Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences proudly announces the 2025 Preceptors of the Year.
Preceptors play an integral role by helping to shape a student’s future and launch their careers. There are more than 500 ACPHS preceptors supporting our clinical rotation sites, modeling professional conduct and decision-making, and evaluating students in their settings.
The Preceptor of the Year not only models that professional role, but also shows leadership and service to the profession, unparalleled clinical knowledge and subject matter expertise, dedication to patient care, exemplary dedication to the student learning environment and highly positive comments in student evaluations.
APPE Faculty Preceptor of the Year Award
Alexandra Watson ’14, PharmD, BCACP was named APPE Faculty Preceptor of the Year. Board certified in ambulatory care pharmacy, Dr. Watson received her PharmD degree in 2014 at ACPHS and completed a PGY1 at Albany Stratton VA, in Albany, New York.
Students consistently described Dr. Watson’s rotation as “one of the most valuable learning experiences” of their training. Her balance of independence and support allowed students to grow in confidence while knowing they were never alone. 
As one student shared, “Dr. Watson allowed us to be independent, but I never felt isolated. I felt incredibly comfortable asking questions or for feedback.”
Dr. Watson currently serves as associate professor in Pharmacy Practice at ACPHS focused on Cardiorespiratory and GI/Endocrine pharmacotherapy courses as well as a facilitator in Pharmacy Skills courses. She is also a clinical pharmacist for Community Care Physicians working with patients and providers in chronic disease and medication management where she facilitates an ambulatory care rotation for APPE students.
APPEs are often the time when everything starts to come together for students, and they truly begin to understand the patient-care process.
“I always try to get the students to understand the “why” and to also provide hands-on experience to begin to gain the confidence to become a pharmacist,” said Dr. Watson. “As a preceptor, I enjoy watching students putting together all the skills they have learned throughout the curriculum and applying it directly to patient care.”
Under her guidance, students developed strong clinical judgment, counseling, and communication skills through direct patient care, from managing diabetes and obesity cases to leading patient appointments and follow-ups. Her rotation was praised for its structure and organization.
Dr. Watson’s approachable teaching style, thoughtful feedback, and patient-centered philosophy made a lasting impression. Students described her as “an inspiring role model” who showed what it truly means to be a compassionate, knowledgeable, and impactful pharmacist.
APPE Preceptor of the Year Award
The APPE Preceptor of the Year award was given to Aaron Salwan, PharmD, MPH, BCPP, a clinical pharmacy specialist of behavioral health at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, in Nyack, New York. In this position, he works closely with psychiatrists in caring for patients with mental health conditions on an inpatient psychiatric unit by ensuring that medication choices for patients are individualized and evidence based. He also educates patients receiving treatment via individual interactions, as well as leading group psychoeducation. In addition, Dr. Salwan currently serves as the PGY2 psychiatric pharmacy residency program director at the hospital. 
A board-certified psychiatric pharmacist, Dr. Salwan holds a PharmD degree from Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy; concluded a Pharmacy Practice Research Fellowship at East Tennessee State University Gatton College of Pharmacy; earned a Master of Public Health degree from East Tennessee State University; and completed a PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.
His approach is to provide students with an immersive experience in psychiatry.
“We spend a lot of time speaking to patients directly, giving students an opportunity to observe and interact with psychiatric illnesses firsthand,” he said. “Precepting allows me to forward the guidance and mentorship I received, support others as they grow into confident practitioners, and work to improve the overall care of patients with mental health and substance use disorders.”
When the ACPHS Class of 2025 made their APPE, there were multiple nominations for Dr. Salwan and his evaluations were 5/5 across the board.
“During this rotation I observed the trust between the patients and the behavioral health pharmacist. It was so refreshing seeing how patients (whom many of them had been struggling with their mental health for many years) would turn to the pharmacist not just for medication management but as a source of guidance and support,” one student shared. “This connection made me realize how impactful a pharmacist can be in mental health care,
Preceptor of the Year Award
Regina Scott ’15, PharmD, BCPS, clinical pharmacy coordinator at HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, New York was named ACPHS Preceptor of the Year. Dr. Scott’s directs patient care activities and handles administrative tasks including roles such as attending ICU interdisciplinary patient care rounds, overseeing materials for pharmacy & therapeutics (P&T) committee meetings, continuous formulary reviews, and serving as a clinical resource for staff pharmacists, providers and nurses.
The board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist received her PharmD degree with a concentration in nephrology at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; completed a PGY1 residency at Canton-Potsdam Hospital; and is certified in both SIDP Antimicrobial Stewardship and Pharmacy Informatics.
In her role as an IPPE and APPE student preceptor, she strives to provide a balance of support and independence for the students by reviewing their rotation schedule, establishing clear expectations, and providing background on myself and my position at the hospital.
“My motivation to be a preceptor comes from my desire to be an influence on future pharmacists in the profession. I want to ensure that the students have a meaningful experience to feel confident entering their future career,” she shared.
During her rotations in IPPE and APPE, she has students attend interdisciplinary ICU rounds which include attending physicians, PAs, family practice medical residents, nurses, respiratory therapists, and a pharmacist. The experience provides great exposure to the students and allows them to demonstrate their knowledge and positively represent the profession of pharmacy.
A student that nominated Dr. Scott reported, “This rotation site was amazing, and Regina was a wonderful preceptor. She provided a solid schedule for the rotation and outlined expectations at the beginning. The schedule allowed us to observe each part of the hospital pharmacy and the different pharmacist roles available. I would recommend this rotation to everyone, and it served as a great introduction into institutional pharmacy.”
Experiential Education Engagement Awards
The first Experiential Education Engagement Award was given to Christine Zeolla ’99, RPh, who currently serves as a staff pharmacist at Albany Medical Center, in Albany, New York.
Zeolla holds a BSPharm degree from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
“For IPPE students, where this is often their first experience within hospital pharmacy, I like to be able to provide them with experiences on observing various areas within the department and the hospital to show them all the opportunities that could be available to them,” said Zeolla.
The second Experiential Education Engagement Award was given to Jeannine Beth Wilkinson Rose ’94, PharmD. Dr. Rose has served for 23 years as a staff pharmacist at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, primarily working in anticoagulation services and adult ICUs.
She holds a BSPharm degree from ACPHS and a PharmD from Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina.
Dr. Rose believes in the importance of mentorship and guiding students in a manner that reveals their ability to apply their didactic education in clinical decision making as it strengthens both the profession and improves patient care.
“I am equally humbled and grateful to be told, that I am, in large part, responsible for former students’ decision to pursue employment as a health-systems pharmacist,” said Dr. Rose. “Working with patients at their most vulnerable stage is a calling that offers as many rewards as challenges, and I am grateful to have been a small part students’ choice.”
There were multiple nominations for both Christine Zeolla and Jeannine Rose, as well as high student evaluations.
“We cannot imagine more deserving recipients of this recognition. From the very beginning, Christine and Jeannie created an engaging and welcoming environment that fostered both professional growth and personal development,” shared one student. “Each day we arrived genuinely excitedabout what they had planned for us. They ensured that our rotation was not only educational but also meaningful and inspiring.”
Another student added, “Christine and Jeannie continuously encouraged us to explore our interests, ask questions, and take ownership of our learning. Their dedication to tailoring our experiences to our professional goals truly sets them apart. What made our rotation especially impactful was their commitment to mentorship.”
Distinguished Preceptor Award
The Distinguished Preceptor Award was presented to Laura A. Rodriguez ’95, RPh, the pharmacy operations manager at St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, New York. In her role, Rodriguez serves as pharmacy manager, SPHP’s drug diversion officer, and an IPPE/APPE preceptor.
Rodriguez earned a BSPharm degree at ACPHS.
“Because I am in a management role, my students are paired with secondary preceptors for the majority of their rotation so that they can get a feel for all things hospital pharmacy and more clinical knowledge,” said Rodriguez. “This gives them a broader exposure and understanding of hospital pharmacy from pharmacy technician duties through the operations of our Cancer Care Center. They can sometimes observe surgeries and work in our clean room. I typically have them do one or two presentations during their rotation.”
“She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, always smiling, willing to provide answers to any questions and professional,” reported one of her students. “Whenever I submitted my assignments, she took her time to review them and provided valuable comments. If she has questions, she asks them very politely. She is perfect and the best person to work with!”
Experiential Education Engagement Award
The Experiential Education Engagement Award was given to Thomas P. Lombardi, PharmD, FASHP, RPh. Dr. Lombardi retired as the systems director of pharmacy for St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany in January 2026. He currently serves as Chair of the Trinity Health New York Institutional Review Board (IRB) and as a parliamentarian for the New York State Council of Health-system Pharmacists.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut, School of Pharmacy and conducted an ASHP Accredited Hospital Pharmacy Residency at Buffalo General Hospital. He then went on to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, and completed a fellowship in Pediatric Pharmacotherapy at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.
Dr. Lombardi was a preceptor in Pediatrics/Neonatology, Drug Information, Institutional Pharmacy Practice and Corporate Pharmacy Administration at ACPHS from 1987 to 2025 and had oversight of the experiential program for St. Peter’s Health Partners overseeing over 2,000 students. He also educated and students on Pharmacy residencies, pharmacy administration, pharmacy law, vaccines and many other topics.
His approach was that each student possessed the knowledge, and his role was to ask delving questions to allow the student to gain the best understanding of the topic. His motivation to be a preceptor started when he was a student at the University of Connecticut on a pediatric rotation at Hartford Hospital.
“As an educational experience, my rotation preceptor, had each student oversee the other students providing education on a topic in which they were interested. This started the profession long guide to educate students to provide the best care possible,” he explains. “I believe that all pharmacistshave the inherent goal to educate patients, families, students and other health professionals.”
Dr. Lombardi has over 75 professional publications and 300 professional presentations, and he speaks on medication safety and provision of a safe medication environment and legislative and regulatory topics on a local, regional and national level.
ACPHS Director of Experiential Education, Jennifer Cerulli ’93, PharmD, lauds Dr. Lombardi for his dedicated years of service as a preceptor, adjunct faculty, and coordinator of experiential rotations.
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