Announcing Reunion Keynote Speaker and 2026 Alumni Award Recipients
The University of Utah College of Pharmacy is pleased to announce special highlights for its annual reunion on October 23, including an engaging keynote address and recognition of two outstanding alumni:
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rachele M. McCarthey, “The Winning Prescription: Optimizing Health for Student-Athletes”
- 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Gene Sorkin
- 2026 Rising Star Alumni Award Recipient: Taylor Kujawa
Dr. Rachele M. McCarthey to Deliver Keynote Address on Student-Athlete Wellness
Dr. Rachele M. McCarthey, Medical Director for the University of Utah Athletics Sport Psychology and Wellness Team, will deliver the evening’s keynote address, “The Winning Prescription: Optimizing Health for Student-Athletes.”
Dr. McCarthey cares for athletes at the high school, collegiate, and Olympic levels and brings a unique perspective on the connection between health and peak performance. Her keynote will explore mental health, medication management, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to athlete wellness.
Attendees will gain insight into how physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, athletic trainers, and mental health professionals work together to support athletes’ health, recovery, resilience, and performance, both on and off the field.
Gene Sorkin to Receive the College’s Highest Alumni Honor
The College is proud to recognize Gene Sorkin as the 2026 recipient of the Dean L. David and Janet C. Hiner Distinguished Pharmacy Alumni Award, the College’s highest alumni honor.
A member of the University of Utah College of Pharmacy’s inaugural PharmD class, Gene earned his B.S. in Pharmacy in 1976 and PharmD in 1977. Following a clinical pharmacy residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, he helped advance the emerging field of clinical pharmacy at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Gene later joined ADIS Press in New Zealand, where he authored reviews of new medications, served as Editor of Drugs, led an international team of medical writers, and helped launch Drugs & Aging and Disease Management & Health Outcomes.
Since 1999, Gene has served as Managing Editor of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, collaborating with leading clinicians, researchers, and authors around the world. He will retire at the end of 2026 after nearly five decades of leadership in clinical pharmacy and scientific publishing. The College is honored to celebrate Gene’s remarkable career and lasting contributions to the pharmacy profession during his 50-year reunion.
Taylor Kujawa to Receive Rising Star Award
The College’s Rising Star Alumni Award recognizes an alum who has graduated within the last 10 years and is making a meaningful impact in the pharmacy profession. This year, the Alumni Board selected Taylor Kujawa, PharmD, as the 2026 recipient in recognition of her accomplishments in oncology pharmacy, clinical leadership, education, and research.
After earning her PharmD from the University of Utah in 2020, Taylor completed both a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and a PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She then returned to Salt Lake City and joined Huntsman Cancer Institute as a Hematology Clinical Pharmacist. She recently advanced to Heme/BMT Pharmacy Supervisor, where she supports patients with hematologic malignancies while leading pharmacy services within the program.
Taylor’s clinical interests include the treatment of acute leukemias and optimizing care for adolescent and young adult oncology patients. She is also passionate about teaching and mentoring pharmacy students through the College of Pharmacy and the University of Utah’s pharmacy residency programs. In addition, she contributes to oncology research through the Hematology Research Outcomes (HERO) Consortium, collaborating on initiatives designed to advance cancer care and improve patient outcomes.
Through her clinical expertise, leadership, commitment to education, and contributions to research, Taylor exemplifies the impact of the College’s emerging pharmacy leaders.
Join Us for the 2026 Alumni Reunion
In addition to these special presentations, the reunion will feature fun pharmacy trivia, recognition for event attendees from the Classes of 1976 and 2001, dinner, and plenty of time to reconnect with classmates, faculty, and friends. To learn more about the event, please visit the Reunion Home Page.