Residency Program Preceptors

Back row, from left: Adrienne Eades, Jessica Rivera Pescatore, Taylor Mathwich, Lucy Daniel, Jerrica James, April Yarbrough, Emily Kirby, Leanna Garner Front row, from left: Brenda Denson, Janet Deason, Traci Roberts, Deidra Schmidt, Julie Lasseigne, Lisa Bishop, Heather Searcy

Our dedicated team of preceptors is excited to share their knowledge, expertise, and passion for pediatric pharmacy practice with new residents each year. Fourteen of the twenty-four preceptors completed their PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama and then continued their careers at Children's post-residency.

Melissa (Lisa) Bishop, RPh is from Montgomery, Alabama. She received a BS in Pharmacy from Samford University. She has completed an ISMP Practitioner in Residence Program and a Master Certificate, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University. She has been the Medication Safety Performance Improvement Pharmacist at Children’s since 2007. She serves as preceptor for the elective Medication Safety experience.

Erin Blodgett, Pharm.D., BCPPS is from Atlanta, Georgia. She received a BS in biology from Clayton State University and a Pharm.D. from Mercer University. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since 2014 and since 2017 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Hematology/Oncology service. She serves as co-preceptor for Hematology/Oncology II elective experience.

Joe Brooks, RPh is from Elba, Alabama. He received a BS in Pharmacy from Auburn University. He has been a pharmacist at Children's since 2011 and since 2024 he has been the Pharmacy Finance Supervisor. He serves as preceptor for the longitudinal Pharmacy Operations experience.

Marshall Cates, Pharm.D., BCPP, FASHP, FCCP, FALSHP is from Memphis, Tennessee. He received a BS in biology from Rhodes College and a Pharm.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. He completed a psychiatric pharmacy residency at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. He has been Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy since 1995. He is an Adjunct Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology for the Heersink School of Medicine at UAB. Since 2023 he has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Behavioral Health service.  He serves as preceptor for the Psychiatric Pharmacy elective experience.

Anna Curl, Pharm.D., BCPPS is from Decatur, Alabama. She received a BS in Kinesiology with a minor in International Studies from Auburn University and a Pharm.D. from Samford University. Since completing a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama, she has worked as a pediatric clinical pharmacist, including roles in a pediatric Emergency Department. She returned to Children’s of Alabama in 2020 and since 2021 has worked in Clinical Informatics as an Epic Willow analyst. She serves as preceptor for the Emergency Department elective experience. 

Lucy Daniel, Pharm.D. is from Huntsville, Alabama. She received a BA in dance from Birmingham-Southern College and a Pharm.D. from Samford University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. Since completion of her residency in 2013 she has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU) service. She serves as preceptor for the PICU experience.

Jamie Davidson, Pharm.D. is from Orlando, Florida. She received a Pharm.D. from Samford University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since completion of her residency in 2004, and in 2018 resumed her role as clinical pharmacy specialist for the Blood and Bone Marrow (BMT) service. She serves as preceptor for the elective BMT experience.

Janet Deason, Pharm.D. is from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She received a Pharm.D. from the University of Tennessee at Memphis and completed a Pediatric Nutrition Support and Pharmacokinetics Residency at the University of Tennessee at Le Bonheur. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since 2010 and since 2013 has been the Clinical Coordinator for the Pharmacy Department. She serves as preceptor for the longitudinal Drug Information experience.

Brenda Denson, Pharm.D., BCPPS, FASHP, FALSHP is from Hackelburg, Alabama. She received a BS in chemistry from Livingston University and a PharmD from Samford University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since completion of her residency in 1999. She is an Affiliate Clinical Instructor at Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy, and an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy and at South College of Pharmacy. Since 2013 she has been the Educator for the Pharmacy Department. She serves as preceptor for Orientation.

Adrienne Eades, Pharm.D., ACRP-CP is from Lanett, Alabama. She received a Master’s in Forensic Science from the University of Florida and a Pharm.D. from Florida A&M University. Since 2014 she has been a pharmacy specialist in Investigational Drug Studies. She serves as preceptor for the elective Investigational Drug Studies experience.

Paula Gay, Pharm.D. is from Helena, Alabama. She received a Pharm.D. from Samford University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has more than 15 years of pharmacist experience at Children's in several different roles, but since 2020 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the cardiology (CCU) and heart transplant services. She serves as preceptor for the elective Cardiology/heart transplant elective experience.

Leanna Garner, PharmD, BCPPS is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She received a BS in Biomedical Sciences and a PharmD from Auburn University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children’s of Alabama. She has been an inpatient pharmacist at Children’s since 2021 and since 2023 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Infectious Diseases service.  She serves as co-preceptor for the Infectious Diseases experience.

Jerrica James, Pharm.D. is from Athens, Alabama. She received a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Pharm.D. from the University of Mississippi. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children’s of Alabama and a PGY2 Oncology residency at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She has been a pharmacist at Children’s since the completion of her PGY2 residency in 2021, and since 2022 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Hematology/Oncology service. She serves as co-preceptor for the Hematology/Oncology experience.

Emily Kirby, Pharm.D. is from Huntsville, Alabama. She received a Pharm.D. from Samford University and completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since 2017 and since 2019 she has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Pediatric Hospital Medicine service. She serves as preceptor for the Pediatric Hospital Medicine experience.

Julie Lasseigne, Pharm.D. is from Batesville, Mississippi. She received a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Pharm.D. from the University of Mississippi. She has been a member of the pharmacy department management team at Children's since 2007 and since 2013 has been the Director of Pharmacy. She serves as preceptor for the longitudinal Practice Management experience.

Taylor Mathwich, Pharm.D. is from North Stonington, Connecticut. She received a BS in Biology from the University of Alabama and a Pharm.D. from Auburn University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children’s of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children’s since completion of her residency in 2022 and since 2023 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Cardiovascular Intensive Care (CVICU) service. She serves as preceptor for the elective CVICU experience. 

Jessica Rivera Pescatore, Pharm.D., DABAT is from Cooper City, Florida. She received an Associate of Arts degree from Florida International University and a Pharm.D. from the University of Florida.  She completed PGY1 residency at Lakeland Regional Health and a Clinical Toxicology/Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the Florida/US Virgin Islands Poison Information Center. She is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Since 2023 she has served as Clinical Director of the Alabama Poison Information Center (APIC).  She serves as preceptor for the elective Poison Center/Toxicology experience.

Traci Roberts, RPh is from Guin, Alabama. She received a BS in Pharmacy from Auburn University. She is an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy and has been a pharmacist at Children's since 2001.  Since 2006 she has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Nephrology service, including the dialysis unit. She serves as preceptor for the Nephrology experience.

Deidra Schmidt, Pharm.D., AAHIVP is from Long Beach, Mississippi. She received a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Pharm.D. from the University of Mississippi. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care since completion of her residency in 2002, and has served as Residency Program Director (RPD) since 2006. She serves as co-preceptor for the longitudinal Ambulatory Care experience.

Heather Searcy, Pharm.D. is from Gallatin, Tennessee. She received a Pharm.D. from Samford University and completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She is an Affiliate Clinical Instructor at Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy and since completion of her residency in 2009 she has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Pulmonary service. She serves as preceptor for the Pulmonary experience and co-preceptor for the longitudinal ambulatory care experience.

Sadie Stone, Pharm.D., BCPPS is from Batesville, Mississippi. She received a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Pharm.D. from the University of Mississippi. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She is an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy, and since completion of her residency in 2013 she has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) service. She serves as preceptor for the NICU experience.

Emily Waite, Pharm.D., BCOP is from Ooltewah, Tennessee. She received a BS in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Pharm.D. from Auburn University. She completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since completion of her residency in 2010.  After more than a decade as a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Hematology/Oncology service, she transitioned her role to an EPIC Willow/Beacon clinical analyst but remains a clinical pharmacy resource for oncology and thrombosis for the Division of Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders.  She is an Affiliate Clinical Instructor at Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy and preceptor for the longitudinal anticoagulation experience.

Mary Worthington, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCPPS is from Jackson, Ohio. She received a BS in Pharmacy and a Pharm.D. from The Ohio State University. She completed a residency in hospital pharmacy at Columbus Children's Hospital and a residency in pediatric pharmacotherapy and home health care at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. She is a Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy and since 1995 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Pediatric Hospital Medicine service at Children's. She serves as preceptor for the Teaching and Learning Certificate program.

April Yarbrough, Pharm.D., BCPS is from Hamilton, Alabama. She received a Pharm.D. from Auburn University and completed a PGY1 residency at Children's of Alabama. She has been a pharmacist at Children's since completion of her residency in 2007 and since 2010 has been a clinical pharmacy specialist for the Infectious Diseases service.  She is co-director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. She is an Affiliate Clinical Instructor at Auburn University's Harrison School of Pharmacy and Clinical Assistant Professor in Pediatric Infectious Diseases for the Heersink School of Medicine at UAB.  She serves as preceptor for the longitudinal Clinical Pharmacokinetics experience and co-preceptor for the Infectious Diseases experience.