Faculty Biographies
Matt Arnold, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM
Matt Arnold, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, is a clinical faculty member at MercyOne Genesis Quad Cities Family Medicine Residency Program; he assists with resident education and patient care in both the acute care hospital and outpatient family medicine clinic. He also oversees the family medicine residency program’s Diabetes Specialty Sub-track curriculum.
As part of the MercyOne Genesis Pharmacy Residency Program, Arnold is the lead preceptor for the ambulatory family medicine training experience. Arnold also serves as the Clinical Director of the MercyOne Genesis Diabetes Care Management Program. He is also the Program Director for the MercyOne Genesis Board Certification in Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM) for Primary Care Providers.
Arnold earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency in Primary Care at Siouxland Medical Education Foundation in Sioux City, IA. He is Board Certified in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy and Advanced Diabetes Management. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Arnold serves as a population health specialist with MercyOne Genesis. He also holds adjunct faculty positions at the University of Iowa.
His professional interests focus on diabetes care management, population health and expanding pharmacist-led interventions in chronic disease management.
Adam Baird, PharmD, BCPS
Adam Baird, PharmD, BCPS, is the Director of Pharmacy at MercyOneGenesis Davenport Medical Center. He earned his doctor of pharmacy degree with a concentration in diabetes from Drake University in 2013. Following this, he completed a PGY1 pharmacy practice residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2014.
Adam began his career as a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Clinton Medical Center before joining MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center in 2016. From 2016 to 2019, he served as a clinical pharmacy specialist, and then as the pharmacy manager from 2019 until 2023. In 2023, he was appointed as the director of pharmacy.
Adam is a dedicated preceptor for both Drake University and the University of Iowa. He is the preceptor for the practice management rotation and is a member of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Iowa Pharmacy Association.
Tamiko Edwards, PharmD
Tamiko Edwards, PharmD is a lead pharmacist at MercyOneGenesis Davenport Medical Center. She earned her doctor of pharmacy degree from Drake University in 1999.
Edwards began her career as a pharmacist at Osco Drug before joining MercyOne Genesis in 2007. She started out in central pharmacy and later expanded her role to include clinical activities on the medical pulmonary and cardiovascular step-down unit (2008-2022), in addition to being a relief pharmacist in the cancer center (2021-present). In November 2015, she stepped up to become a relief lead. This role transitioned to her current position as a lead pharmacist in 2024.
Edwards began precepting introductory and advanced practice general hospital students in 2010 and later becameadjunct faculty for both Drake University and University of Iowa College of Pharmacy
Alexis Gates, PharmD, BCPS
Alexis Gates, PharmD, BCPS, is a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa in 2022 and completed a PGY1 residency at UnityPoint Health – Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Gates serves as a preceptor and adjunct faculty at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and Drake University College of Pharmacy. Gates is a member of Antimicrobial Stewardship, Formulary and Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committees at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center. She currently precepts the Internal Medicine rotation.
Her professional interests include critical care, antimicrobial stewardship and transitions of care. Alexis is also a member of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Iowa Pharmacy Association.
Adam Kuster, PharmD
Adam Kuster, PharmD., is the pharmacy supervisor at MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center.
He received his doctorate degree from the University of Iowa in 2006. After a short time in retail, he joined MercyOne Genesis in fall of 2006. He has been a member of the Safe Medication Management Committee since 2008 and chairing since 2019.
His professional interests include pharmacy practice leadership, oncology and outpatient infusion.
Kirsten V. Myers, Sr., PharmD
Kirsten V. Myers, Sr., PharmD, is a Health Informatics Specialist, Level III - Pharmacy.
He earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from Drake University in 2004.
Meyers began his career as an intensive care and cardiothoracic surgery clinical pharmacist at a 500-bed teaching hospital. After five years, he accepted a position as a director of pharmacy at a small community hospital. In 2015, Myers was hired as the clinical informatics pharmacist for MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center. Then in 2024, his position was transitioned to be part of the Trinity Health (based in Livonia, MI) system office informatics team. Myers is involved in many committees across the hospital and system including the Safe Medication Management committee, MercyOne Genesis P&T, MercyOneRegional P&T, Regional Clinical Affinity Team, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Pharmacy IT Workgroup, MercyOne Genesis Formulary Committee, RAC, Order Set and Protocol Committee and MercyOne Genesis Oncology Workgroup.
Ashlyn Paillon, PharmD
Ashlyn Paillon, PharmD is a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa in 2023 and completed a PGY1 residency at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, Iowa.
Paillon is a preceptor and adjunct faculty at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She currently serves as coordinator of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center, focusing on optimizing antimicrobial use and minimizing resistance. She precepts the infectious disease rotation.
Her professional interests include antimicrobial stewardship and critical care.
Shanda Ptacek, PharmD
Shanda Ptacek, PharmD is a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa in 2015. Shanda is a preceptor for the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, as well as the preceptor for the Oncology residency rotation. She has been instrumental in piloting the integration of a pharmacist in the cancer center, enhancing patient safety and medication management. Shanda is a member of the Formulary Committee.
Her professional interests include oncology, hematology and medication safety.
Nicole Schmedt, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
Nicole Schmedt, PharmD, MBA, BCPS is a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her PharmD/MBA dual degree from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in 2019 and completed a PGY1 residency at University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia, MO in 2020. Nicole has been at MercyOne Genesis since August 2020, and during that time she has participated in and completed multiple projects within the health system, such as the conversion from alteplase to tenecteplase for stroke and heparin anti-Xa monitoring. She has been the formulary committee chair since August 2022. Nicole also sits on the local stroke committee, both MercyOne state-wide P&T and local P&T committees, and MercyOne Clinical Affinity Group.
Nicole is a preceptor and adjunct faculty through University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and a preceptor through Drake University College of Pharmacy. She currently precepts the critical care rotation. Nicole’s professional interests include critical care, cardiology and infectious disease
Thaswan 'Joy' Tillman, PharmD
Thaswan 'Joy' Tillman, PharmD, is the Pharmacy Manager at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from Roosevelt University in 2014.
Tillman began her career as a retail pharmacist in the Chicagoland area, moving to the Quad Cities in 2015. She joined MercyOne Genesis in 2016 as a night shift pharmacist and transitioned to lead pharmacist in August 2022, and then to pharmacy manager in 2023. As manager, she oversees daily operations, including managing staff, ensuring compliance with regulations, controlling inventory and works collaboratively with health care professionals to ensure optimal patient outcomes, addressing medication-related issues and promoting medication safety.
Tabbi Liechty, PharmD
Tabbi Liechty, PharmD, is a clinical and central pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy from Drake University in 2022. Liechty started a PGY1 residency at MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2022. Liechty decided to leave residency in December 2022 and moved back to the Midwest. She joined MercyOne Genesis in February of 2023 initially as a central staff member. In the summer of 2023, she started to take on more clinical shifts, especially on the cardiac stepdown unit. She became a member of the heart failure cohort and initiated a process to optimize guideline-directed medication therapy for this patient population and provide patient counseling. She currently precepts the cardiology rotation.
Liechty’s professional interests include cardiology, collaborative health care and patient advocacy
Jana Woltz, PharmD
Jana Woltz, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center.
She received her doctor of pharmacy degree from Drake University in 2006 and completed a PGY-1 residency at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, MO in 2007. Woltz stayed on as a full-time clinical pharmacist and preceptor at St. Luke's Hospital for the next few years, primarily working in the cardiac and medical ICUs. Her family then relocated back to the Quad Cities area, and she took a position as a staff pharmacist in IV Admixtures at University of Iowa Hospital for six months before transitioning into a part-time clinical pharmacist role.
While at the University of Iowa, Woltz worked in a variety of adult acute care areas and gained experience in solid organ transplant, burn unit, operating room and surgical step-down pharmaceutical services. In 2015, Woltz joined MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center as a part-time clinical pharmacy specialist and has continued to help grow and enhance the clinical pharmacy services, helping as needed to develop and review various pharmacy driven protocols. Some examples include the development of an Aminoglycoside Dosing Policy and Renal Dosing Protocol and updating the ICU Electrolyte Replacement Protocol. Woltz also currently serves as an adjunct member on the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Formulary committees.
