2014 has been an exceptional year for Samantha Kourtis, a Canberra pharmacist who has taken out two major awards. She has been recognised not only in the scope of community pharmacy, but also in the wider scope of business.

Earlier this year, as managing partner of Capital Chemist Charnwood, she and her team were named the 2014 Pharmacy of the Year at the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Australian Pharmacy Professional conference. The award was given to the pharmacy based on innovation in professional service, as a model of a dynamic pharmacist meeting the needs of the community.

In the 2014 Telstra Business Women’s Awards, she has been named Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year. She also took out the Private and Corporate Sector and Business Innovation award categories for the ACT. Her win came off the back of the success of her pharmacy in introducing medical compression garment clinic to help relieve Canberrans with diabetes of circulation problems. She became a member of the Lymphology Association and became a qualified fitter and provider of compression garments after seeing a need for this service.

Securing the notable business award, Ms Kourtis has been praised for her passion in community engagement, having an ability to focus on staff development, and collaborating with stakeholders in the public and private health care system.

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Image:     Ryan Wick – flickr