quality health and beauty products, and offering anytime, anywhere convenience across its digital platforms, WBA is shaping the future of healthcare.

Chair:

• Rachel Turin (P3)

Exhibition Hall:

• Oliva Franklin (P2) - Chair
• Rhea Bajwa (SO HSCI)
• Carina Oelkers (JR HSCI)
• Areigna Ralston (SO HSCI)
• Briana Rodriguez (SO HSCI)
• Andrea Speltz (P1)

Breakout:

• Elaina Hines (P2) - Chair
• Trinity Baccam (P3)
• Sally Fry (P3)
• Mady Klebenow (O1)
• Emma Kuss (P2)

Engagement:

• Georgia Bunkers (P2) - Chair
• Brianna Anderson (P2)
• Lauren Vaaler (P1)

Publicity:

• Johnna Gary (O2) - Co-Chair
• Nicole Heeren (O2) - Co-Chair
• Lexi Georgia (O1)
• Abigail Stumpner (P3)
• Ashley Tupy (O1)