Tara Modisett, CAE
Executive Director
Tara Modisett, CAE
Executive Director
Tara has been with APMS since its inception in 2005 and is responsible for the initial development, subsequent growth, and management of the PSO. She serves as a representative to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error and Reporting and Prevention, has served on the Medication Safe Use Workgroup of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, the Pharmacy HIT Taskforce, and is a member of the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety. For over 16 years, Tara has trained pharmacy staff in medication safety and has presented numerous times on the topic at state and regional pharmacy conventions. A University of Richmond graduate, she has taken many graduate level business classes over the years. She earned her Certified Association Executive certification in 2019.
Tara is an active community and church volunteer. Most early mornings you can find her at spin or bootcamp classes at the YMCA and on sunny weekends your best bet is to check the tennis court, bike trails, or a live music venue. Crossword puzzles and mystery novels serve as her mental escape
Karen Brunner
Director of Operations
Karen Brunner
Director of Operations
Karen joined APMS as Director of Operations in February of 2022! A graduate of Auburn University, she has a degree in accounting and is much utilized and appreciated here! She lives in Alexandria, so she works remotely with us. A mother to three, Karen loves giving back to the community through volunteering and is an avid history reader! She loves discovering new restaurants and cuisines and loves to visit the monuments of DC at night!
John Kessler, BS Pharm, PharmD
Chief Medication Safety Officer
John Kessler, BS Pharm, PharmD
Chief Medication Safety Officer
John has been the Chief Medication Safety Officer for APMS since 2008, when APMS became a federally listed PSO. His work with APMS includes special projects, education and training projects, and consulting with community pharmacies to improve the safety of patients receiving care. He graduated from West Virginia University and from Duquesne University and completed a Fellowship in Postmarketing Surveillance at the Medicines Safety Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa. He has practiced pharmacy for more than 40 years, accumulating experience in direct patient care, pharmacy operations, pharmacy management, public health, and clinical research. He is also the Chief Clinical Officer of SecondStory Health, LLC, a boutique medication safety firm he founded in 2003. He has served on national and state committees that advance pharmacy practice and medication safety. His professional work has been recognized by his peers with awards including the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP) President’s Award, the NCAP Innovative Practice Award, the NCAP Don Blanton Outstanding Achievement Award, and the ASHP Executive Vice President’s Award for Courageous Service.
How did you best relieve stress/cope during quarantine in 2020?
From difficult life situations and lessons learned long before the pandemic, I knew that I had to develop a “new normal” and maintain a daily routine while staying physically active through golf and hiking with my family. My “secret” coping mechanism has been to binge on Jeopardy and reruns of the TV show “Monk”.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Over my lifetime, I’ve had great advice from my parents and family, colleagues, professional mentors, and perhaps most surprisingly from a colleague who had been a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was the circus clown that reminded me “The show goes on. The show must always go on”.
APMS is Hiring!
Customer Care Manager
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
Put your pharmacy technician skills to work in patient safety. The APMS patient safety organization (PSO) seeks a customer service oriented, detail-oriented administrative and operational support team-member. The APMS PSO provides thousands of independent, chain, and compounding pharmacies with a medication safety program called Pharmacy Quality Commitment (PQC+). Our tools and services help pharmacies report and study patient safety events, implement corrective training, and improve patient care. The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting with day-to-day client communications, training, invoicing, and account retention services.
MEMBER SUPPORT & MANAGEMENT: Provide member support, training, and retention activities
- Answer emails and return calls for assistance
- New member onboarding tasks
- Call members to offer support and set up and give basic program training
- Identify opportunities for improvement and take actions on those opportunities
- Work with executive director to analyze renewal data to identify patterns, trends, and variations in retention
- Take action and be creative when targets are not reached
- Attend educational conferences/learning programs to enhance knowledge of the PSO space and CQI practices
- Work with other staff on retention messaging and mailings
- Work with other staff to support chain and buying group accounts, as needed
- Other administrative duties as assigned
COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES: Work with staff to maintain and update APMS messaging, which includes website documents and educational webinars
- Assist in preparation, design, and distribution of messaging
- Send scheduled client messaging
- Work with staff on newsletters and alerts
- Work with staff to develop messages for pharmacies
- Distribute messaging for clients
- Help develop website documents and educational webinars as needed
FINANCIAL AND DATABASE SERVICES:
- Preparation of PQC+ Account invoices, preparation of monthly reports, retention messaging and follow-up
- Update and maintain client databases
- Prepare and send annual invoices
- Track renewals and send follow-up invoicing
- Follow up calls to non-renewals
- Compile monthly reports on status of engagement and member retention
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
Two years’ experience in a customer service position.
Pharmacy Tech experience a plus.
Salary and Benefits
Competitive Salary
Generous paid time off
Medical
General Medical Leave and Family Leave
401k 3% match
Semi remote (can work from home with a few days per month in office)
The ideal candidate will be self-motivated person who enjoys working in a small team environment. Successful applicant will be a true “organizer” who enjoys special challenges and projects that require a high level of customer service creativity and problem- solving skills. Additional skills, knowledge and abilities required: • Strong project coordination and organizational skills • Excellent oral and written communications skills • Strong attention to detail • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suites required (Word (including mail merge), OUTLOOK, Constant Contact, GoToMeeting, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and SAGE ACT or database management • Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks effectively • Initiative • Knowledge of small business operations
Job description may evolve as new opportunities and responsibilities emerge.