Q: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small town, Frankfort, Indiana, raised in the country and surrounded by farmland. While my family would have liked me to carry on the family farming tradition and become a farmer, my personal Dad joke is that I eventually became a “Pharm”-acist instead.
Q: Where did you go to college/graduate school?
Purdue University School of Pharmacy
Q: What are your favorites?
Food: Sushi
Movie: Shawshank Redemption
Musicians: Martin Garrix, Luke Bryan, Madonna
Destination: Balearic Islands (Ibiza & Mallorca), Spain
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
In my free time, I enjoy playing and watching basketball, attending HIIT classes, watching reality or true crime TV, reading, and cheering on my 11-year-old son at soccer matches or sailing regattas.
Q: What kind of work does your organization do in 340B and what makes it stand out?
As a 340B safety net provider & covered entity, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) provides cutting-edge healthcare and specialty pharmacy services designed to serve the unique needs of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). The 340B program helps to ensure our patients have access to the healthcare, medications, and services they need through the array of AHF programs, regardless of their ability to pay. In addition to our healthcare expertise, AHF provides services, including free walk-in HIV & STD testing, wellness services, stable & affordable housing solutions, meal & pantry services to reduce food insecurity, and a Medicare advantage plan solution for PLWH. In addition, AHF drives national and global advocacy to encourage public health policies and practices that are in the best interest of our clients and PLWH worldwide.
Q: Why did you choose to work in the 340B space?
As a gay man who grew up witnessing some of the impact of the HIV epidemic in the mid to late 90’s, I decided early on that I would focus my pharmacy career on helping people living with HIV. That led me to AHF, the largest AIDS service organization in the world. As a healthcare provider, helping others is a core responsibility. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how 340B, which costs taxpayers nothing, allows AHF to expand our services to reach more people and underserved populations. I am grateful to be a part of such a rewarding industry.
Q: What do you feel is your most significant contribution to the 340B world or to a 340B customer/client?
Focusing on pharmacy, AHF Pharmacy provides expert specialty pharmacy services that are customized to the needs of our unique patients. Medication adherence is at the forefront, and our programs are designed to support and simplify the daily maintenance of medications. Working directly with the AHF Pharmacy teams, I get the privilege of helping design and coordinate pharmacy services that best help AHF clients achieve high-quality health outcomes and live healthy lives.
Q: What advice do you have for a young professional who has recently launched a career in the 340B space?
Working with underserved populations, it is invaluable to see the impact you can make on the life of someone in need. Outside of the career, the personal benefits of this type of work are even greater. If you love what you do, the colleagues you work with, and the people you help, you will be on the path to a successful career.
For questions, Brandon can be reached at feedback@ahf.org
