Major at UT: Pre-Pharmacy & Pharmacy
Current Job:
- Owner and Pharmacist, Love Oak Pharmacy & 24/7 Health Club
- Vice President, National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
- Director, Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA)
1. Did you ever change majors or careers?
No, I got my first job at 16 years old working at my hometown independent pharmacy, Eastland Drug Company. That experience shaped the direction of my life.
I saw firsthand the incredible impact a pharmacist could have on a community, especially in small, rural towns. It wasn't just about dispensing prescriptions. It was about going above and beyond to help people overcome barriers to better health, whether that meant addressing medication affordability, transportation challenges, food insecurity, or simply finding creative solutions to problems that didn't have easy answers.
I was hooked. From that point forward, I became laser-focused on becoming a pharmacist, owning my own pharmacy, and making a meaningful difference in my community.
2. What do you like most about your job?
I love that no two days are ever the same! As a pharmacy owner, there's always a new challenge to overcome, a problem to solve, or an opportunity to improve patient care and grow the business. I enjoy the creativity, independence, and constant learning that come with being an entrepreneur.
As a pharmacist, there's nothing more rewarding than helping patients and their physicians get the most out of medication therapy. Whether it's improving health outcomes, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations, or reducing healthcare costs, I love knowing that our work makes a tangible difference in people's lives.
One of the things I'm most passionate about is integrating fitness and nutrition into our pharmacy practice. I believe healthcare should take a more holistic approach, focusing not just on treating disease, but on preventing it, and when possible, reversing chronic conditions through lifestyle changes. Our pharmacy and health club model gives us a unique opportunity to help patients improve their health, potentially reduce their need for medications, and ultimately live healthier lives. I'm especially excited about finding innovative ways to align financial incentives with better health outcomes, creating a healthcare model that rewards keeping people healthy rather than simply treating illness.
I also enjoy the opportunity to advocate for independent pharmacies and the communities they serve. Through my involvement in state and national pharmacy organizations, I've had the privilege of working alongside passionate leaders to help shape the future of community pharmacy.
3. Is there anything you wish you'd done differently as an undergraduate?
I wish I had been more intentional about developing leadership and communication skills earlier in life. As a student, it's easy to become so focused on academics and preparing for your chosen profession that you overlook the importance of preparing yourself to lead.
Many TIP Scholars will go on to have incredibly successful careers, and with that success comes responsibility. People will depend on you, look to you for direction, and expect you to communicate ideas, solve problems, and make difficult decisions.
Looking back, I wish I had invested more time in developing those skills early on, especially public speaking, giving presentations, articulating ideas, networking, and learning how to influence and inspire others. My advice would be to seek out opportunities to practice these skills while you're still in college. Volunteer to give the presentation for a group project, take a public speaking course, theater class, or challenge yourself to introduce yourself to someone new at a campus event. Small experiences like these build confidence over time and prepare you for much bigger opportunities down the road.
Those skills are invaluable in almost any profession, and the earlier you start developing them, the better prepared you'll be when opportunities for leadership come your way.
4. What advice would you give to current TIP Scholars?
Say "yes"... a lot! Especially while you're young and have the time and flexibility to explore new opportunities.
Get involved, volunteer, serve on committees, take on leadership roles, meet new people, and don't be afraid to try things outside your comfort zone. Within TIP, that might mean volunteering to help organize an event, taking the initiative to bring fellow Scholars together for a project, or stepping up to lead an activity. Be generous with your time, take initiative, and look for opportunities to contribute, even when there's no immediate personal benefit.
Some of the most valuable opportunities in my career have come from simply showing up, getting involved, and being willing to help. You never know which relationship, experience, or seemingly small opportunity might open a door you never imagined. As you get older, you'll eventually have to learn the equally important skill of saying "no," protecting your time, and focusing on where you can make the greatest impact. But early in your career, I believe there's tremendous value in saying yes more often than no.
You don't have to have your entire future mapped out. Just keep learning, keep building relationships, and be willing to step forward when opportunities present themselves.
5. Do you have a favorite memory from your time in TIP?
Absolutely! I still remember an icebreaker during our TIP student orientation. We went around the room introducing ourselves and sharing our favorite fruit. Most of us "normal" kids were saying things like bananas, kiwis, strawberries, or oranges.
Then one smarty-pants girl said, "Tomato."
Everyone laughed, and she proceeded to give us a short lesson on the scientific definition of a fruit.
That girl, Heather McKenzie, is now my wife of 14 years!
We have so many wonderful memories from TIP, from taking freshman classes together to studying for the same exams. Interestingly, we didn't actually start dating until Heather was a senior and I was in pharmacy school.
I still remember the day we reconnected.
At UT Pharmacy School, we had a required professional development class where everyone had to be in the lecture hall, wearing their white coats, by exactly 8:00 a.m. The doors locked at 8:00 sharp, attendance was taken, and if you were late, you were locked out and automatically lost an entire letter grade. It was a memorable lesson in the importance of pharmacists being punctual! Well, one morning, my alarm didn't go off. I threw on my clothes, rushed to campus, and arrived to find that the doors were, indeed, locked. It was a terrible start to the day. As I walked home with my head hanging low, I happened to run into Heather on the sidewalk. We hadn't seen each other in a couple of years. We stopped, talked, reconnected, and started dating soon afterward.
Had I made it to class on time that morning, I'm convinced our paths would never have crossed again. What felt like one of the worst days of my college years turned out to be one of the best days of my entire life. So, when you're having a bad day or going through a difficult season of life, remember that you never know where it might lead. Sometimes, on the other side of life's greatest challenges, are some of its greatest blessings.