PSWA Announces new Chair and Deputy Chair

Long serving Chair of The Pharmaceutical Society of Western Australia (PSWA) Mr Dean Schulze has announced his retirement from the Board.

The Board has elected Mr Richard Smirk as its Chair and Ms Celia Sansom as Deputy Chair. To fill the vacancy created by Dean’s departure the Board has appointed Mr Gavin McKay. 

Mr Schulze, the outgoing Chair reflected on the changes over the past eight years and his confidence in the Board and the Society’s future.

“The PSWA members have been well served by a very skillful and committed Board and I felt the time was right to stand down and allow regeneration. The Society is in safe hands under the leadership of Richard and Celia and with the support of the entire Board.  The recent emphasis on championing innovation in pharmacy practice and research is a model that will not only serve our members well but, will have positive benefits for the health care of all Western Australians. I see the impetus in inspiring innovation in pharmacy, particularly in the younger demographics of our members, as a real positive to support the growth and relevance of the Society for decades to come. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Board.”

Mr Schulze, a pharmacist since 1981 and a proprietor since 1985, has served the PSWA as a Board member and its Chair since 2014.  He also served as Chair of Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL) for six years and on the PDL Board for 11 years and was chosen as PSA WA Pharmacist of the Year in 2018. Mr Schulze continues his role as Deputy Presiding Member of the Pharmacy Registration Board of WA.

The incoming Chair, Mr Richard Smirk has served as Deputy Chair of the PSWA since 2014, is a community pharmacist, a former pharmacy proprietor and is currently a Clinical Advisor Pharmacy for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in their Perth office. 

Mr Smirk paid tribute to Dean’s commitment to the profession.

“Dean has been a significant figure in the pharmacy profession in WA and Australia for many years and the PSWA has benefitted immeasurably through his leadership.  His guidance was vital during our reformative years where the Society was established as the major facilitator of pharmacy practice development in WA through innovative research supported by the J M O'Hara Research Fund.  His dedication to establishing our vision and mission will ensure the Society continues to support the pharmacy profession in WA for many years to come.” 

The Deputy Chair, Ms Celia Sansom, is also a community pharmacist and was previously Manager of Training Programmes at PSWA coordinating the intern training programme and is the current Chair of the PSWA Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee

The recently appointed member Mr Gavin McKay is a pharmacy proprietor and owner of a first-aid training and medical and safety supply company. Joanne Cruickshank, Teresa Di Franco and David McKnight are the remaining Board members who have a wealth of experience and diversity between them.

Jocelyn Sisson