Rafael Saenz, Pharm.D.

Rafael Saenz is the Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Director of the National Hispanic Medical Association which represents the interests of over 50,000 Hispanic and Latino Physicians in Washington DC. Prior to coming to NHMA, Rafael served the profession of pharmacy as the Chief Operations Officer/ Chief of Staff for the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, and his Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration from the University of Wisconsin, while completing the Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency Program at the University of Wisconsin Hospital.

Before joining APhA, Rafael held the position of Chief Pharmacy Officer at the University of Virginia (UVA), where he was responsible for overseeing the pharmacy enterprise of the health system. In this capacity, he collaborated with physician colleagues to enhance patient outcomes. He co-chaired the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, as well as various patient care quality committees. Driven by his dedication to patient care, Rafael developed services that effectively prevented readmissions, improved medication adherence, and ensured the safe use of medications.

Earlier in his career, Rafael held the position of Senior Director of Pharmacy for UPMC’s International and Commercial Services Division. In this role, he collaborated with physician and pharmacy colleagues to establish safe and innovative medication use services in Palermo, Sicily; Paphos, Cyprus; and Dublin, Ireland.
Rafael possesses a strong interest in LEAN/Six Sigma methodologies, teaching, mentoring, coaching, and business development. He has established several new business lines with strong revenue streams, and improved access to medications for all patients. Rafael led the expansion of pharmacy residency programs at UVA, tripling the availability of positions during his tenure. He also served as Associate Dean for the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy – UVA Campus during his time at UVA.

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