Interim Meeting 2026 - Programming

Friday, February 13

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

New Deans ACPE Orientation and Reception

By invitation only. Pre-registration required through ACPE; no additional fee.

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

New Deans ACPE Reception (By Invitation Only)

Saturday, February 14

8 a.m.–Noon

ALFP Alumni Leadership Development Session:  From Chaos to Culture: Positive Leadership and the Challenges of Higher Education 

Free for ALFP Alumni

Please note: You must be registered for the full Interim meeting to attend this session. Select this option as an “add-on” when registering for the meeting.

Join the current ALFP cohort and Dr. Jeffrey Buller, an international expert on higher education administration and co-author of the popular Atlas Guides in Higher Ed, for an interactive workshop on leading in the post-pandemic, "new normal” of higher education. He will cover aspects of positive leadership and retaining faculty and staff at your college. Network with fellow alumni before the meeting kicks off!

• Analyze the key external pressures (e.g., federal policy shifts, political polarization, enrollment trends) shaping higher education today and assess their likely impact on their own institutions.
• Establish one or more strategy options for reframing chaos into opportunity within a specific academic unit.
• Evaluate conflicting stakeholder demands in case-based scenarios and articulate a defensible course of action as a positive leader.
• Formulate a personal “line-in-the-sand” statement—i.e. a values boundary they would defend, even under institutional pressure—and anticipate possible consequences.
• Design one practical next-step intervention (with timeline and accountability) to begin shifting culture in their unit over the next 30–90 days.    

Speaker:  Jeffrey L. Buller

Noon–1:00 p.m.

ALFP Alumni Networking Lunch

Fee: $90

Please note: You must be registered for the full Interim meeting to attend this session. Select this option as an “add-on” when registering for the meeting. 

Join your fellow ALFP alumni for a networking lunch! Discuss topics from the preceding leadership session, and reconnect ahead of main Interim Meeting programming.

12:30 p.m.–1:45 p.m. 

New CEO Deans Program

Pre-registration required; no additional fee.

The Council of Deans Administrative Board invites all Interim CEO Deans and CEO Deans who have been in their roles for three years or less to attend this session. An overview of AACP and its programs, products, and services as well as an overview of the Council of Deans will be provided. The Council of Deans Administrative Board and some CEO Deans who have been in their role for several years will facilitate roundtable discussions regarding leading a college or school of pharmacy, AACP programs, and other topics of interest to new CEO Deans.

12:30 p.m.–1:45 p.m. 

New Department Chairs Program

Pre-registration required; no additional fee.

The Council of Faculties (COF) Administrative Board and the COF Department Chair Committee invite all Interim Department Chairs/Division Heads and Department Chairs/Division Heads who have been in their roles for three years or less to attend this session. An overview of AACP and its programs, products, and services as well as an overview of the Council of Faculties will be provided. COF Department Chair Committee representatives, members of the COF Administrative Board and Department Chairs who have been in their role for several years will facilitate roundtable discussions regarding leading a department/division, AACP programs, and other topics of interest to new Department Chairs.

2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.

Connections and Conversations:  All Deans

This session will offer all Deans (Assistant, Associate and CEO) the opportunity to share experiences and develop strategies in an area pertaining to Artificial Intelligence (AI). All Deans will participate in an individual table discussion followed by a full-group discussion/debrief. Following the 30-minute all-Dean session, the Assistant/Associate Deans and the CEO Deans will meet separately to discuss a topic(s) germane to their Dean group.
 

2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.

Connections and Conversations:  Department Chairs

Join colleagues for an opportunity to share ideas, make new connections and learn from each other’s challenges and successes of the past year. Connect with other department chairs while engaging in roundtable discussions on timely issues.

4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Meeting Kick Off:  Federal Policy and Higher Education in 2026: What's Next?

This session will provide an overview of the major federal policy issues facing higher education and colleges of pharmacy in 2026. What will the second year of the Trump administration bring for colleges and universities, and how can our institutions respond? The session will touch on the annual appropriations or funding process for federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH); on changes to federal student aid programs; and on regulatory changes and the resulting outlook, such as consideration of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs for research grants. The session will also discuss the regulatory and legal changes to the visa landscape for international students, scholars and faculty, and what that means for higher education.

Speaker: Sarah Spreitzer, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Government Relations, American Council of Education (ACE)

5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.

Opening Reception

Sunday, February 15

8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

Keynote Presentation:  Misinformation, Polarization, and Other Opportunities

How have changes in the political sphere affected our work? In this keynote, the speaker will demonstrate the impact of developments in law and policy on higher education. The talk will focus on new challenges within our professional settings that arise from shifting ideological views, including struggles over the boundaries of acceptable expression in class, on social media, and in protests. The presentation will focus on effective ways for addressing these challenges in ways that are anchored in the core mission of academic and professional institutions.

Speaker: Sigal Ben-Porath, Ph.D.,  MRMJJ Presidential Professor and Faculty Director, Stravros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program, Graduate School of Education, University of  Pennsylvania 

10:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

Networking Break

10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Competency-Based Pharmacy Education and Academic Coaching: Roles, Readiness, Next Steps

Presenters will lead an interactive session on advancing competency-based pharmacy education that highlights academic coaching as a practical next step.

• Describe the five core components of CBPE and explain how academic coaching supports each component.
• Self-assess their unit’s organizational readiness to adopt/expand CBPE using a brief readiness-to-change diagnostic.
• Explain how health professions literature characterizes academic coaching and related terminology.
• Prioritize two barriers and enabling actions to operationalize academic coaching within pharmacy education.

Speaker: Denise H. Rhoney, Pharm.D., FCCP, MCCM, FNCS Ron and Nancy McFarlane Distinguished Professor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Speaker: Krisy Thornby, Pharm.D., BCPS Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administration Palm Beach Atlantic University

10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Introduction to Crucial Conversations for Leaders in Academic Pharmacy

(Of Interest to Department Chairs) 

Leaders in academic pharmacy often encounter high-stakes conversations marked by strong emotions and opposing opinions—whether related to workload equity, resource allocation, faculty and staff performance, shifting program priorities and change management, these “crucial conversations” present risks if avoided or mishandled. However, they also offer opportunities for building a positive culture, stronger relationships, and organizational growth when managed skillfully. This 90-minute session introduces participants to foundational concepts and tools from the Crucial Conversations framework and guides them through interactive applications tailored to academic pharmacy. Through a lecture, brief role play, and case studies, participants will enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes for engaging in healthy crucial conversations. 

• Define the key elements of a crucial conversation.
• Describe core tools (e.g., Start with Heart, State My Path, Seek Mutual Purpose, ABC if You Disagree) that are useful in navigating crucial conversations.
• Apply basic crucial conversation strategies and tools to common scenarios leaders face in academic pharmacy.

Speaker: Sarah Shrader, Pharm.D., FCCP, Sr. Director of Academic Programs and Professional Development, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

12:15 p.m.–1:15 p.m.

Networking Lunch

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.

State-Level Pharmacy Policy and Advocacy in Action

State-level policy continues to shape the future of pharmacy practice and education, influencing how pharmacists are paid for services, how pharmacy teams operate, and how students and institutions prepare for the evolving health care landscape. This session will explore the most pressing state policy priorities impacting the profession, including payment for pharmacists’ patient care services, pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, and scope of practice expansion. Attendees will also discuss related educational policy considerations, such as student loan forgiveness programs and state budget decisions that affect colleges of pharmacy.  The session will begin with a 20-minute overview of the current state legislative and regulatory landscape, highlighting successful advocacy strategies and lessons learned from recent state campaigns. Participants will then engage in small-group discussions to identify challenges and opportunities within their own states, followed by an open discussion to share strategies and build actionable takeaways to strengthen advocacy efforts at their home institutions. 

• Describe key state policy issues affecting pharmacy practice, including payment for services, PBM reform, and scope of practice.
• Identify emerging state educational policy issues that impact pharmacy schools and student success.
• Discuss effective strategies for engaging in advocacy at the state level to advance pharmacy policy priorities.
• Develop actionable approaches to strengthen institutional and professional advocacy efforts.

Speaker:  Michael Murphy, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, The Ohio State University

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.

ALFP Debate #1

The ALFP Fellows 2025-2026 Cohort presents a debate on the topic: "Schools/Colleges of pharmacy should recognize non-traditional scholarly work as equivalent to peer-reviewed work in performance reviews and tenure evaluations." In true debate style, two teams of fellows will present opposing sides of the issue. Opportunity for discussion, and questions and answers from the audience, will be provided.

• Examine the benefits of peer-reviewed scholarship in terms of rigor, credibility, and academic impact.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of equating non-traditional work with peer-reviewed scholarship in faculty reviews and tenure decisions.

Moderator: Jonathan Wolfson, J.D. Chief Legal Officer and Policy Director The Cicero Institute;
Speakers: ALFP 2025 - 2026 Cohort

2:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m.

Networking Break

2:45 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Council of Deans Business Meeting

All members of the Council of Deans are invited to receive updates and participate in discussions regarding current and future Council priorities.

Chair: Jennifer L. Adams, Pharm.D., Ed.D., FAPhA, FNAP, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Professor, Idaho State University L.S. Skaggs College of Pharmacy

2:45 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Council of Faculties Forum

All members of the Council of Faculties are invited to participate in discussions on current and future Council priorities.

Chair: Jeff Cain, Ed.D., M.S., Professor, Director of Office of Teaching Innovation & Scholarship, and Vice-Chair, Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

4:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Networking Break

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Building Teacher Identity in a World of Scientists and Practitioners

This session invites participants to develop practical strategies for supporting and strengthening teacher professional identity (TPI), especially among faculty balancing dual identities as practitioners or researchers and educators. Drawing on recent frameworks, activities will promote reflection, discussion, and mentorship that foster TPI as a dynamic, evolving construct that influences teaching effectiveness, agency, and well-being. To aid faculty in navigating multiple roles and strengthening TPI, participants will focus on methods for creating supportive, local environments and encouraging organizational involvement. Together, attendees will identify methods to advance job satisfaction and resilience, leaving with actionable tools and insights to strengthen teacher identity in their institutions.

• Explore our own professional identities (ie, practitioner – teacher, scientist-teacher) and their intersections.
• Describe the challenges in assuming a teacher identity while training or employed as a scientist or practitioner.
• Explain the benefits of a strong teacher identity to the individual, department and college/school, such as buffering against attrition.
• Explore how horizontal and vertical integration (ie, socialization), as well as boundary crossing competencies, may aid in teacher professional identity and feelings of success. 

Speaker:  Kristin K. Janke, Ph.D., Professor & Associate Dean of Assessment, Quality, and Educational Development, University of Minnesota

Speaker:  Robin Zavod, Ph.D., Professor, Midwestern University

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

ALFP Debate #2

The ALFP Fellows 2025-2026 Cohort presents a debate on the topic: "Schools/Colleges of pharmacy should adjust the composition of faculty to align with reduced federal funding for foundational science research, with a focus on shifting away from research-intensive roles.”  In true debate style, two teams of fellows will present opposing sides of the issue. Opportunity for discussion, and questions and answers from the audience, will be provided.    

• Identify implications of changing faculty composition as a result of declining federal funding streams.
• Analyze and evaluate the financial, educational, and professional implications of shifting faculty composition within Schools/Colleges of Pharmacy in response to the decline in federal funding for foundational science research with attention on potential drawbacks and long-term consequences.
• Apply the debate topic to a specific challenge in pharmacy education.

Moderator: Jonathan A. Wolfson, J.D., Chief Legal Officer & Policy Director, The Cicero Institute; 
Speakers:  ALFP 2025 - 2026 Cohort

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Monday, February 16

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.

Yoga

Dr. Seena L. Haines, a certified yoga instructor (RYT 500), will guide you in an all-levels yoga practice. The integration of breath, mindfulness and asanas (poses) encourages relaxation and stress reduction. The practice of yoga can also reduce levels of anxiety, depression, inflammatory markers and can impact risk factors for heart disease. Practicing yoga can also improve sleep quality and duration. Many people practice yoga to improve flexibility, balance and strength-building benefits. Come join Seena on the mat!

Presenter: Seena L. Haines, Pharm.D., Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Mississippi.

8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

ACPE Update

This session will provide a general update on ACPE activities related to our four divisions. Information will be shared about the colleges and schools program with an update from the January 2026 Board meeting, continuing pharmacy education updates, international services program and pharmacy technician education program accreditation. 

Speaker: Jan Engle, Pharm.D., Ph.D. (Hon), FAPhA, FCCP, FNAP, Executive Director, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education

10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m.

Finances and Pharmacy Education: Budgeting, Costs and Consequences

(Department Chair Focused Session)

With the ever-present turmoil and changes within pharmacy education, financial management and budgeting is incredibly important. Within this session we will discuss different budget models, the opportunities and challenges associated to budget modeling, how institutional differences can affect budgeting, fiscal literacy, and cost and consequence considerations.     

• Discuss cost and consequence considerations
• Identify opportunities and challenges to budgeting.
• Identify how institutional differences impact budgeting.
• Compare and contrast different budget models                

Speaker: Evan T. Robinson, R.Ph., Ph.D., FNAP, Dean, University of North Texas Health Science Center

10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m.

Turning the Page: Writing Your Next Chapter with Purpose and Intention

Every career has chapters—and what comes after full-time work is one of the most important. Rather than viewing retirement as an ending, this session introduces the concept of preferment: intentionally creating your next chapter with clarity, energy, and purpose. Participants will hear from a panel of pharmacy academicians at three different stages in their journey—11–15 years, 5–10 years, and 2–4 years from retirement. Each will share insights, opportunities, and lessons learned. Following the panel, participants will engage in roundtable conversations with panelists who best align with their career stage, leaving with concrete strategies and a personalized action plan to design their own preferment chapter.

• Define the concept of preferment and explain how it reframes traditional retirement.
• Identify opportunities and challenges unique to different career stages leading up to retirement.
• Reflect on panelists’ experiences to generate insights applicable to their own next chapter.
• Develop a personalized action plan that clarifies values, vision, and next steps toward their preferment pathway. 

11:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Networking Lunch

1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

AACP in Action

Join us for updates on two important AACP initiatives shaping the future of pharmacy education. First, members of the U.S. News & World Report Working Group will share an update on their efforts to promote more accurate and equitable representation of pharmacy programs in national rankings. Next, learn more about AACP’s new open membership model, designed to enhance engagement and foster greater inclusivity across the academy. The session will include an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and provide feedback on these ongoing initiatives. 

Speakers: Diane B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph. , Associate Dean for Healthcare Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, and AACP Staff

1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

ALFP Debate #3

The ALFP Fellows 2025-2026 Cohort presents a debate on the topic: "Schools/Colleges of pharmacy should share instructional resources through a centralized database to free faculty time for research, service, clinical practice, mentoring, and other essential responsibilities."  In true debate style, two teams of fellows will present opposing sides of the issue. Opportunity for discussion, and questions and answers from the audience, will be provided. 

• Describe three reasons why Schools/Colleges of Pharmacy should share instructional resources through a centralized database.
• Identify the concerns of academicians when required to share instructional resources through a centralized database.
• Apply the debate topic to a specific challenge in pharmacy education. 

Moderator: Jonathan A. Wolfson, J.D., Chief Legal Officer & Policy Director, The Cicero Institute; 
Speakers:  ALFP 2025-2026 Cohort

2:00 p.m.–2:15 p.m.

Networking Break

2:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m.

Building Strong Dean–Chair Relationships: Insights from CEO Deans

(Department Chair Focused Session)

This interactive session offers an opportunity to hear directly from Pharmacy CEO Deans about their expectations, communication styles, and preferred approaches to partnering with department chairs. Deans will share insights on what makes for effective and sustainable chair–dean relationships, highlighting both common norms and individual preferences. The session will also include open dialogue, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and engage in candid conversation with the panel.

• Identify the expectations and norms CEO Deans hold for professional relationships with department chairs.
• Describe strategies for building effective, collaborative, and sustainable dean–chair partnerships.
• Engage in open dialogue with CEO Deans to clarify expectations and apply insights to one’s own leadership role. 

Speaker: Russell B. Melchert, Ph.D., Dean, University of Missouri-Kansas City
Speaker: W. Thomas (Tommy) Smith, Pharm.D., J.D., Professor and Dean of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Manchester University College of Pharmacy, Natural and Health Sciences

3:15 p.m. –3:30 p.m.

Networking Break

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Leadership Lightning Rounds: Short Bursts, Long Impact

(Department Chair Focused Session)

This fast-paced, high-impact session is designed in a dynamic round table format where participants rotate through multiple 20-minute mini-sessions, each focused on a timely and relevant leadership challenge. Each table will deliver actionable insights, peer exchange, and practical takeaways. Whether you're looking to recharge your leadership toolkit, crowdsource solutions from fellow chairs, or spark new ideas for your department, this session is designed to engage, reflect, and connect in a format that’s as efficient as it is energizing. 

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Weaving Through Legal Traffic in the Fast Lane of Higher Education Change

This highly interactive session will explore ongoing and emerging legal issues and court rulings in the higher education realm.  Through expert-led, realistic scenarios, we’ll review recent decisions and discuss possible mitigation strategies and solutions. Faculty, especially those who are administrators or who seek to become administrators, are encouraged to attend. This session is suitable for all disciplines and experience levels.

• Review recent higher education court cases and decisions.
• Explore ongoing and potential legal issues that may impact administrators in pharmacy education.
• Discuss strategies and proactive measures that pharmacy leaders may use to mitigate legal issues.

Speaker: Diane B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph., Associate Dean for Healthcare Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy 

Speaker: Kris Harrell, Pharm.D., M.A., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Pharmacy Practice, The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy    

Speaker:  Jonathan Wolfson, J.D. Chief Legal Officer & Policy Director, The Cicero Institute