Alumni Awards

David Kile, BSc, MS, RPh, held many positions at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences throughout his career. Among roles, he served as the chair and executive director of Continuing Education and Professional Development, project lead for the student-operated pharmacies, and as an instructor of Pharmacy Administration. Prior to his tenure at ACPHS, Kile worked at various hospitals in the Capital Region and Vermont. He earned his bachelor's degree in pharmacy from ACPHS in 1974 and a master's degree in health system management from Union College in 1991. Kile was affiliated with several organizations, including the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP), the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), and the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY).

Kile passed away in 2023 and will be honored with a tree dedication ceremony during the 2024 ACPHS Reunion Weekend.

Martin Irons, BSc, RPh, CDCES has had a varied and interesting career since graduating in 1988. Already an enlisted pharmacy specialist in the Army Reserve when he enrolled, he later accepted a commission into the Officer Corps of the Army Reserve. 

In civilian practice, he worked for Fay’s Drugs following graduation before working at four different independent pharmacies in New York and Vermont over 26 years. On a parallel path, Irons became involved in pharmacy politics. He served as president of the Pharmacist Society of Orange County, as vice-president on the board of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, and as president of the Vermont Pharmacists Association.  

His career has been marked by award winning innovation: he was one of the first pharmacist-certified diabetes educators in New York; he penned several pieces of legislation that became law in Vermont; and was one of the first pharmacist-vaccinators in Vermont as well as the first pharmacist allowed to use the Vermont State Immunization Registry. Through a pioneering collaboration with a local medical center, he became one of the first community pharmacists to have electronic health records access of his patients while they were in the hospital to improve transitions and outcomes post discharge. He continues to push boundaries on this front with collaborations in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. 

He also worked in industry for several years as an insulin sales consultant, served as a board member and author for Diabetes Living magazine, and served on the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Alumni Board. 

Not to be a one-trick pony, Irons is a World War II researcher-author with two books to his credit and a third to be published in 2025. 

He and his wife, Ann, have three adult daughters. They enjoy running and spending as much time as possible at their lake camp upstate.

Youssef Bessada, PharmD, BCPS is an assistant clinical professor of Pharmacy Practice with the faculty at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. A board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist (BCPS), Dr. Bessada was the previous Connecticut Society of Health System Pharmacists Resident Taskforce Co-Chair and is actively involved with the Anticoagulation Forum’s international efforts. He was the first recipient in Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ history of the prestigious United States Public Health Service Excellence in Pharmacy Service Award for his work in opioid use disorder education in Albany, NY, as a student with Dr. Angela Dominelli and Jane Boyd.  

Dr. Bessada has a passion for system-based, transition of care management in patients with cardiovascular disease states, anticoagulation stewardship, and pharmacy-led preventative medicine. He was most recently honored as the recipient of the 2024 UConn School of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year award and continues to be a passionate advocate for elevating pharmacy student and resident learning experiences. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ACPHS in 2020 and completed his PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency training at the UConn John Dempsey Hospital of UConn Health, followed by training in a PGY-2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. 

In his free time, Dr. Bessada loves to spend time with his family and cook for them. He enjoys exploring new cuisines through travels with his wife, Monica. 

Christina Lombardi, PharmD, BCOP, is the cancer care and research clinical pharmacist at St. Peter's Health Partners in Albany, NY.  She is a preceptor for APPE students and PGY1 Pharmacy Residents in ambulatory care oncology/hematology.  Dr. Lombardi currently serves as the president of the Northeastern New York Society of Health-systems Pharmacists (NENYSHP), the Communications Committee Chair for the New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists (NYSCHP), a member of the board of directors of the NYSCHP Research and Education Foundation, and on the ACPHS GOLD Advisory Board.   She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2017 and completed her PGY1 residency at Baystate Medical Center and her PGY2 oncology/hematology residency at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.   

Outside of pharmacy, she is a dance teacher at Barbara's School of the Dance, a fitness instructor, and an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul parish community.

Heather Bartle-Ferrarese, BSc, PharmD, is the co-owner of Bartle’s Pharmacy in Oxford, New York. Dr. Ferrarese works closely with her father, Brian, a 1962 ACPHS alum. She has been involved with the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY) since 2015, working her way up from board member to president and chairwoman of the board in recent years. 

She earned her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 1996 and went on to complete her PharmD at ACPHS in 1998. 

Since graduating from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2012, Zarina Jalal, PharmD has been running Lincoln Pharmacy in Albany, NY.  In her time at Lincoln, she has expanded the clinical services offered to include immunizations, point of care testing, medication synchronization, and adherence packaging.  In addition to her role at Lincoln, Dr. Jalal also serves on the Board of Managers for CPESN-NY, and as the Treasurer of the RX PAC of New York.  She is a co-founder of the Albany Muslim Advocacy Coalition and is a past recipient of the Bowl of Hygeia.    

She completed her PharmD at ACPHS in 2012. 

Michael Duteau, RPh is president of Noble Health Services, the specialty pharmacy division of KPH Healthcare Services. Prior to joining Noble, he served in the role of vice president of business development for all KPH divisions and vice president of pharmacy operations for Kinney Drugs. Duteau was elected to the KPH Board of Directors in July 2023.   

In addition to his roles at Noble and KPH, Duteau served on the PQA Board of Directors for 6 years. He is president of the Community Pharmacy Association of New York and president of the Vermont Chain Drug Association.  

A member of the New York Board of Pharmacy for 15 years, Duteau collaborated with stakeholders to expand the scope of practice and advance the profession of pharmacy. He continues to maintain multiple state licenses and has turned completing and tracking continuing education into a full-time hobby. 

Duteau graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy and supported his alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees for nine years. He also completed his executive education at Wharton and Syracuse University.  

He lives in Syracuse, NY, with his wife, Molly, and two children, Jon and Jackie. He is an avid runner, enjoys all things related to wine and is clearly an amateur golfer.

Kerry Roarke ’09, PharmD, RPh, C-SPI, is a dedicated poison specialist at the Northern New England Poison Center. With a passion for mentoring and education, Dr. Roarke has guided numerous PharmD and RN candidates in obtaining their poison certifications. She has also presented posters at the national toxicology conference on two case reports which she co-authored.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Roarke is a dedicated community volunteer, providing support to fellow survivors of domestic violence. She co-created two innovative apps designed to connect individuals in crisis or recovery with essential resources and speaks at local events to raise public awareness.

Dr. Roarke currently lives in southern Maine with her girlfriend and their blended family of five.

John Denio, BS, MS, MBA is a former faculty member at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Over a 39-year career with ACPHS, he progressed from instructor, assistant professor, associate professor with tenure, associate dean of students, dean of students, dean of students and academic affairs to provost. He taught Calculus, freshman lectures, Macroeconomics, Principles of Management, Organizational Management Theory, and Pharmacy Administration. He was also the ACPHS men’s basketball coach and men’s soccer coach. Under his leadership, the men’s basketball team won two NAC Championships. Throughout his time at ACPHS he was honored with several awards including ACPHS Outstanding Teacher of the Year, ACPHS Administrator of the Year, induction into the ACPHS Albert M. White Athletic Hall of Fame, and Chapter Advisor and National President of Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society. Denio retired as Provost of ACPHS in 2015.

He graduated from Union College with a bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies – engineering and economics and a master's in health systems management. He went on to earn an MBA from Russell Sage College.  

Jane Boyd, BSc, RPh, CDCES is the co-director of the pharmacy skills lab, as well as an instructor at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Iowa. She spent much of her career employed at various pharmacies in and around the Capital Region. She serves as a preceptor for APPE students in pharmacy skills courses. She is a current member of several different organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists (NYSCHP), and the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE). 

Boyd earned her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from ACPHS in 1982.