Alumni Awards Gala

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2023 Alumni Awards Gala

Sunday, February 26, 2023

WestDrift Manhattan Beach Hotel, Manhattan Beach, CA

5 pm – Reception and Silent Auction

6 pm – Program and Dinner

All proceeds from the 2023 Alumni Awards Gala will support the development of the new, state-of-the-art USC Pharmacy in South Los Angeles.

2023 Alumni Award Recipients

Jimmie L. Overton, PharmD

Honorary Alumni Award

Jimmie L. Overton, PharmD, will receive the Honorary Alumni Award. He is co-founder and managing partner at Govise Inc. and previously served as vice president of global medical information and medical promotional review at Allergan. A recognized medical affairs subject matter expert, he has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare.

Jeffrey S. McCombs, PhDre

Innovation in pharmacoeconomics

Jeffrey S. McCombs, PhD, will be presented with the Innovation in Pharmacoeconomics Award. In 1994, he and colleagues established the nation’s first—and now most prestigious—graduate program in pharmaceutical economics. Earlier this year, McCombs retired after more than three decades on the faculty of the USC School of Pharmacy.

Charles W. Stark, PharmD '82

Research achievement award

Charles W. Stark, PharmD ’82, will receive the Research Achievement Award. He is senior vice president of research and development at Emmaus Medical Inc. He previously held roles at immunotherapeutic companies Bavarian Nordic and Dendreon and at pharmaceutical company Pfizer. He is an assistant professor at the USC School of Pharmacy and has been an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience preceptor since 1991.

David Truong, PharmD'07, MS Regulatory Science'07

Distinguished Alumni Award

David Truong, PharmD ’07, MS Regulatory Science ’07, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. He is director of global regulatory affairs at Jazz Pharmaceuticals in San Diego. Previously he was director of regulatory affairs at Greenwich Biosciences and at Teva Pharmaceuticals. He also practices in a community pharmacy setting at Costco Wholesale. Truong has precepted and mentored students and serves as an adjunct faculty member at the USC School of Pharmacy. He is also a trustee of the California Pharmacists Association and a board member of USC’s QSAD Centurion.

Richard Dang,PharmD'13

Dean's Medallion award

The Dean’s Medallion Award will be presented to Richard Dang, PharmD ’13, assistant professor of clinical pharmacy and director of the residency program at the USC School of Pharmacy, and president of the California Pharmacists Association. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dang was a leading voice for testing and vaccination, notably heading the Los Angeles COVID-19 program that resulted in nearly 1.5 million vaccines administered across the city.

Duane Mauzey, DRSC'12

Innovation in Regulatory Science Award

The Innovation in Regulatory Science Award will go to Duane Mauzey, DRSC ’12, director of regulatory affairs for CMC at Glaukos Inc., where he oversees quality of clinical and marketing applications for novel pharmaceuticals that treat chronic eye diseases. He also is an adjunct assistant professor at the USC School of Pharmacy.

Lilia Xu, PharmD'12

Young Alumni Award

The Young Alumni Award will go to Lilia Xu, PharmD ’12, vice president of business development for 986 Degrees Corporation, which operates several pharmacies in San Gabriel Valley and has provided more than 40,000 COVID-19 vaccinations to the community. Xu is a member of the boards of the San Gabriel Valley Pharmacists Association and QSAD Centurion at USC School of Pharmacy.

Vaccination Volunteers

Community service award

The Community Service Award will be presented to all those who volunteered at the vaccination clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic, in honor of their outstanding work in the community. USC School of Pharmacy faculty, students and alumni played a key role in vaccinating Angelenos against COVID-19. They joined fellow volunteers in inoculating more than 1 million Angelenos during the height of the pandemic, selflessly volunteering many hours at vaccine points dispensing throughout Greater Los Angeles.