Sara Kilpatrick Looking Ahead to 2026 as Ohio Pharmacists Association Chief Executive Officer

As I reflect on my first two months as Chief Executive Officer, what stands out most is the openness and generosity of OPA members. Across the state, pharmacists, technicians, educators, and partners have welcomed me into their pharmacies, campuses, and meeting rooms, offering candid feedback and thoughtful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the profession. These early weeks have been intentionally focused on listening, building relationships, and gaining a deeper understanding of how OPA can best serve its members and advance the profession across Ohio. This period of transition has been critical for assessing where the association is well-positioned and where sustained focus will have the greatest impact.

As we move through early 2026, one of my priorities is to continue spending meaningful time with members and key stakeholders across the state. This includes deepening engagement with our academic partners. I have begun visiting Ohio’s pharmacy colleges, and additional visits are planned in the months ahead to ensure I spend time with all seven institutions. These visits build on the strong foundation OPA has established with colleges of pharmacy over many years and reflect the association’s long-standing commitment to supporting pharmacy education and professional development. 

Engaging with students, faculty, and administrators provides valuable perspective on the evolving needs of the profession and reinforces the importance of early professional involvement. These conversations help future pharmacists understand not only the clinical and operational aspects of practice, but also the role OPA plays in advocacy, policy development, and protecting the profession over time. Helping students see OPA as a professional home early in their careers strengthens the association and supports a more connected, engaged profession in the years ahead. 

In addition to academic outreach, I am equally focused on expanding engagement with members across all pharmacy practice settings. Ohio’s pharmacy community is diverse, encompassing community practice, hospitals and health systems, long-term care, industry, academia, and many other roles that contribute to patient care and public health. Each setting brings unique challenges, priorities, and perspectives. Understanding these differences is essential to ensuring OPA’s advocacy and programs reflect the full scope of the profession. I encourage members to share their experiences and insights when we connect, as this feedback directly informs the association’s work. 

This engagement is particularly important as OPA advances an ambitious legislative agenda during the final year of the current General Assembly. Protecting community pharmacies and patient access to care, safeguarding the 340B program, pursuing meaningful pharmacy benefit manager reform, and advancing test and treat authority remain central priorities. While these issues may affect pharmacists differently depending on practice setting and patient population, they share a common objective:
ensuring pharmacists can continue to provide care in a sustainable, accessible, and professionally fulfilling manner. Member involvement—whether through responding to advocacy alerts, communicating with legislators, or sharing practice-level experiences— plays a critical role in advancing these efforts.

Internally, I continue to work closely with the Board of Trustees and OPA staff to position the organization for long-term success and will continue to focus on this throughout 2026. This includes a focus on strong governance, sound financial stewardship, and alignment around strategic priorities. We are examining opportunities to enhance member value, strengthen partnerships, and grow
OPA’s community of pharmacy professionals. I am encouraged by the Board’s engagement and leadership, as well as by the dedication and expertise of the OPA staff.

There is significant work ahead, and it will require focus, coordination, and sustained participation. At its core, OPA is a member-driven organization. Through committee service, volunteer leadership, and advocacy involvement, members shape the association’s direction and priorities. Staying engaged, sharing perspectives, and participating when opportunities arise strengthens our collective voice. My responsibility is to ensure that member input is reflected in OPA’s strategy, policy positions, and actions, and I
look forward to continuing this work together.

“I encourage members to share their experiences and insights when we connect, as this feedback directly informs the Association’s work.”

~Sara Kilpatrick