J. Scott Ries, MD FAAFP



Dr. J. Scott Ries serves as Vice President and National Director of Campus & Community Ministries for the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA), providing national vision and leadership for CMDA Campus Chapters on over 250 medical and dental schools in the U.S., and over 100 metro-area ministry groups of practicing doctors.

An award winning family physician, his clinical career has included academic medicine, clinical research, and full time private practice.  Dr. Ries can be heard in his weekly health commentary on radio stations in Chicago, Indianapolis, and across the state of Florida, as well as in interviews for various major network affiliates across the country. 

Dr. Ries is passionate about introducing the next generation of healthcare professionals to the tremendous privilege of serving God through responsible missional work, both overseas as well as in their own practice right at home.  He has led hundreds of medical students and doctors on international medical missions trips to discover the joy of seeing lives transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sam Molind, DMD

Dr. Samuel Molind is the former Director of Global Health Outreach, the international mission department of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations(CMDA).  Dr.  Molind is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who was in practice for 26 years in Barre, Vermont.  He served as Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Vermont Medical School.  He was President of the Medical staff at the Central Vermont Medical Center and was a Board Examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Molind and his wife, Dorothy, began a Crisis Pregnancy Center in Central Vermont, and Dorothy served as the Executive Director.  Sam and Dorothy have been active in establishing the Good Samaritan Haven, an emergency shelter for the homeless, and the Health & Wellness Clinic for the underinsured and uninsured in central Vermont.

Sam is a lifetime member of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations and has participated in numerous short term medical missions since 1987.  He has been on the CMDA Board of Trustees and served for 6 years on the Biomedical Ethics Commission.  Sam and Dorothy left their four adult children and eight grandchildren in New England to move to Bristol, TN in 1998 where Sam became the director of Global Health Outreach and Dorothy became his full time volunteer coordinator and material management agent.  As the Director of Global Health Outreach Sam and his staff organized, supervised and trained leaders to bring teams into developing countries around the world to care for those who are poor in body and spirit and to share the love and the compassion of Christ with those who are lost without help and without hope.

Sam has received many distinguished awards over the years including the first time ever U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Outstanding Citizen Achievement Citation and the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Presidential Achievement Award. Sam was also the 2008 recipient of the CMDA “Servant of Christ Award.”

In July of 2010, Sam stepped down as Director of Global Health Outreach to serve in the Stewardship and Development Department of CMDA and be the Coordinator for Global Health Relief. Dorothy has stepped down as material management agent for GHO and serves as the material management agent for Global Health Relief.

Sam’s heartfelt desire is to be a blessing to the Lord and to be obedient to His calling so that His Lord and Savior Jesus will receive glory, honor and praise.

Jeffrey Copeland, BS, ThM, PharmD

Dr. Jeffrey Copeland is an ordained Baptist Minister, a Registered Pharmacist, and a former United States Army Captain.  His beloved wife, Julie, is a Registered Dietitian.  Julie and Jeff are the parents of two wonderful boys, Nathan and Matthew.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Berry College, a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University, and a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.  Jeff is the Assistant Dean of Experiential Programs, Associate Professor in Pharmacy Practice, and the CPFI Student Chapter Advisor at the University of the Incarnate Word, Feik School of Pharmacy in San Antonio, Texas.  

Fred M. Eckel, BS, MS, PhD

Fred Eckel is Executive Director Emeritus of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy 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 M.S. 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.  He has worked in community and hospital pharmacy.  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 for which he currently serves as Executive Director.  Fred is Editor-in-Chief 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.  He continues to teach a Sunday School class each week and serves as President of Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International.

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.

Daniel A. Hussar, PhD

Daniel A. Hussar is the Remington Professor of Pharmacy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.  He is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Health-system Pharmacists, Drug Information Association, and the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.  He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Pharmacists Association, and is a Past President of the Drug Information Association and the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.  He has served on the Board of Directors of World Vision and currently serves as the Honorary President of the American Pharmacists Association and on the Board of Directors of Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International.

Dr. Hussar teaches the Nonprescription Therapeutics course, coordinates the Pharmacy Law and Ethics course, and is a participant in the Pharmacotherapeutics courses at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.  His primary interests are in the areas of new drugs, drug interactions, and issues facing the profession of pharmacy, and he has written and spoken extensively on these subjects.  For many years he has published articles in several professional journals on the new medications that have been marketed in the United States. He serves as the Author/Editor of The Pharmacist Activist newsletter. 
 

Kelley W. Jones, PharmD, BCPS



Kelly W. Jones, Pharm.D, BCPS is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine.  He is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) where he received both his B.S. in Pharmacy and Pharm.D.  He also completed a Pharm.D. Fellowship in Family Medicine from MUSC.  He has been with McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program since his graduation in 1989.  Dr. Jones was born in Fountain Inn, South Carolina.  He is married to Lisa Carroll and has a blended family of 6 children; Amanda, West, Carol, Mason, Hamilton, and Jackson.  That is a total of 4 boys and 2 girls.  He requests prayer and will work for food.  His hobbies include family and writing music. 

Dr. Jones shared, "Just as you begin to move into the glory days of your life, God can send you a most unexpected gift - a baby!  Yes you heard right!  In October this year I will once again stroll the halls of fatherhood.  My wife suggested I change my middle name to Abraham.  This all comes on the heels of being a grandfather.  Someone help!!!"

Graham H. Stephens, PharmD, RPh

Graham Stephens is the Pharmacist in Charge of the Kroger Compounding Center in Roanoke, VA. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the Medical College of Virginia and his Pharm.D. from Mercer University. Graham has developed a 30 year career in pharmacy practice in a wide range of settings including traditional retail, hospital, clinical, managed care, and now compounding.

Beginning in 1999, Graham was a pioneer in the compounding arena when he opened Blue Ridge Apothecary in Roanoke, VA. It was the region’s sole compounding-only pharmacy and served patients with diverse needs such as pain control, veterinary products, and bio-identical hormone replacement. Graham eventually sold his practice to Kroger and has continued operations since that time. 

Graham has presented to a wide range of audiences including physicians, pharmacists, other health care professionals, and the general public regarding pharmacy topics. Additionally, he was an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the Jefferson College of Health Sciences where he taught both physician assistants and general study students. His presentations have been well received by both professional and lay audiences alike. Graham is well known for his insightful perspective, succinct verbal interactions, and unique personality. 

Graham is married and his wife is a realtor. They are active members of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke. Graham currently team-teaches a men’s Bible study with one of the associate pastors. Graham especially enjoys a good game of chess.

Shelley Schliesser, PharmD

Dr. Schliesser has been the coordinator of the Drug Information Center at Charleston Area Medical Center for eighteen years. Dr. Schliesser received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Toledo. She then went to the University of Kentucky Medical Center to obtain her Pharmacy Practice and Drug Information Specialty residencies. In addition to drug information, Dr. Schliesser, as Secretary of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee is involved in adverse drug reactions, formulary management and medication use evaluations. She is also an assistant professor at the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy where she teaches drug literature evaluation and advanced adverse drug reaction identification and management.

Camille Wissmann, PharmD

Camille obtained a BS in Pharmacy from North Dakota State University in 1969. The death of her twin sister Carmen, which resulted from four diagnostic errors, prompted her to become a stronger patient advocate, and in 1998 she obtained her Doctorate in Pharmacy from Purdue University. Camille has worked in hospital, long term care and retail pharmacy. She currently works as a consultant pharmacist in her own business, MedOwl Consulting. Through the trials in her life God has always helped her become a stronger Christian and an advocate for Him both in her personal and her professional life. Camille has been a speaker for numerous CPFI meetings and conferences. She loves to learn and share what she has learned in her Christian and professional life.

Dongmi Kim, PharmD, BCPS

Dongmi Kim is a licensed pharmacist with training in general pharmacy practice and psychiatric pharmacy practice. She is currently working at Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy as a clinical faculty member serving students both in the classroom for didactic learning and at her site, Carrier Clinic, for experiential learning. She is grateful to be a member of New Hope Community Church in Staten Island, NY, and joyfully serves alongside her husband in Christian education ministry. 

Mike Soderling, MD, MBA, CID

Dr. Soderling was in private practice (OB/GYN) in Wisconsin from 1991 to 2001 at which time his family moved to Guatemala for the next 11 years. During this time he was involved in several short term "medical" missions endeavors but after 3 years withdrew from future involvement due to the nature of how these outreaches were conducted. He began to learn from and was mentored by Dr. Dan Fountain who had been a pioneer in holistic and sustainable health missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1961 until 1996. Dr. Soderling now is the Director of the Center for Health in Missions and is leading the development of the Fountain School for Community and Global Health. He and his family are located in the Raleigh/Durham area. 

Also while in Guatemala, Dr. Soderling co-founded Transformational Health (a Guatemala based holistic health ministry), the Partnership in Women's Ministry (a shelter in Guatemala for abused women and their children), and has been assisting in the organizational development and support of AGAPE (an MAF affiliate), and Light and Life Christian School. 

Col. (Ret.) William W. Pickard, RPh, MS

Bill Pickard is the Chair of the Clinical Research Department at Campbell University’s College of Pharmacy. Bill grew up in Greensboro, NC, and graduated from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Pharmacy.  He performed one of the first “Clinical” Pharmacy Residency Programs in the country at Duke University Medical Center from 1976-1977.  He earned his M.S. Degree Pharmacy Practice from The University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy.  Bill grew up in a pharmacist environment where his dad was an independent retail pharmacist in Greensboro and his older brother is currently Chief of Pharmacy at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The majority of his career was as a clinical pharmacist for the Department of Medicine at Duke’s Infectious Diseases services where he worked primarily with oncology/hematology patients with life-threatening infections as well as did much of the early AIDS trials that enabled AZT to come on the market. Bill followed his dad’s footsteps in military service as well.  Bill recently retired from the U.S. Army Reserves as a Colonel.  He served in several war zones and was the Theater Pharmacist of all medical operations post 9/11 in Afghanistan.  His last active duty service was at the busiest outpatient pharmacy in the world as Chief of Pharmacy at Ft. Bragg for three years.

Bill’s wife, Allison, is the Outpatient Bone Marrow Protocol nurse at Duke; his daughter, Ashley is a pre-nursing student at UNC-W and son, Owen, is a junior at Apex High School. Bill and his family are members of Salem Baptist Church in Apex, NC where he and his wife have taught various Sunday School classes and he serves as a deacon. All his family has historically been very active in Bible Study Fellowship over many years.

Bill recently received the Next Generation Pharmacist Lifetime Achievement Award.

Leah A. Hall, PharmD, BCPS, CGP

Leah Hall, PharmD, BCPS, CGP, received her PharmD degree from West Virginia University in 2011. She then completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency in 2012 and a Pharmacy Residency in Geriatrics in 2013 at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) in Charleston, WV. Dr. Hall is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University Of Charleston School Of Pharmacy, where she is co-advisor of the student chapter of CPFI. Her practice site is at CAMC with the palliative care team. She assists the team regarding therapy decisions in those patients diagnosed with a serious illness experiencing pain and symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, depression, anxiety, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Dr. Hall enjoys teaching as well as working together with the palliative care team to improve quality of life for patients and their families.

Devotional, Praise & Worship Leaders

Wagdy W. Wahba, PhD

Dr. Wahba graduated from Alexandria University, College of Pharmacy with a BS in Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Chemistry. After his graduation, he purchased his own drug store in Alexandria, Egypt, where he practiced retail pharmacy.  Dr. Wahba joined Duquesne University, School of Pharmacy, in Pittsburgh as a research associate. After earning his Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology in 1972, he worked as a forensic toxicologist at the crime laboratory of Allegheny County. In August 1995, Dr. Wahba and his family moved to Hamilton Ontario, Canada where he established and worked as a manager of the first Drug Information Center at McMaster Medical Center. He returned to Pittsburgh in September 1997 and re-joined the Allegheny County Crime Laboratory to work as a forensic toxicologist.  He was promoted to the position of manager of the toxicology section and continued serving there for thirteen years. During his tenure as a forensic toxicologist, Dr. Wahba taught pharmacology and toxicology on a part-time basis at two universities and one college in the Pittsburgh area. Dr. Wahba is still available as a forensic toxicology expert witness in civil and criminal court cases. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology.

Since August 2001, Dr. Wahba has been a faculty member at Palm Beach Atlantic University as an associate professor. He thoroughly enjoys teaching at a Christian School of Pharmacy where integration of faith is an integral part of the curriculum. He serves as the Director of Spiritual Programs at the school.  His teaching responsibilities include co-teaching in the “Pharmacotherapy” courses as well as in “Principles of Drug Action I & II”. He also teaches in the areas of spirituality in healthcare and clinical toxicology.          

Jennifer Sands, BS Pharmacy

When Jennifer’s husband was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11, no one would have convinced her that anything good could ever come out of such an unthinkable tragedy. But she has since learned that God is able to do exceedingly more than we can imagine when we put our trust in Him:  God used 9/11 as a catalyst to bring Jennifer to faith in Christ. She is now determined to share her story of God’s grace and her message of trusting Him and His Word. Jennifer’s story has been featured on many national media outlets and she’s the author of three books: A Tempered Faith, A Teachable Faith, and A Treasured Faith. She is a popular retreat speaker and regularly addresses many audiences with her powerful, Bible-centered messages. She also leads tours to Israel and enjoys introducing people to the Holy Land. Jennifer is a 1989 pharmacy graduate of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. She still works part-time for an independent pharmacy in New Jersey, but the majority of her time is devoted to Christian writing and speaking on a local, national, and international basis. For more information, visit www.jennifersands.com. Jennifer looks forward to the fellowship time with her CPFI family!

William Shelton, AS, BS (Information Technology)

William Shelton serves as the Technology Specialist for the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Atlantic University located in West Palm Beach, FL. William has many duties at PBAU including serving as the spiritual mentor of the Pharmonics. The Pharmonics is a Christian band that is comprised of pharmacy student servant leaders who devote their time and musical gifts to lead faculty and students in worship each week during the school’s Pharmacy Chapel.

William also serves as the lead pastor for ‘Listen to God Ministries’ located in the city of Riviera Beach, FL.  William and his wife, Nadene, have seen miracles take place in the lives of God’s people during the past eleven years as they have ministered locally, across the United States, and in Italy in 2006.

William received an AS degree in Computer Networking from Keiser College in West Palm Beach, FL and a BS in Information Technology from Everglades University in Boca Raton, FL. Before joining the PBAU family, William worked for several other large organizations - Humana Hospital, Goodwill Industries, and Keiser University.

William’s greatest joy is being married to Nadene for 24 years and being the father of two sons, Donte and Devon.