The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation celebrated its 27th Annual Dinner in San Diego, CA, on August 23. The event helps to expand the Foundation’s research portfolio and support of pharmacy education that are complementary to innovating healthcare delivery. The total fundraising cycle for 2025 exceeds $1.4M.

Geena Davis, Academy Award-winning actor and advocate, headlined the event during the 2025 NACDS Total Store Expo. Celebrating strides in healthcare innovation, more than 500 industry leaders and academic partners came together in support of the Foundation’s commitment to advancing public health.

“Across the country, localized care delivery is gaining momentum. Academic institutions are updating their courses of study to reflect this new paradigm, and research is helping to define new approaches to improve health outcomes,” said NACDS President and CEO and NACDS Foundation Chair Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, CAE, IOM. “The NACDS Foundation is committed to supporting that evolution and innovation, and we honor the shared commitment of Foundation sponsors to spark meaningful progress.”

NACDS Foundation President Sara Roszak, DrPH, MPH, remarked, “Innovation in healthcare does not happen by chance — it is cultivated through partnership, research, and a shared commitment to better outcomes. At the NACDS Foundation, we are proud to work alongside our colleagues and supporters to advance ideas that can truly transform care.”

During the event, Dr. Julie Akers, a distinguished administrator, educator, and researcher who serves as the Interim Dean of Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies, was recognized with the NACDS Foundation’s Cultivating Innovation in Care Award.

“I am honored to receive the Cultivating Innovation in Care Award. The NACDS Foundation was pivotal in my research that increased access to quality care provided by community pharmacists,” said Julie Akers, PharmD. “The NACDS Foundation Faculty Scholars program aided my transition from implementing clinical services while at a chain pharmacy to conducting meaningful research in an academic setting. It is a great resource, and all who contribute to the NACDS Foundation should be proud of the innovation they inspire.”

Photos are available for use by the media.

View the NACDS Foundation video that played during the dinner.

The 28th Annual NACDS Foundation Dinner will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport during the 2026 NACDS Total Store Expo in Boston, MA.

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