PHARMACY EDUCATION (ACPE) - Key Persons

Brad Hein

Job Titles:

Associate Dean for Professional Education & Assessment

Corey Bjarnson

Job Titles:

Associate Director, Academic, Pharmacy MS / PhD Education

Corrine Sams

Job Titles:

Director of Admissions, Pharmacy Student & Alumni Affairs

Bringing a wealth of experience to his role, Dr. Christopher Surratt assumed the position of Dean of the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy in July 2022. Previously serving as the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Affairs at the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences at Long Island University, Dean Surratt's educational journey encompasses B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of Virginia, where his doctoral as well as postdoctoral endeavors at the University of California, Berkeley contributed to advancing our knowledge of RNA processing and maturation mechanisms. The goal of leading a more comprehensive effort in medication development and implementation via pharmacy and pharmaceutical science programs led Dr. Surratt to embrace the UC deanship. This new opportunity not only provided him with a new level of autonomy, a strong faculty and staff, and alignment with his research objectives but also extended unwavering support from the university administration. The allure of Cincinnati's community spirit and the desire for a more engaging environment prompted Dr. Surratt and his wife to embrace their vibrant life in Cincy, where they find themselves surrounded by friendly and welcoming neighbors. During his tenure as a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), NIH, Dr. Surratt played a significant role in advancing our understanding of vital pathways by working on a team that cloned the first opiate and psychostimulant receptor cDNAs. His contributions extended to the heroin/morphine (mu opioid) receptor, where he created and characterized some of the first mutants, elaborating crucial binding sites for abused opiates. Transitioning to academia, Dr. Surratt served as Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. There, he continued his exploration of opioid receptors and the dopamine transporter, the latter a central component in brain responses to cocaine and amphetamines. His desire for a teacher-scholar faculty environment led him to Duquesne University in 2001, where he rose to the rank of tenured Professor of Pharmacology and Division Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Surratt's contributions extend beyond research, as he has championed the creation of transformative programs. At Long Island University, he initiated a pharmacology/toxicology Ph.D. track, facilitated collaborative PharmD-MS shared credit degree programs, and played a pivotal role in achieving a 40% increase in graduate enrollment for the College. His leadership in faculty recruitment and grant mentoring contributed to the influx of $7M in external grant funding. In his first year at UC, Dean Surratt has focused on faculty and staff recruitment/retention and enhancing research faculty resources. Encouragingly, the College is rising rapidly in the national rankings of U.S. pharmacy schools by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. In the past year, the College's ranking surged from #53 to #41 and was separated from the #37-ranked program by only $100K in grant funding. The College is currently ranked #30 nationally by U.S. News and World Report.

Dr. Kelly Epplen

Job Titles:

Associate Dean
Associate Dean for Admissions & Student Affairs
Associate Dean for Admissions & Student Affairs / Associate Professor, Pharmacy Student & Alumni Affairs

Dr. Kelly Epplen is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1997 and began her career at the former Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati where her primary role was the development and implementation of ambulatory clinical pharmacist services. She has been instrumental in developing pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinics and pharmacotherapy clinics at UC Health, as well as St. Elizabeth Healthcare of Northern Kentucky. In addition, she was actively involved in residency training and has served as program director for both PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residency programs. She joined the University of Cincinnati faculty in 2009 and established a practice within the Family Practice Center of St. Elizabeth Healthcare where she was responsible for direct patient care as well as student and resident training. In 2019, Dr. Epplen assumed the role of Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions. She was an advisory board member for the Ambulatory Care BCACP examination review course and has several publications in the area of ambulatory pharmacy practice. She has co-authored the business plan development chapter in ASHP's publication: Building a Successful Ambulatory Practice and is a contributing author for ASHPs revision of the Minimum Practice Standards for Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practice. She is a member of the ASHP Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners, Section of Pharmacy Educators, and has served on a number of professional committees within ASHP. Dr. Epplen obtained board certification as an ambulatory care pharmacist in 2011 and serves on the Board of Faith Community Pharmacy.