2026 Election
Amanda Abernathy
Board of Directors (2027-2029)
Amanda Abernathy, MBA, CPhT, CPTEd
Pharmacy Technician Training Program Manager
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
Pennsylvania
Meet the Candidate: Amanda Abernathy
AMANDA ABERNATHY, MBA, CPhT, CPTEd ([email protected]), is a pharmacy technician training program manager at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). She has been a pharmacy technician for 17 years. During her formative years of practice, she achieved national certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, worked in many practice settings (outpatient pharmacy, inpatient pharmacy, and prior authorization for an insurance company), and held many specialized roles, including inventory specialist, pharmacy technician trainer, and senior pharmacy technician. The role that changed the trajectory of her career path was lead pharmacy technician, where she built the discharge medication program for a hospital in her health system. This role led her to discover project management and obtain her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in project management, which led to roles in healthcare technology. The skills and knowledge gained in all of these roles and pharmacy practice settings paved the way for Abernathy’s current role as pharmacy technician training program manager, where she is building and obtaining ASHP/ACPE accreditation for a systemwide pharmacy technician training program for the UPMC Health System. In addition to the pharmacy technician training program, Abernathy’s current role allows her to support pharmacy technician initiatives across the health system, such as a state-registered apprenticeship program, a redesign of the pharmacy technician career ladder, and system changes related to PA Act 140. Abernathy’s advocacy for the pharmacy profession also shows in her involvement in ASHP and TPTS, where she serves on the Section of Pharmacy Practice Leaders Advisory Group for Workforce Resiliency and Sustainability and the 2025-2026 TPTS Practice Advancement and Advocacy Committee.
Statement of Philosophy
Pharmacy technicians have been expanding the boundaries of our career path for decades. We’ve reached a point where we are not simply support staff. We are people leaders. We are operational specialists. We are administrative professionals. Since its inception, TPTS has worked to strengthen the voice of pharmacy technicians through resources and knowledge sharing. The Board of Directors can continue this work by creating more resources and facilitating more knowledge sharing. The pharmacy technician voice is desperately needed in the legislative conversations that impact our careers. The "Getting Started with Advocacy" webpage on the TPTS website is a useful resource that could be developed to include more tools. The work of pharmacy technicians is a mystery to the general public and even to other healthcare professionals. Knowledge sharing on the roles and responsibilities of pharmacy technicians would help in workforce resilience and professional identity. Creating a TPTS “We’re your Pharmacy Technician” campaign to mirror the ASHP “We’re Your Pharmacist” campaign would be a valuable way to share knowledge. The mission, vision, and governance of TPTS thrive due to the tireless work, innovation, and enthusiasm of its members. As a member of the Board of Directors, I would contribute passion for advocating for pharmacy technicians which fuels my ability to work tirelessly. I would contribute my project management and problem-solving skills, which allow me to innovate consistently. I would contribute my perspective as a career pharmacy technician, which sustains my enthusiasm for all aspects of the pharmacy technician experience.