College Registrar Bob Nakagawa named 2018 UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Alumni Agent of Change!
Each year, the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science recognizes one of its remarkable alumni for creating a local, provincial, national or global impact in the field of community, research, hospital, governance, education or clinical pharmacy.
The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia would like to congratulate our Registrar, Bob Nakagawa, for being this year’s recipient.
As the College’s Registrar, Bob draws on his extensive industry knowledge to inform and operationalize the College Board’s direction in the regulation of pharmacy practice and the administration of provincial pharmacy legislation. He also manages and provides guidance to the College’s executive team, and staff, enabling the College to fulfill its strategic goals and initiatives, and continue to protect public health through the regulation and licensure of BC’s pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the pharmacies in which they practice.
Bob is a registered pharmacist with over 35 years of experience in both hospital pharmacy and public health administration. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from UBC in 1980, Bob began his career as a staff pharmacist at St. Paul’s Hospital before moving to Lion’s Gate Hospital where he spent 13 years, serving as director in a number of different areas including pharmacy; pharmacy and clinical nutrition; community drug utilization; clinical nutritition and palliative care; and patient care services. From there he moved into roles which included: Pharmacare director with the Ministry of Health and Director of Pharmacy Services for both the Simon Fraser Health Region and the Fraser Health Authority.
Prior to taking the role of College Registrar, Bob served as the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Pharmaceutical Services Division of the Ministry of Health. During his time with the Ministry, he was responsible for PharmaNet, drug-use optimization programs and other provincial drug programs. He also implemented an innovative evidence-based, policy-making model that has become the gold-standard for public drug plans in Canada.
Bob also has extensive experience as an industry leader in BC’s pharmacy profession, having served as President (board-chair) of the College of Pharmacists of BC, and of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists. He also served as the Federal government representative on the Health Council of Canada and chaired the Medical Services Commission, the BC Drug Benefits Committee, and the Federal Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee for Canada.
The UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Alumni Agent of Change 2018 will be held on March 22, 2018 at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre on UBC’s Point Grey Campus. Visit The UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Website for information.