Florida A&M University (FAMU) alum Otis W. Kirksey, PharmD, has been named president-elect of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Board of Directors.
Kirksey is among the newly elected 17-member Board of Directors’ Principal Officers for 2021. The board is comprised of forward-thinking, innovative medical, scientific, education and executive business professionals, who will strategically lead and focus efforts to ensure the ADA continues to uphold the mission upon which it was founded. Kirksey’s term started Jan. 1.
“I am humbled and extremely excited about this new leadership opportunity with the American Diabetes Association. For the past 20 plus years I have dedicated my professional life to fighting to eliminate diabetes related health disparities,” Kirksey said. “Serving as president-elect of health care and education will provide me the opportunity to share my unique perspective and experiences as I actively engage in the policy and decision-making processes related to the advancing the mission of the ADA.”
Kirksey earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from FAMU in 1983 and a Pharm.D from FAMU five years later.
He currently serves as the director of pharmacy services for Neighborhood Medical Center in Tallahassee. He brings 25 years of experience in academia as a former professor of pharmacy practice at the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health.
Prior to his faculty appointment, he was a clinical pharmacist in research and information services at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. He served more than 11 years on the board of Neighborhood Medical Center and is currently the director of the Prince Hall Shriners’ National Diabetes Initiative.
In this role, he has led the organization’s efforts to fulfill its 10-year, $1 million-commitment to the American Diabetes Association to support research and outreach efforts in underserved communities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics.
