Pharmacy Labs for Technicians

JASON SPARKS

Jason Philip Sparks, MEd, CPhT, CPhT-Adv (NPTA), PhTR, has more than 20 years of experience in education, product management, and pharmacy practice as a pharmacy technician.

He has contributed to learner success by building solutions by leading product teams at Swing Education, eLumen, Learning Objects, Instructure, and Blackboard. He has taught courses in pharmacy practice, law, mathematics, medical ethics, business, and academic success across the U.S., including The George Washington University School of Business, Cedar Valley College in Dallas, Arkansas State University—Mid-South, and Austin Community College.

Jason has been recognized for his contributions to the profession of pharmacy and advancing the role of the pharmacy technician by the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council (PTEC), the Texas Pharmacy Association, and the Capital-Area Pharmacy Association.

He has also served the profession as a twenty-year veteran member and former president of the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council (PTEC). Jason loves to solve problems faced by learners and educators. His passions include pedagogy, student engagement, instructional design, product management, the proper use of technology to enable learning, and assessment.

When not focusing on the evolving needs of learners and the use of emerging technology, such as the application of generative artificial intelligence and large language models or enterprise technologies, Jason enjoys time traveling (10 countries, 45 states, and counting!), spending time with family, enjoying a well-made cup of coffee, and enjoying the outdoors across Austin, Texas.

Jason holds a Master of Education in Career and Technology Education focusing on human performance and the assurance of learning and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas State University—San Marcos, as well as an Associate of Applied Science in Pharmacy Technology from Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas. He earned PTCB pharmacy technician certification in 2001 and registered with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy in 2004. Jason earned his CPhT-Adv (NPTA) credential in 2023.

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• Pharmacy Labs for Technicians, Fourth Edition

LISA MCCARTNEY

Lisa McCartney, MEd, CPhT, PhTR, has been a certified instructor in sterile compounding and aseptic technique (SCAT) since 1997. She is the department chair for the ASHP/ACPE-accredited pharmacy technician program at Austin Community College (ACC) where she also serves as the lead educator responsible for training certified SCAT Instructors throughout the U.S. through the ACPE-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) providership at ACC. 

Lisa has been educating and training pharmacy technicians since 1999 and has worked as a pharmacy technician for more than 40 years, with over 15 years as a lead IV trainer and pharmacy supervisor in a level I trauma center. She became a PTCB-certified pharmacy technician in 1995 and has been registered with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) since 2005. She received her pharmacy technician AAS degree from Weatherford College, Weatherford, Texas in 2008. In 2011, she received her BAAS degree in occupational education, and in 2013 her master’s degree in education from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

An award-winning professional, Lisa was the 2011 International NISOD Award winner for Teaching and Leadership Excellence. In 2012, she received the Roy Kemp award from the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council, and in 2013, the Mike Knapp award from the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Lisa has served in leadership positions on the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council and the technician executive committee for the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and has served on the PTCB Sterile Compounding Task Force, PTCB Stakeholders Conference, and the TSBP Sterile Compounding Task Force. Lisa co-authored Paradigm’s Pharmacy Labs for Technicians and is the author of the first edition of Sterile Compounding and Aseptic Technique.

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• Pharmacy Labs for Technicians, Fourth Edition
• Sterile Compounding and Aseptic Technique, Second Edition

NICOLE DAVIS

Nicole Davis, MS, CPhT, has been a dedicated pharmacy technician since 2001, earning her PTCB certification in 2003. With extensive experience in retail pharmacy, technician training, and curriculum development, Nicole served as a district pharmacy training coordinator for a major pharmacy chain before transitioning into academia. In 2007, she became the Department Chair and Program Coordinator for the ASHP/ACPE-accredited Pharmacy Technician Program at Pikes Peak State College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she developed the state’s first and only Advanced Pharmacy Practice Certificate and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Pharmacy Technology. Her program was recognized with the Outstanding CTE Program award by the state of Colorado in 2009.

As the Associate Dean of Health Sciences at PPSC, Nicole continues to lead with a focus on innovation and educational excellence. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership (2022) and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology (2023) from Southern Nazarene University. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to providing students with cutting-edge training, earning certifications in extemporaneous compounding, online pedagogy, immunization administration, and sterile compounding.

Nicole is a contributing writer and reviewer for several pharmacy technician training texts and manuals, and she served on the inaugural advisory board for pharmacy technicians with Paradigm Education Solutions. A passionate advocate for standardized education, she played a pivotal role in the 2019 legislative efforts to require national certification and state registration for pharmacy technicians in Colorado. Her dedication to advancing the profession has been further recognized through her volunteer work as a co-surveyor for ASHP’s pharmacy technician program accreditation team and as a member of the PTCB Education Subcommittee from 2020-2024.

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• Pharmacy Labs for Technicians, Fourth Edition

WENDY LUBIN

Wendy Lubin, MS, CPhT, began her career as a certified pharmacy technician at Safeway Pharmacy during her undergraduate studies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver. Seeking to expand her expertise in institutional pharmacy, Wendy transitioned to Denver Health Medical Center and later to Sky Ridge Medical Center, where she worked as a pharmacy technician operating room specialist.

Driven to share the knowledge she gained throughout her career, Wendy applied to the Pharmacy Technician program at Front Range Community College. While serving as the program director, she earned a master’s degree in teaching and learning with a concentration in organizational change management from Colorado State University.

Following her master's degree, Wendy became the Allied Health Department Chair at Front Range Community College. In this role, she led the successful creation of a pharmacy technician apprenticeship program in partnership with Centura Health, aligning the curriculum between Centura Health and Front Range Community College to address workforce needs. Her work has contributed to the training and certification of skilled pharmacy technicians, bridging the gap between education and employment in healthcare.

Wendy is now the Academic Dean at Red Rocks Community College, overseeing a diverse range of programs, including Emergency Medical Services, Fire Science Technology, Law Enforcement, Outdoor Education, the Social Sciences departments, and the College Gateway Program. Her leadership is centered on collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence, with a strong focus on student success and equitable outcomes.

In addition to her academic leadership, Wendy is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves as the Chair for the Hispanic Serving Institution Task Force at Red Rocks Community College, is fluent in both English and Spanish, and is an active member of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Wendy is also pursuing a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University.

Her passion for education and her dedication to creating pathways for underserved students continue to define her career as she works to promote academic excellence and inclusive opportunities for all.

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• Pharmacy Labs for Technicians