Faculty
Leadership
Sarah Siemion, PharmD, BCPS
Director, PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Jamie Kerestes, PharmD, BCCCP
Director, PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program
Coordinator, Emergency Medicine
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Michelle Budzyn, PharmD, BCPS
Assistant Director of Pharmacy
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Kelly Bolesta, PharmD, BCPS
Director of Pharmacy
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Kelly Guza, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
System Director, Acute Disease Management
Daniel Longyhore, PharmD, MS, BCACP
System Director, Knowledge Management
Dean T. Parry, RPh
Associate Vice President, Clinical Informatics
Enterprise Pharmacy
Mike A. Evans, RPh
Vice President, Enterprise Pharmacy
Chief Pharmacy Officer
Preceptors
Maria E. Agostini, RPh
Clinical Pharmacist, Hematology/Oncology
Ms. Agostini graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. She has been a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center since 1987 with a focus in oncology since 2001. She is a member of the Cancer Committee, Residency Advisory Committee and Oncology Medication Safety Workgroup. Her areas of interest include oncology, medication safety and patient safety.
Casey Bohan, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Neonatology/Obstetrics
Dr. Bohan graduated with her Doctor of Pharmacy from Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy in 2016. She started with Rite Aid upon graduation and then accepted a role as a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in 2017. The following year, she became the lead Neonatal Intensive Care Unit pharmacist. She is a member of the Neonatal Leadership Team, the Neonatal Staff and Family Advisory Committee and the Residency Advisory Committee. Dr. Bohan is a preceptor for the pediatrics rotation. Her interests include neonatology, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.
Kelly Bolesta, PharmD, BCPS
Director of Pharmacy, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Dr. Bolesta received her Doctor of Pharmacy from the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University in 2001. She then completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. After that, Dr. Bolesta began her career with Geisinger in 2003 as a clinical pharmacist. She has worked in various areas of pharmacy practice within Geisinger, and is now director of pharmacy for Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. She serves on several committees, including the Medication Use Evaluation Committee, the Formulary Steering Committee and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Dr. Bolesta is an adjunct professor for Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and faculty for Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Her professional interests include pharmacy operations, continuous quality improvement, staff development and pharmacy education.
Michelle Budzyn, PharmD, BCPS
Assistant Director
Dr. Budzyn is a graduate of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2012. After graduation, she accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and transitioned into the clinical coordinator role in 2016. In 2018, she accepted the position of assistant director. She is a preceptor for the drug information and healthcare education rotation, the pharmacy administration and medication safety rotation, and the pediatric elective rotation. She serves on the Residency Advisory Committee, the Neonatal Committee, the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, the Formulary Steering Committee, the Medication Utilization Evaluation Committee and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Dr. Budzyn is an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and for the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Her areas of interest include pediatrics/neonatology, obstetrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine and medication safety.
Alesha Falzone, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Preceptor in training
Dr. Falzone graduated from Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy with her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2018. After graduation, she completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. After residency, she joined Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist. She is an active member on the Residency Advisory Committee. Her areas of interest include emergency medicine, critical care and internal medicine.
Kelly Gillespie, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Critical Care/Infectious Diseases
Dr. Gillespie graduated from Temple University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. She received a Doctor of Pharmacy from Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University in 2013. She accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., in 1997 and transferred to Geisinger Long Term Care Pharmacy in Scranton, Pa., in 1999. In 2002, she accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. She is the critical care advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) preceptor. Dr. Gillespie serves on the Residency Advisory Committee and the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee. She is an adjunct professor at the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. Her areas of interest include infectious diseases and sepsis management.
Arthur Jankowski, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacist, Emergency Medicine
Dr. Jankowski is a graduate of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2012. He completed a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. After residency he accepted a position at Geisinger Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist focusing on emergency medicine and pediatrics. He then transferred to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center to expand clinical pharmacy services in emergency medicine to provide 24-hour coverage. Dr. Jankowski is a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist. He serves as a preceptor in emergency medicine.
Michael A. Kachmarsky, PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Pharmacist, Ambulatory Care
Dr. Kachmarsky is a graduate of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2014. After graduation, he completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. He accepted a position as an ambulatory clinical pharmacist with Geisinger, specializing in anticoagulation, diabetes, dyslipidemia, asthma and hypertension management. Dr. Kachmarsky is a preceptor for the ambulatory medication therapy disease management rotation. His professional interests include diabetes and cardiology.
Jamie Kerestes, PharmD, BCCCP
PGY-1 Residency Program Director
Coordinator, Emergency Medicine
Dr. Kerestes is a graduate of University of the Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2011. After graduation she accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. She has her board certification in critical care. She has been directly involved in implementing the emergency medicine pharmacy service line as well as the cardiac unit pharmacy service. Dr. Kerestes facilitates the pharmacists' adult and pediatric code education and certification for hospital-wide code response. She is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice of Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and clinical assistant professor of pharmacy, Department of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Her areas of interest include teaching, emergency medicine, anticoagulation, trauma and toxicology. She serves on several hospital committees, including emergency medicine providers and emergency medical response. Dr. Kerestes is the preceptor for the emergency medicine rotation.
Kayla Kotch, PharmD, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacist, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care Medicine
Coordinator, Pharmacy Specialty Services
Dr. Kotch is a graduate of the Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2014. She then completed a PGY1 residency at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y. After her residency, she completed a PGY2 in critical care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She then accepted a position at Hershey Medical Center as a clinical emergency medicine pharmacist and helped implement pharmacy services in the Emergency Department. She received her board certification in critical care medicine in 2017. Dr. Kotch serves as the coordinator of pharmacy services for critical care, infectious diseases and cardiology. She is a residency preceptor for the critical care medicine rotation and an advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) preceptor for the emergency medicine rotation. Her areas of interest include pain/agitation/delirium, pharmacokinetics in the critically ill, infectious diseases, ARDS and shock management.
Kimberley Limouze, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacist, Cardiology/Critical Care
Dr. Limouze is a 2010 graduate of the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina. She completed her PGY1 pharmacy residency at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, N.C., and a PGY2 critical care residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. She joined the pharmacy team at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in 2021 and is a preceptor for students and PGY1 residents in cardiology. Dr. Limouze is a member of the Residency Advisory Committee and Research and Scholarship Committee in addition to the Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Section. Her professional interests include the management of alcohol withdrawal, delirium and atrial fibrillation.
Kristen Lopatofsky, PharmD, BCCCP
Clinical Pharmacist, Critical Care/Emergency Medicine
Dr. Lopatofsky graduated from Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy in 2017. She pursued a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and a PGY2 in critical care at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. After completing both residencies, she joined Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist. She is the chair-elect of the Residency Research Committee as well as an active member of the Residency Advisory Committee. Her professional interests include sedation, shock, trauma surgery and interdisciplinary education.
Justine Maley, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Hematology/Oncology
Dr. Maley graduated from Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy in 2018. She joined the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Henry Cancer Center team in November 2018. Her primary work is in the oral chemotherapy clinic, where she is involved in management of side effects and lab monitoring for patients taking oral chemotherapy. She also spends time working in the IV chemotherapy infusion center clinic. Dr. Maley’s areas of interest include hematology, patient education and precepting. She is heavily involved in several pharmacy residency programs in the heath system.
Vanessa Markle, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine
Coordinator, Internal Medicine
Preceptor of the Year 2018–2019
Dr. Markle graduated from Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy with her PharmD in 2013. After graduation, she completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. After residency, she joined Geisinger Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist and recently transferred to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. She serves on the Residency Advisory Committee and is a preceptor for advanced internal medicine, precepting and the residents’ longitudinal staffing experience.
Charles Milazzo, RPh
Mr. Milazzo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Temple University School of Pharmacy in 1993. He has been a clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center since 1994 with a focus in emergency medicine, internal medicine, critical care medicine, hematology and oncology, and neonatal medicine. He is a member of the Critical Care Committee.
Dean T. Parry, RPh
Associate Vice President, Clinical Informatics, Geisinger Health System
Mr. Parry graduated from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. After graduation, he worked as a pharmacist at Geisinger Medical Center. In January 1985, he accepted a position as chief pharmacist at Macha Mission Hospital in Choma, Zambia. Mr. Parry was deeply involved in the leadership of the Churches Medical Association of Zambia and in research related to the treatment of malaria. He has coauthored several research articles related to the treatment of malaria. On his return to the United States in 1995, he again accepted a position at Geisinger Medical Center and has been actively involved in various areas including healthcare redesign projects in the late 1990s, and in the development of various pharmaceutical care programs for the organization. Mr. Parry is responsible for ambulatory and acute care pharmacy programs throughout Geisinger. He also works closely with leadership in the development of processes and guidelines for appropriate utilization of medications. Mr. Parry is a preceptor for the pharmacy administration rotation.
Kenneth Paulish, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist, Internal Medicine
Dr. Paulish graduated from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at University of the Sciences in 2017. After graduation, he completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. After residency, he joined Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist. He is an active member on the Residency Advisory Committee. His interests include internal medicine, infectious diseases and teaching. He is a preceptor for internal medicine, precepting and the residents' longitudinal staffing learning experience.
Marisa Perrella, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacist, Infectious Diseases
Dr. Perrella is a graduate of the Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2018. She then completed both her PGY1 pharmacy residency and PGY2 residency in infectious diseases at Jefferson Health Abington in Abington, Pa. Upon completion of her residencies, she accepted a position as an inpatient clinical pharmacist with Geisinger. Dr. Perrella is an active member on the Residency Advisory Committee and Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee. Her professional interests include antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, and managing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. She received her board certification in infectious diseases in 2021 and serves as a preceptor for the infectious diseases rotation.
Diane Polombo, PharmD, CPPS
Director of Medication Safety, Enterprise Pharmacy
Dr. Polombo graduated from Temple University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va., in 2001. She joined Geisinger in 2005 and served as the clinical coordinator at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre. She is director of medication safety for enterprise pharmacy. Prior to joining Geisinger she worked at Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, as a clinical pharmacist for 15 years. Her professional interests include medication and patient safety. Dr. Polombo is the preceptor for the medication safety rotation.
Sarah Siemion, PharmD, BCPS
PGY-1 Assistant Residency Program Director
Clinical Pharmacist, Critical Care Medicine/Emergency Medicine/Infectious Diseases
Preceptor of the Year 2017–2018, 2021–2022
Dr. Siemion is a graduate of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2010. She then completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency at Orlando Regional Medical Center. After completion of her residency, she accepted a position at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist to implement pharmacy services in the emergency department. Dr. Siemion is the preceptor for the critical care medicine and infectious diseases rotations. She is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice of Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and clinical assistant professor of pharmacy, Department of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She has been board certified in pharmacotherapy through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties since 2011. She serves as a member on the residency advisory, sepsis and C. difficile task force committees. Her areas of interest include emergency bedside response, trauma, acute ischemic stroke and sepsis.
Teri A. Thomas, RPh
Chronic Pain MTDM Clinical Pharmacist, Northeast Region
Ms. Thomas earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Temple University School of Pharmacy in 1996. She spent the past 20 years working as a clinical inpatient hospital pharmacist at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. She joined Geisinger as an ambulatory clinical pharmacist specializing in chronic pain management in May 2016 for the northeast region. Ms. Thomas assists Geisinger physicians in managing patients with chronic non-malignant pain, provides palliative care, coordinates complementary therapies to manage chronic pain, monitors patient compliance, identifies and assesses potential or existing risk factors, and collaborates with cognitive behavioral therapists. She focuses on helping patients wean from high-dose opioid regimens and converting them to safer, non-opioid medication regimens for the management of chronic, long-term pain.
Jennifer Yannuzzi, PharmD
Dr. Yannuzzi graduated from Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy, where she earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2019. After graduation, she completed her PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. After residency, she accepted a position with Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist. She is an active member of the Residency Advisory Committee and is preceptor in training for the internal medicine rotation.