APhA Foundation Names 2026 Pinnacle Award Honorees

The American Pharmacists Association Foundation has recognized three pharmacy leaders and initiatives for their contributions to medication optimization and patient care. The 2026 Pinnacle Awards highlight efforts ranging from national quality-based care models to specialized immunization programs serving underserved populations across the United States.

Money Talk·August 28, 2026·reads: 771

Kari Trapskin, PharmD, received the Individual Award for Achievement for her two-decade commitment to pharmacy practice transformation. As senior vice president at the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Trapskin developed the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative, which has expanded from a 53-pharmacy pilot into a statewide network of over 200 accredited locations. Since 2012, participants have delivered nearly 23,000 services to Medicaid recipients under her guidance.

The Team Award for Collaboration, Innovation & Impact was presented to two distinct groups. The Advancing Kidney Health through Optimal Medication Management (AKHOMM) initiative earned recognition for its interprofessional approach to treating chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome. By integrating patient advocates directly into its advisory and research boards, the program seeks to provide a scalable framework for guideline-directed medication therapy.

Also sharing the team honor, the Phoenix Indian Medical Center Immunization Clinic was recognized for its pharmacist-led E3 initiative—Every Patient, Every Encounter, Every Recommended Vaccine. During the 2025 fiscal year, the clinic managed over 5,800 patient visits and administered more than 8,800 vaccines. The program also successfully implemented Barcode Medication Administration technology to enhance safety and documentation accuracy, a model now being adopted across additional outpatient settings.