Alumna Named Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association President
Susannah Koontz, PharmD'96, BCOP, FHOPA, took office as the President of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) at the 13th HOPA Annual Conference in March. Dr. Koontz has been an active member of HOPA since its inception in 2004 and served as an At-Large Member of the Board of Directors from 2011–2013 and as President Elect during the 2016–2017 term. She has dedicated much time and expertise to HOPA, including serving on the Membership and Education Committees. Dr. Koontz has presented at multiple HOPA Annual Conferences and has co-facilitated the Pediatric Special Interest Group. Susannah’s efforts chairing the 10th Anniversary Gala greatly impacted the HOPA Research Fund, which raised approximately $75,000 to support oncology/pharmacy research efforts.
Dr. Koontz is the Principal at Koontz Oncology Consulting LLC, where she serves as a consultant for pharmacy practice, medical education and clinical research in the fields of pediatric hematology, oncology and hematopoietic cell transplantation. She works with healthcare providers and pharmaceutical industry professionals to identify research priorities and rationally apply cancer therapies in children. She has held faculty appointments at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and the University of Texas (Austin) College of Pharmacy and has trained over two dozen PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy residents.
Prior to starting her firm in 2008, Dr. Koontz was the clinical pharmacy specialist for over 10 years at the Children's Cancer Hospital at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1996 from the University of Michigan and completed both her PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency and PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency at the University of Kentucky as R238. Dr. Koontz has been a Board-Certified
Oncology Pharmacist since 1999 and was named a Fellow of HOPA in 2016.
