Passing the Torch

The Houston Program Presents Divya Varkey with Anderson Leadership Award

June 16 – The Houston Program (THP) honored the leader of its academic component – University of Houston College of Pharmacy’s Divya A. Varkey, Pharm.D., M.S. – at the 7th Annual Roger W. Anderson Leadership Celebration June 12 in Houston.

Varkey was recognized with the 2025 RWA Leadership Award, which is bestowed on pharmacy practitioners who have distinguished themselves in leadership and service to the profession and the THP’s two-year M.S./PGY1-PGY2 residency in health-system pharmacy administration and leadership (HSPAL) in collaboration with seven leading Houston-area health systems.

Visionary Leader

Varkey serves as a clinical associate professor and the graduate program director for the M.S. in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration, THP’s academic component.

Varkey has coauthored two book chapters and a dozen journal publications as well as more than two dozen abstracts and poster presentations at state and national meetings. She is an active member of the Gulf Coast Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which has recognized her with the Tipton Leadership Award, the Pharmacy Mentor Award, the Special Recognition Award for Service to the Board of Directors, and the Special Recognition Award for Educational Service.

Before joining the college in 2016, Varkey held increasing levels of responsibility at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the TMC for eight years. Starting as an informatics pharmacist, Varkey later served as pharmacy manager, assistant director of pharmacy practice, and interim director of pharmacy. She trained seven residents, serving as the residency program coordinator/director of the HSPAL program during this time. She previously served as manager of inpatient pharmacy at what is now Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, Ind. before relocating to Houston in 2008

She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from Purdue University, followed by a PGY1/PGY2 HSPA residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where she also completed her MS in Health-System Pharmacy Administration at The Ohio State University.

Joy in the Journey

During the ceremony, Linda Haines, Pharm.D., M.S. (’11), BCPS, FTSHP, Varkey’s first HSPAL resident, discussed the impact Varkey had on her career.

“Many of the principles I’ve learned from Divya are still integrated into my own leadership practices today,” said Haines, who serves as interim director of pharmacy services at Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

THP alumna and Varkey’s sixth resident Brandi Hamilton, Pharm.D., M.S. (’16), described Varkey as “an incredible woman” who “nurtures, mentors and continues years later to celebrate others’ victories.”

Varkey delivered a deeply personal and inspiring keynote that explored the power of presence, purpose, and connection over titles or accolades. Through stories of vulnerability, growth, and gratitude, she reminded audience members that true success lies not in the destination, but in the impact they make on others along the way. During her remarks to students, alumni, program leaders and supporters of the program, Divya recounted how she has watched 62 M.S. students graduate since 2017.

“The real reward is not the diploma,” Varkey said to the assembled residents, program directors and managers, program co-founders and family members. “It’s who you became while earning it.

“Keep leading with your heart, and never forget you are already, and have always been, someone worth remembering.”

Supporting Stars

Among those in attendance in person or virtually were previous Anderson Award recipients Rodney Cox, M.S. ('11), R.Ph.; Diane B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., M.S. ('90), R.Ph., FASHP;  Haines; Ryan K. Roux, Pharm.D. ('99), M.S., FTSHP, FASHP; and Joyce A. Tipton, B.S. (’79), MBA, FASHP. The 2024 Anderson Awardee, Alex Varkey, Pharm.D. (’05), MS, FAPhA, served as master of ceremonies for the event.

The award was first presented in 2019 to honor the contributions of nationally recognized pharmacy leader Roger W. Anderson, Dr.P.H., M.S., FASHP, whose career included more than 20 years of leadership at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Anderson is credited with advancing the pharmacy practice model, authoring/coauthoring more than 60 publications, serving as president of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and earning the ASHP Harvey A.K. Whitney Lecture Award. He also has been a staunch supporter and adviser to THP, which is home to an endowed scholarship for current residents/students in Anderson's name.

– Kristin Marie Mitchener