The CPNP Foundation Legacy Partner’s Society is pleased to welcome Gene Makela, PharmD, BCPP, as a brand new legacy partner. He joins an exclusive group of donors who have committed a planned gift to the CPNP Foundation. Dr. Makela is the 8th legacy partner to join the group.
When asked about his motivation to make a planned gift, Dr. Makela said, “I want to provide a way to help future CPNP members better help patients with mental illness. Being involved with CPNP made all the difference in my career in psychiatric pharmacy. I cannot state this more enthusiastically. Part of this is because, for most of my years in clinical work, my academic practice site in West Virginia was in a relatively small arena. I was the only psychiatric clinical practitioner at West Virginia University, yet through my involvement with CPNP, I was able to develop a successful residency training program and become involved as a member of the Board of Directors of CPNP. I developed lifelong friendships and colleagues across the country that helped foster my clinical practice and satisfaction with my practice. This never would have happened without CPNP.”
Dr. Makela received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in 1976 and his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1986. He served as Director of Pharmacy at the Blue Ridge Hospital division of the University of Virginia Hospitals and the Thomas B. Finan Center, State of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Between 1989 and 2009 he was Assistant and Associate Professor of West Virginia University School of Pharmacy. He developed and was training director for the Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency program at the School. He provided training for pharmacy and medical students, psychiatry residents, and PhD candidates. In 2009 he was inducted into the Academy of Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, and in 2017, he was awarded the Judith J. Saklad Memorial Award by CPNP, an award presented annually to a senior psychiatric pharmacy practitioner who has achieved a level of professional distinction and demonstrates a continuing dedication to the practice of psychiatric pharmacy. Dr. Makela recently retired as Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Mental Health at the Asheville Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina.
He left us with this advice, “The single most important thing one can do is become involved in CPNP. Volunteer. Don’t think you don’t have the time. The rewards you will receive will far outweigh any time spent. If you can, donate to the Foundation.”
Planned gifts allow the Foundation to plan for the future, working towards a world where individuals living with mental illness, their caregivers, and their health care team, work jointly with pharmacy professionals to ensure effective and compassionate treatment. The Foundation is extremely grateful to all of its donors. To learn more about joining the Legacy Partner's Society by making a bequest, please visit the How to Contribute page on the CPNP Foundation website.