The primary focus of the ASPET Leadership Academy is academic and industry leadership readiness for pharmacologists across the U.S. Envisioned and designed by Dr. Ashim Malhotra, the Chair of the ASPET REACH Committee in collaboration with members of the REACH committee, this program addresses a critical national need: the preparation of health sciences professionals for progressive leadership roles in academic medicine, pharmacy, industry, biomedical sciences, and related healthcare professions. The ASPET Leadership Academy seeks to strengthen the leadership pipeline of biomedical and pharmacology professionals nationally while providing targeted skills development in leadership domains.

The Leadership Academy is structured as a community of practice built around a seven-part series of two-hour webinars running over the course of six months, starting in June of 2026 and finishing in December. Each session will focus on a different leadership domain.

Each session will include:

• First hour: Presentation by an invited leadership expert
• Second hour: Breakout discussions where participants apply the topic to their own contexts and receive feedback from their peers and the speaker(s).

Participants will be asked to bring ongoing leadership challenges to the workshop for discussion with the group. Additionally, group discussions and collaborative activities will take place on the ASPETConnect platform to encourage continuous and dynamic interaction among participants.

After completing the ASPET Leadership Academy, participants will be able to:

• Explain the organizational structure of academia and industry
• Describe career progression opportunities in academia and industry
• Describe common leadership challenges in academic and industry pharmacology careers
• Strategize to mitigate these challenges
• Network with the ASPET Leadership Academy cohort, speakers, and director for continued guidance beyond the program completion

This program is open to ASPET members at all levels. The course fee is $250. If you would like to join ASPET to take advantage of this program and other member benefits, please visit the membership application page here.

• Deadline to enroll: May 27, 2026
• Program Start: June 16, 2026
• Fee: $250 for ASPET members, non-refundable, due at enrollment

Orientation: Course timeline, overview, and expectations

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Ashim Malhotra, Director, ASPET Leadership Academy

Session 1: The Academic Organizational Structure – Where do things fit in the larger plan?

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Speaker:Dr. Jayne Reuben, Sr. Associate Provost, Texas Southern University
Dr. Ashim Malhotra, Vice President, California Northstate University

Session 2: Stepping Out from the Faculty into a Department Chair Role at an R01 University

Monday, July 13, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Xinxin Ding, Department Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona

Session 3: Making the Leap: Practical Lessons for New Assistant/Associate Deans

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | 12:00 – 2:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Ashley Castleberry, Assistant Dean of Curriculum and Assessment, University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Session 4: Balancing Scholarship, Service, and Executive Leadership

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Aisha Moultry, Professor and Interim Dean, School of Pharmacy, Texas Southern University

Session 5: Steps to Leadership Positions in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 12:00 – 2:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Marcus Delatte, Vice President, Regulatory Strategy, Allucent

Session 6: Scaling Scientific Thinking: Leadership Lessons from the Path to Vice Provost

Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Marvin Nieman, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, Case Western Reserve University

Session 7: Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation: The Cogs of the Institutional Wheel

Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Speaker: Dr. Ashim Malhotra, Vice President, California Northstate University

Director: Dr. Ashim Malhotra, Vice President, California Northstate University

Dr. Malhotra is Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation at California Northstate University (CNU), where he oversees accreditation, assessment, institutional research, policy development, and university strategic planning. CNU is a Carnegie-classified, comprehensive health professions university with six colleges—Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, Graduate Studies (PhD, MS, MHA), and Health Professions (BSN)—located across three WSCUC-approved city campuses in the Sacramento Metro Region. He also oversees the annual assessment of the university’s seven non-academic units. He is CNU’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) to WSCUC, reporting directly to the university President, and serves on the President’s Executive Council. Dr. Malhotra is a site visit evaluator for institutional and programmatic accreditation, serving WSCUC and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) for both U.S. and international pharmacy program accreditation. At the CNU College of Pharmacy, he is Assistant Dean of Accreditation. A member of the Dean’s Executive Cabinet, he supports academic operations and accreditation at the College, including the College’s strategic plan. Dr. Malhotra serves on the ASPET Council (2023-2026). He also led the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) 16-member national delegation to Cuba in 2024 and chaired the AACP Global Pharmacy Education SIG. In 2020, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Pharmacology Educators (FAAPE) in recognition of his contributions to pharmacology education.

Coordinator: Dr. Monzurul Roni, Teaching Associate Professor, College of Medicine Peoria, University of Illinois at Chicago

Dr. Roni earned his Bachelor and Master of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Dhaka and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, with specialization in neuropharmacology from South Dakota State University. His graduate research focused on understanding the role of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor signaling in addiction and psychiatric disorders. Prior to joining UICOMP, he taught pharmacology and toxicology in a School of Pharmacy. Dr. Roni has been recognized with multiple local and national teaching awards, including the Pharmacology Educator Award from the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Dr. Roni is a national faculty of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), and he serves as an editor of several international journals. Dr. Roni's current research focuses on assessment, curriculum innovation, and DEI in medical education.

• Attendance at orientation session: A one-hour virtual Orientation Session will be held with the Academy Chair and ASPET staff prior to launch.
• Attendance at Program Sessions: Participants must attend at least 5 of the 7 sessions live.
• Completion of Assignments: Brief pre-readings, discussion posts, and post-session reflections will be required.
• Use of ASPETConnect: All program materials, discussion boards, and assignments will be posted on ASPETConnect.
• Leadership Project: Each participant will complete a capstone leadership project demonstrating how they intend to apply their learning at their home institution or within ASPET.
• Completion of Assessments: Program evaluation surveys will be required to help shape future iterations of the Academy.

Adherence to the ASPET Code of Conduct is expected throughout the program to maintain a respectful and professional learning environment.

Upon successfully fulfilling all program requirements, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion. This certificate acknowledges their dedication to advancing their leadership skills as well as their commitment to excellence in the field. Participants completing the program will also be recognized at ASPET 2027.

The course enrollment link will be posted here in mid-April. Capacity is limited. The deadline to enroll is Wednesday, May 27, but the course may fill prior to that date.

Please direct any questions about this program to awards@aspet.org.