Celebrating excellence: How the Pharmacy Practice + Business Awards recognize the amazing work of pharmacy professionals
Hear from past winners about how winning a Pharmacy Practice + Business Award helped their career and work.
Since their inception in 2022, the Pharmacy Practice + Business Awards have served as a platform for recognizing the excellent work by Canadian pharmacy professionals. Judged by a panel of six judges, these awards honour exceptional patient care, creativity and innovation in pharmacy practice.
As we accept nominations for next year’s awards, we caught up with some past recipients to see how this recognition has influenced their professional journeys. For many, the award was more than just a trophy; it was a catalyst for growth.
Whether you want to nominate a colleague who inspires you or put your own practice forward, the process starts now.
The deadline is Nov. 16, 2026 and click here for details on entering.
As we accept nominations for next year’s awards, we caught up with some past recipients to see how this recognition has influenced their professional journeys. For many, the award was more than just a trophy; it was a catalyst for growth.
Whether you want to nominate a colleague who inspires you or put your own practice forward, the process starts now.
The deadline is Nov. 16, 2026 and click here for details on entering.
Avalon Lupini on Improving patient safety and pharmacy workflow
Avalon is a Registered Pharmacy Technician and the Founder of SmartyPrints, a Canadian healthcare technology company focused on improving medication labelling in pharmacies and hospitals. In 2024, She received the Pharmacy Practice + Business Pharmacy Technician Initiative Award.
Avalon Lupini
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Q: Tell us how your Pharmacy Practice + Business Awards recognition opened new opportunities?
Winning the 2024 Pharmacy Technician Initiative Award gave me credibility and visibility within the pharmacy community at a very important time in my journey as an entrepreneur. As a pharmacy technician who developed SmartyPrints from a frontline pharmacy problem, being recognized by my peers was incredibly meaningful.
The award helped open doors to conversations with pharmacy leaders, hospitals, healthcare organizations and industry partners across Canada. It also gave me the confidence to continue bringing forward an idea that started with simply wanting to make pharmacy work safer, more efficient and less reliant on manual processes.
Most importantly, the recognition helped people see that pharmacy technicians can be innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders in healthcare. Since winning the award, SmartyPrints has continued to grow, with our technology now being used by hospitals and pharmacies across Canada.
I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition because it helped amplify both my voice as a pharmacy technician and the work we are doing through SmartyPrints.
Q: What else should we know about?
The award helped open doors to conversations with pharmacy leaders, hospitals, healthcare organizations and industry partners across Canada. It also gave me the confidence to continue bringing forward an idea that started with simply wanting to make pharmacy work safer, more efficient and less reliant on manual processes.
Most importantly, the recognition helped people see that pharmacy technicians can be innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders in healthcare. Since winning the award, SmartyPrints has continued to grow, with our technology now being used by hospitals and pharmacies across Canada.
I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition because it helped amplify both my voice as a pharmacy technician and the work we are doing through SmartyPrints.
Q: What else should we know about?
I would encourage every pharmacy professional to consider nominating a colleague, a team, or even yourself. There are so many incredible people doing innovative and meaningful work in pharmacy, and sometimes that recognition can be the encouragement and opportunity someone needs to take their next step. Don’t be afraid to put your work forward, you never know what doors it might open.