PQA is celebrating its 20th year in 2026. In addition to special events at the 2026 PQA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md., May 12-14, PQA will recognize across the year the people, milestones and achievements that have defined the organization’s success. We also will look to the future and PQA’s continuing work to improve the quality of medication use.
Over the last 20 years, hundreds of individuals at PQA member organizations have volunteered their time and expertise to help the organization develop measures, conduct supporting research and communicate the value of medication management services through meetings, events and education.
Their contributions made the PQA you know today possible.
As founding PQA CEO Laura Cranston noted in her recent 20th Anniversary Q&A, “there were countless individuals who rolled up their sleeves and committed their time, their leadership and their expertise.”
With a modest budget and Cranston initially the only staff person, PQA’s ability to launch and sustain daily operations was made possible by leaders at member organizations, who were committed to improving health care quality, patient safety and pharmacy practice.
As a public-private partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), PQA was initially led by a 12-person steering committee. In 2009, following PQA’s incorporation as an independent, non-profit organization, a new Board of Directors took charge.
“The commitment of our board members, who served for extended periods, was crucial,” Cranston said. “Creating an organization from scratch, without existing policies or procedures, required significant energy. … The long-term dedication and support of our member leaders enabled PQA to grow and thrive.”
PQA’s first three board chairs agreed to lead the organization for two years each. Each hailing from a pharmacy association, they led a “working board” and provided stability and credibility for the organization, as Cranston and a small team stood from the ground up a unique alliance solely dedicated to quality medication use.
As PQA grew and the alliance expanded to include nearly 200 organizations from across health care, the board and its leadership also expanded. Individuals from pharmacies, health plans, technology companies, associations, academia and the patient community have chaired PQA’s board.
Bruce Roberts of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) served as the first board chair in 2009 and 2010. He was there from the beginning. At the 2006 kickoff event for PQA, he observed that “the launch of Part D … gave us that opportunity to begin to really redefine pharmacy in such a way that we could begin to be recognized for the value that we bring.”
That work to define, recognize and reward value continues today with the 2026 board led by Jeff Rochon of the Pharmacy Health Information Technology (PHIT) Collaborative.
Below are the 15 individuals who have chaired PQA’s board since 2009. Working with their fellow board members, PQA’s staff and volunteers, their leadership has supported PQA’s sustained success and relevance for today’s health care system.
| Board Chair | Organization | Tenure |
| Bruce Roberts | National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) | 2009-2010 |
| Judy Cahill | Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) | 2011-2012 |
| Tom Menighan | American Pharmacists Association (APhA) | 2013-2014 |
| Rebecca Snead | National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) | 2015 |
| Eleanor Perfetto | National Health Council | 2016 |
| Peter Wickersham | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota | 2017 |
| Mary Ann Kliethermes | Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy | 2018 |
| David Medvedeff | Aspen RxHealth | 2019 |
| Jamie Chan | Blue Shield of California | 2020 |
| Jerry Penso | American Medical Group Association (AMGA) | 2021 |
| Mike Duteau | Noble Health Services | 2022 |
| Mike Taday | CenterWell Pharmacy | 2023 |
| Susan Cantrell | Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) | 2024 |
| Jim Kirby | Kroger Health | 2025 |
| Jeff Rochon | Pharmacy Health Information Technology (PHIT) Collaborative | 2026 |
PQA’s 20th anniversary celebrations are made possible in part by the generous support of Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, PQS by Innovaccer, AdhereHealth, Elevance, Humana, Centene Corporation and McKesson. PQA does not endorse, recommend or favor any product, service or organization that is a sponsor.