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2026 Annual Conference & National Student Retreat


ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPEAKERS 

Jeffrey A. Bates, BS  Pharm, PharmD, FMPA 

In April 2021, Dr. Jeffrey Bates was appointed Dean of Cedarville University’s School of Pharmacy after serving as Associate Dean for five years.  He works tirelessly with the School’s executive committee to see that the School aligns students’ God-given passions with their God-given abilities ensuring they become exceptional Kingdom ambassadors, ministering, and adorning the Gospel through the profession of pharmacy.  Nearly 30 years after graduating from Pharmacy school, Dr. Bates’ career has centered on pouring into more than 2,300 Pharmacists, modeling excellent care, and striving to exceed expectations. In the years prior to joining Cedarville, Dr. Bates served at Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy as Assistant Dean and Director of Student Success.  While at Ferris, he founded the Ferris Pharmacy Care Clinic in 2013.  Located inside Ferris College of Pharmacy, students continue to regularly hone their clinical skills, assuring comprehensive care to underserved patients in and around Mecosta County.  Further, he shared clinical responsibilities in an Interdisciplinary Diabetes Clinic, facilitating experiential and inter-professional learning for pharmacy, optometry, and nursing students. Dr. Bates is privileged to have been an invited lecturer many times on both state and national platforms.  Dr. Bates has helped lead several non-profit organizations, serving on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Pharmacists Association, Hope House Free Medical Clinic, Cran Hill Ministries, and the Christian Pharmacy Fellowship International.  He has served as a deacon at Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville as well as led committees in the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy and at the Michigan Pharmacist’s Association.  He is currently actively involved in the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International Board of Directors and chairs its Educational Affairs Committee. He and his wife Sheryl are originally from the west-central Michigan area but are now privileged to call Cedarville, Ohio home.  They have three children and are strong advocates for, and supporters of, foster care and adoption.

Erin Ballentine, PharmD, MBA, MS, BCPS

Dr. Erin Ballentine is originally from Frederick, Maryland. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in healthcare administration from Cedarville University in 2022. Following graduation, Dr. Ballentine completed both a PGY1 and PGY2 residency in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She also earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Management from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School in 2024. Dr. Ballentine currently serves as an Inpatient Clinical Operations Manager at the Johns Hopkins Hospital within the Adult Medicine, Emergency, and Surgery Pharmacy Division. In this role, she oversees inpatient order verification and perioperative workflows and works closely with pharmacy residents, student interns, and medication history technicians. Dr. Ballentine is actively engaged in professional pharmacy organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society (PLS), Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International (CPFI), and the Maryland Society of Health-System Pharmacy. Her leadership roles include serving on the APhA Board of Trustees, serving as the current National President of Phi Lambda Sigma, and serving on the CPFI Board of Directors.

Beth Cappelletti, PharmD, CPh

Dr. Beth Cappelletti is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Cedarville University School of Pharmacy. After earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Temple University in 2005, she accepted a Clinical Pharmacist position specializing in hospice and palliative care. After four years of practice, she moved abroad to serve the Chinese people while working as a teacher and university instructor in Asia. In 2022, she relocated back to the United States, licensed as a Florida consultant pharmacist, and gained further experience in geriatric care and nonsterile compounding. Her teaching and practice interests include medication therapy management, metabolic health, nutrition, health/wellness, and medical missions.

Michael A. Crouch, PharmD, MBA, FASHP
 

Dr. Crouch serves as Dean and Professor at Mercer University College of Pharmacy. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina and completed his first-year pharmacy residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. He also earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, participated in a cardiovascular summer research fellowship, and completed a second-year, cardiology-focused residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. His additional experience includes the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Master of Business Administration from Samford University Brock School of Business. Before his current role, Crouch held several key faculty and leadership positions at Virginia Commonwealth, East Tennessee State, and Samford. Crouch's dedication to pharmacy higher education has defined his career, earning him numerous awards, honors, and recognitions. His academic work includes more than 100 scholarly publications, over 200 invited presentations, and two books. In 2009, he was named a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Fred M. Eckel, BS, MS, SCD (Hon)
 

Fred Eckel is Executive Director Emeritus of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists and Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Fred grew up in Philadelphia where he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.  He earned his MS degree and residency in hospital pharmacy from The Ohio State University School of Pharmacy and Hospitals. He received an honorary doctor of science degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in May 2009.  Fred is a pharmacist by choice, commitment, and concern.  During his lengthy career, he has worked in community and hospital pharmacy settings.  He served as Director of Pharmacy at the UNC Hospitals from 1968 to 1975.  Fred is a past president of ASHP, NCSHP, and the North Carolina Center for Pharmaceutical Care. Fred is Editor Emeritus of Pharmacy Times and has contributed over 250 articles and editorials to the pharmacy literature.  He is a frequent speaker at pharmacy meetings, having spoken in every U.S. state and on all inhabited continents. Fred’s wife, Peggy, is a nurse; his daughter, Sarah, and son, Stephen, practice pharmacy.  Fred’s faith is important to him. Fred is considered a pharmacy futurist. You may not agree with him, but he will make you think.  Be prepared to be challenged, stimulated, and quickened.

Rachel Massey, PharmD

I am a PGY1 pharmacy resident at Kettering Health Main Campus in Kettering, OH. I have been a volunteer with a ministry called Dear Dinah who helps women experiencing human trafficking in Dayton, OH. I first got involved when the founder of Dear Dinah spoke at Cedarville University where I was a second-professional year pharmacy student. Ever since then, I have been passionate about this subject and enjoy continuing to be a part of this growing ministry. I also enjoy traveling, going on walks with an iced coffee in hand, and lifting weights. 

Juliette A. Miller, PharmD, BCPS

Dr. Juliette A. Miller received her PharmD from St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy in Rochester, NY in 2020. She continued her training with a PGY1 pharmacy residency at the Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, GA and a PGY2 Ambulatory Care residency at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. After completing her residency training, she returned to St. John Fisher University as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Her practice site is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves a diverse and underserved patient population in the inner city of Rochester. Dr. Miller has a passion for medical missions and has participated in and led numerous mission and service trips, including trips to India, Tanzania, Peru, and all over the US.

Teri Miller, BS Pharm, DASPL II, J.D. Candidate
 

Teri Miller is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. She has over 29 years of pharmacy practice experience, is licensed in nine states, is a Class II Diplomat in the American Society for Pharmacy Law and is currently pursuing a law degree. As a pharmacy educator, she has worked with Creighton University Distance Pathway Students for over twenty years. She is instrumental in scheduling introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) for the Office of Experiential Education and teaches the Pharmacy Practice Law course. She is the faculty advisor for the Creighton CPFI student chapter and serves as the Licensure Coordinator for the pharmacy school. Teri has served on the Nebraska Pharmacists' Association Legislative Committee for the last 14 years and is currently on the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy's MPJE Review Committee.

Lance Plyler, MD

Dr. Lance Plyler received a BS Degree in Physical Therapy and a MD degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado.  He is board certified in internal medicine, and has practiced domestically and internationally for over twenty-five years.  The scope of his medical work has ranged from a private practice in internal medicine, hospital-based medicine, palliative care, and internationally based missionary medicine and disaster response. During his tenure at Samaritan’s Purse, Dr. Plyler first served as the Medical Director for Disaster Relief. He has been involved in many disaster response scenarios, beginning in post-war recovery in Kosovo in 2001. His work has included serving in post-earthquake and cholera responses in Haiti, refugee camp work in South Sudan, post-earthquake response in both Ecuador and Nepal, and field hospital deployments after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, as well as in Mosul, Iraq in 2017 during the war against ISIS. He was honored corporately with the "Ebola Fighters" as Time Magazine's 2014 Person of the Year.  Most recently he served in Samaritan’s Purse Respiratory Care Unit in Central Park, New York during the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Plyler has also served as the Director of World Medical Mission, a division of Samaritan’s Purse dedicated to supporting over 50 under-resourced mission hospitals within the developing world. As of January 2022, Dr. Plyler now serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Samaritan’s Purse, and is responsible for ensuring expedient delivery of quality healthcare to all Samaritan’s Purse employees, domestically and internationally based. Dr. Plyler is happily married to his wife Melissa of thirty-three years. They have three children, Jonathan, Grace, and Jack, and two grandchildren, Skylar and Ezra. 

DEVOTIONAL & WORSHIP LEADERS

Sheryl Bates


Mrs. Sheryl Bates grew up in Grand Rapids, MI, accepting Christ as her Savior at a young age. She grew up in a God-honoring home of educators and musicians.  Since second grade, she has participated in several fine arts opportunities. After high-school, she attended Cornerstone University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Education. Her training and certification have enabled her to teach both elementary and middle school social studies and English. After taking piano lessons, Sheryl taught herself how to play a variety of instruments including acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, and drums. She has sung in a number of choirs, touring in Europe one summer. Using her talents to impact the next generation of worship leaders, she has married her education and music skills, teaching private music lessons since 2006. She also has extensive experience leading worship in churches as well as for CPFI and was previously a member of the David Yonker Band, a Christian-rock band in Michigan. She attends Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville, OH with her husband, Jeff. Sheryl currently serves as a worship and small group leader for the middle school youth group.  Further, she has served as a deacon at Grace Baptist as well. She and her husband have three children and one granddaughter… with another granddaughter due in June of 2024.

Scott Benken, PharmD, MHPE

Dr. Scott T. Benken is a Clinical Associate Professor at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois Chicago and a Clinical Pharmacist in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Illinois Health. Dr. Benken is a fellow in the Academy of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM) and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP). He is heavily involved in the didactic curriculum, advisory roles, committee activities, and experiential education within the College of Pharmacy. He completed a master's degree in health professions education (MHPE) in 2022. While he carries various titles, the title that has truly defined his life is one given through John 1:12- 13: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” As such, he strives to live out his Christian faith in every aspect of his personal and professional career.

Jeffrey T. Copeland, ThM,  PharmD

It was a cold night after church one Sunday in a small town in South Georgia.  My mom and I were sitting in the back of a Volkswagen Bug waiting to go to dinner with my dad, brother, and grandparents when it suddenly all made sense. I was a sinner and I was going straight to hell without Jesus. I knew that I had no hope except for Jesus, that He died for my sins and rose from the grave, and I needed to put my faith in Him to save me. So, I bowed my head and told God that I was a sinner, that Jesus died for my sins, and that I trusted Him to save me. After communicating my trust in Jesus through prayer, I turned to my mom and told her: “I’m a Christian now.”  She gave me a great big bear hug.  I am humbled to be a pharmacist, a pharmacy educator, and an administrator for approximately 25 years.  I enjoy serving Christ and the world through pharmacy.  When I am not occupied with pharmacy duties, I enjoy spending time with my two boys, Nathan and Matthew. They are awesome and I could not be prouder of them! We enjoy hunting, sports, and spending time together. 

Joy Greene, PharmD 

Dr. Joy Greene is a native of North Carolina who received her Pharm.D. degree from UNC in 1998. Joy opened and managed two independent pharmacies before joining the Academy. She has helped open three new schools of pharmacy and currently serves as a Professor and the Associate Dean for Experiential Education at High Point University. Joy has been married to her husband, Bryan, for 28 years and they have two children. Joy founded Joytime Ministries in 2012. "Joytime" is a one-minute nationally-syndicated Christian radio feature that airs on ~ 2000 radio stations worldwide. Joy speaks regularly at women's events, and she leads a weekly, online ladies' Bible Study. She is the author of two best-selling books and several journals. Learn more about Joytime Ministries at www.joytime.org.

Michael Nan, BS Pharm, MS Org. Leadership

Michael Nan was born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and is a graduate of Duquesne University School of Pharmacy. Michael has been privileged to work in many different pharmacy disciplines in the last 30+ years with the past 15+ years being spent in various leadership roles. Currently, Michael is Director of Pharmacy Operations at Zeal Specialty Pharmacy, a newer privately-owned specialty pharmacy in the Pittsburgh area. Michael and his wife Kelly are proud parents of two adult married children and one granddaughter. This is Michael's second year with CPFI and he counts it as a blessing to learn, fellowship, and worship with such esteemed colleagues and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jennifer Sands, BS Pharm

Jennifer's husband Jim was murdered in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. Since that tragic day, God has transformed Jennifer from an unbelieving, brokenhearted widow to a sought-after Christian Author, Speaker, and Bible teacher. Jennifer is a New Jersey native and is now retired after 30 years of retail pharmacy. She is the Author of 3 books:  A Tempered Faith, A Teachable Faith, and A Treasured Faith. For more information, visit her website:  jennifersands.com. 

NATIONAL STUDENT RETREAT SPEAKERS

Jeffrey A. Bates, BS  Pharm, PharmD, FMPA 

In April 2021, Dr. Jeffrey Bates was appointed Dean of Cedarville University’s School of Pharmacy after serving as Associate Dean for five years.  He works tirelessly with the School’s executive committee to see that the School aligns students’ God-given passions with their God-given abilities ensuring they become exceptional Kingdom ambassadors, ministering, and adorning the Gospel through the profession of pharmacy.  Nearly 30 years after graduating from Pharmacy school, Dr. Bates’ career has centered on pouring into more than 2,300 Pharmacists, modeling excellent care, and striving to exceed expectations. In the years prior to joining Cedarville, Dr. Bates served at Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy as Assistant Dean and Director of Student Success.  While at Ferris, he founded the Ferris Pharmacy Care Clinic in 2013.  Located inside Ferris College of Pharmacy, students continue to regularly hone their clinical skills, assuring comprehensive care to underserved patients in and around Mecosta County.  Further, he shared clinical responsibilities in an Interdisciplinary Diabetes Clinic, facilitating experiential and inter-professional learning for pharmacy, optometry, and nursing students. Dr. Bates is privileged to have been an invited lecturer many times on both state and national platforms.  Dr. Bates has helped lead several non-profit organizations, serving on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Pharmacists Association, Hope House Free Medical Clinic, Cran Hill Ministries, and the Christian Pharmacy Fellowship International.  He has served as a deacon at Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville as well as led committees in the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy and at the Michigan Pharmacist’s Association.  He is currently actively involved in the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International Board of Directors and chairs its Educational Affairs Committee. He and his wife Sheryl are originally from the west-central Michigan area but are now privileged to call Cedarville, Ohio home.  They have three children and are strong advocates for, and supporters of, foster care and adoption.

Christine R. Birnie, PhD, BS Pharm

Dr. Christine Birnie serves as Dean and Professor at the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY. She joined the school in 2006 as a founding faculty member, was promoted to department chair, pharmaceutical sciences in 2010 and has been serving as the Dean of the school since 2017. She received her B.S. in pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and continued her studies at the same institution, completing a Ph.D. in the area of pharmaceutics. Dr. Birnie worked as a community pharmacist for Rite Aid Pharmacy, and a formulation scientist for Merial, Ltd. before joining the faculty of Palm Beach Atlantic University initially and later St. John Fisher University, where she has spent the last 19 years of her professional career. Dr. Birnie continues to stay engaged in teaching, research and service. She teaches sections of pharmaceutics and compounding in the PharmD curriculum, has developed and teaches annually an elective course entitled Introduction to Medical Missions, and also precepts final year students in clinical rotations related to international medical missions and local community engaged learning. Her scholarship activities include working with students and colleagues on projects related to academic pharmacy, leadership, international outreach, medical missions and local community engagement. Dr. Birnie is actively involved in service, both to the profession and the global community at large. She has led or participated in more than 25 student-based medical mission trips around the world, including such countries as El Salvador, Bolivia, Ecuador, Haiti, Nepal and India. She has served on a number of boards and leadership roles over the years, including elected positions and the board of directors for CPFI. Dr. Birnie was also a recipient of CPFI’s Warren Weaver Service Award.

Amy Broeseker, RN, PharmD, PhD, MA, FNAP 
 

Dr. Amy Broeseker is a Professor at the Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Birmingham, AL. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Florida, and most of her practice experience was in critical care. She then earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree and Thanatology certificate from the University of Alabama. She also has a Master of Arts in Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership degree from Friends University. She is a Fellow in the National Academies of Practice interprofessional organization, and she is also a Fellow in Samford’s Healthcare Ethics and Law Institute. Her main interests are in ethics, interprofessional education, Christian spiritual formation, the science of learning, and the social sciences in healthcare. She is the advisor for Samford’s CPFI student chapter and has contributed to the CPFI journal, Christianity & Pharmacy. In her spare time, she enjoys the mountains, music, reading, and gardening.

Kayla Hay, P-3

Kayla Hay, PharmD Candidate 2027 Kayla Hay is a third-year student at Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Birmingham, Alabama, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2023, where she was active in the Reformed University Fellowship. At Samford, she has served as President of her CPFI chapter and as Mental Health Chair for SNPhA, coordinating pharmacy student and preceptor volunteers to support Equal Access Birmingham’s Mental Health Clinic alongside UAB medical students. She currently serves as the student representative on ASHP’s Council on Therapeutics and participated in ASHP Legislative Week in September 2025, contributing to policy discussions and advocacy efforts for the pharmacy profession. Outside of pharmacy, she enjoys hiking at National Parks, line dancing, and serving on the worship team at Rocket City Church in Madison, Alabama, as a vocalist and pianist. She is passionate about serving underserved populations and plans to pursue a residency after graduating in 2027. She is eager and honored to serve as CPFI National Student Retreat Coordinator!

Sarah Freeman, PharmD

Dr. Sarah Freeman is an Independent Community Pharmacist practicing at 2 different locations in North Carolina and also a Faculty Adjunct with Wingate University School of Pharmacy. Dr. Freeman graduated in 2019 with her Bachelor of Biology and in 2022 with Doctor of Pharmacy from Wingate University. After graduation, Sarah completed a Community Pharmacy Fellowship through the National Community Pharmacist Association. Sarah has been a member of CPFI since 2018, where she has served at the local and national levels of CPFI as a student member, and now a professional member. Sarah currently serves as the CPFI Student Chapter Advisory Committee Co-Chair. Sarah enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with her family and church family. She is excited to see all the great things God has in store for CPFI.

Juliette Miller, PharmD

Dr. Juliette A. Miller received her PharmD from St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy in Rochester, NY in 2020. She continued her training with a PGY1 pharmacy residency at the Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia and a PGY2 Ambulatory Care residency at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy in Athens, Georgia. After completing her residency training, she returned to St. John Fisher University as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Her practice site is at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves a diverse and underserved patient population in the inner city of Rochester. Dr. Miller has a passion for medical missions and has led and participated in numerous mission trips and service trips, including trips to India, Tanzania, Peru, and all over the US.