Calita S. Richards Named Director of Pharmacy
Calita S. Richards, PharmD, MPH, has been promoted to director of pharmacy for the Department of Health’s Bureau of Health Services. Richards came to work for the Tennessee Department of Health in February, 2007, as the assistant director of pharmacy.
“Dr. Richards has an extensive background in public health that will maximize pharmacy services to Tennesseans seeking health care and pharmacy assistance across the state,” said Cathy Taylor, DrPH, MSN, RN, Assistant Commissioner for Health Services. “We are fortunate to have a person with her outstanding background serving in such a crucial position.”
In her new role, Richards is responsible for providing pharmaceutical guidance and clinical information to Tennessee’s 13 rural and metro public health pharmacists and providers on the following statewide programs: breast and cervical cancer, dental, diabetes, family planning, hemophilia, human immunodeficiency virus, immunization, nursing, primary care, renal, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. She also serves as the TDOH liaison to the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and TennCare for formulary and medication management. Richards provides quality management guidance to public health programs concerning vaccine and pharmaceutical distribution, dispensing and storage, and administration. She serves as a liaison to the Department of Finance and Administration and Purchasing and Procurement in the management of public health pharmaceuticals and related contracts.
“I am honored to have been chosen for this position,” said Richards. “As the state moves forward with exciting endeavors such as its new smoking cessation initiatives and future health promotion campaigns, it is a very exciting time to be in public health. I look forward to working to improve the Bureau’s pharmacy services and the health of our citizens.”
Richards obtained a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree at the Medical University of South Carolina, and a Doctorate in Pharmacy degree at the University of Georgia. She gained 11 years of experience as a clinical and research pharmacist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. During this time, Richards focused her efforts on antibiotic utilization and the care of patients with HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. In addition, Richards completed a fellowship in infectious diseases at the Medical College of Georgia. She was an adjunct faculty member of the University of Georgia and University of South Carolina Colleges of Pharmacy teaching doctoral candidates for eight years. Richards obtained a Masters Degree in Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, through the Department of International Health, with a concentration in infectious diseases.
Richards has also served as a consultant to Aetna/US Healthcare regarding medication utilization, a consultant to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Polio Eradication Campaign in Bangladesh, and a consultant to Medicins Sans Frontieres – Holland for the Onchocerciasis Control Program in Southern Sudan. Afterward, she joined the Georgia Division of Public Health as the Assistant Directory of Pharmacy, and was the Georgia State Coordinator for the Strategic National Stockpile, CHEMPACK, and Cities Readiness Initiative Federal Programs for four years.