Wafa Samara, PharmD

For Dr. Wafa Samara, cancer care is personal. When Dr. Samara’s mother was first diagnosed with cancer in 1991 — the same year Dr. Samara welcomed a daughter — her world changed. She watched her mother endure surgery, treatment, and later, a stage IV diagnosis. Through every setback, Dr. Samara fought for her mother to have access to the latest treatments and compassionate care. “If I hadn’t been there to advocate for her, where would she be? Today, she is truly a walking miracle” Dr. Samara reflects. “No pharmacist ever came to talk to my mom about what to expect. That’s why our pharmacists meet with every patient and family — to make sure no one faces cancer alone.”

This deeply personal experience fueled Dr. Samara’s passion for transforming oncology pharmacy. As vice president and chief pharmacy officer of her institution she launched multiple programs to elevate the role of oncology pharmacy, remove patient financial toxicity so every patient has access to innovative cancer therapies and expand pharmacy training programs. She is laser focused on developing the next generation of diverse oncology pharmacists, setting new standards for advanced clinical training and expanding opportunities for future leaders in the field. She also launched a program which established system-wide processes and protocols to support one level of care and experience while improving safety and high-quality cancer care. 

Mentorship and professional development are at the heart of Dr. Samara’s work. As a governing council at a national professional organization, she founded a unique mentorship program aimed at networking and early and late career development. At her current role, she partners with community leaders, external organizations and industry to train leaders in cancer pharmacy and establish a pharmacy leadership pipeline, guiding dozens of early-career pharmacists into national leadership roles. “Everyone needs to have two things — having a mentor and a sponsor, I was fortunate to have both throughout my career,” she explains. “Mentorship is more relational, informal, and long-term with an experienced professional who guides someone’s overall career journey. A sponsor is like a soccer referee, steps in to sponsor you, help break down barriers and help you advance. I want to be both for the next generation.”

Dr. Samara’s impact reaches across the country. She led major national initiatives to elevate the role of pharmacy, championed “working at the top to the license,” expanded the pharmacy role in research, standardized oncology pharmacy practices and also spearheaded community engagement efforts to generate interest in oncology pharmacy careers and improve cancer awareness. Yet for Dr. Samara, the most meaningful part of her work is watching the next generation of pharmacists succeed and knowing that every patient — no matter their background — has someone advocating for them.