professor kamala nola appointed chair of pharmacy practice

former president of the tennessee pharmacy association takes the lead in pharmacy practice at lipscomb.

janel shoun-smith | 615.966.7078 | 02/04/2021

following the retirement of richard thompson, kamala nola, formerly the vice chair of the department of pharmacy practice, has now been named the chair of the pharmacy practice department.

nola’s areas of expertise include rheumatology, health care delivery policy and outcomes research, communication skills, and health care for vulnerable and underserved populations.
she is a member of the american pharmacists association, the academy of managed care pharmacy, the american association of colleges of pharmacy and the american college of rheumatology/association of rheumatology professionals.

nola is actively involved with the arthritis foundation of tennessee, having served as past-chair, executive committee member and advocacy chair. she also serves as the committee chair for the lipscomb college of pharmacy committee on diversity & inclusion.

“in my courses i emphasize the role of the pharmacist as a servant leader and reflect on matthew 25:40 frequently with the students. a servant leader is how i define myself, and as such, i am called to put the needs of others first and to help our faculty develop to the utmost of their abilities,” said nola.

“i look forward to working with my colleagues in this new capacity as an advocate, mentor, innovator, and leader.  we have an excellent faculty who have the ability to truly distinguish themselves in their respective areas and grow the reputation and programs within the college of pharmacy,” she said. “their success is interwoven with the success of the college, our students, our alumni and most importantly our patients.”

nola received her bachelor of science degree in psychology from middle tennessee state university, a doctor of pharmacy degree from the university of tennessee college of pharmacy, and a master of science degree in pharmaceutical sciences with an emphasis on outcomes research and pharmacoeconomics from the university of tennessee college of graduate health sciences. while working on her master’s she completed a community pharmacy residency at bartlett prescription shop with ambulatory care experience at the veterans affairs medical center, in memphis, tennessee.

prior to joining lipscomb’s college of pharmacy & health sciences, she worked in the biotechnology industry as medical science liaison for immunex and as senior health outcomes and pharmacoeconomics liaison at amgen in the areas of rheumatology, dermatology and health outcomes. she also worked as clinical assistant professor at mercer university college of pharmacy.

she is past associate executive director and past-president for the tennessee pharmacists association and past president of the american college of rheumatology/association of rheumatology health professionals.

she received the ann kunkel advocacy award from the association of rheumatology professionals for her history of advocating at local, regional/state, national and international levels. she is a recent faculty of the year awardee from the lipscomb college of pharmacy