DONNA M. CESTONE is a recent Past President of the New Jersey Pharmacists Association (NJPhA). She most recently served in 2005-06 as NJPhA Chairperson, Board of Trustees. In 2004-05, she served as NJPhA President and in 2003-04 she was elected and served as NJPhA First Vice President/President Elect and Membership Committee Chairperson. In 2003, she performed all of the duties acting as the Second Vice President of NJPhA having volunteered to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of that officer in 2002. These duties included acting as Convention Chairperson. Over the last fifteen years she has served as Chair, Vice Chair or member of a number of New Jersey Pharmacists Association committees, including the Membership Committee, Pharmacy Practice Committee, Permanent Organization Committee, Awards Committee, and was responsible for re-instating the NJPhA House of Delegates process after a 30-year hiatus, serving as Chairperson of the House of Delegates Ad-Hoc Committee and Board of Directors since its inception in 1996. She has also served as Secretary and on the Nominating Committee for the New Jersey Academy of Consultant Pharmacists Executive Committee after completing her requirements for certification as a Consultant Pharmacist in the State of New Jersey. And she is a specialist in diabetes education, having completed the NJPhA Disease Management Program in Diabetes Mellitus.

Donna’s dedication to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is evidenced by her service for the past 20 years as a delegate to the APhA House, Media Advisor and as a member of the APhA Foundation’s first Scholarship Review Committee, Exhibits Advisory Committee, Public Affairs Reference Committee, House of Delegates Committee on Nominations and the first APhA House of Delegates Policy Review Committee, and recently, in 2006, as Chairperson, APhA House of Delegates Policy Review Committee. Donna is also a specialist certified in immunization delivery, having completed in September 2006, the APhA Pharmacy Based Immunization Delivery: Certificate Program for Pharmacists. Other professional affiliations have included membership in the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP), International Pharmacists Federation (FIP), National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP).

Additionally, Donna has served the United States Hospitality Committee to Pharmacy World Congress and the Northeast Pharmaceutical Conference Planning Committee. She is also a Media Specialist and Advisor, has written for and is serving the Editorial Advisory Panel of Pharmacy Times, served as Senior Advisor to a major New York health care public relations firm, and has received numerous awards for her professional work.

Donna received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Douglass College at Rutgers University. She has most recently worked as Consumer Safety Officer at the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drugs and Evaluation and Research, Office of Training and Communication, Division of Drug Information. She is a Pharmacist volunteer for the National Association of Free Clinics, where she offers free drug consultation services to the public, most recently at the Washington, DC free clinic in August, 2010. She is also serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Donna’s broad-based experience in the industry, community, managed care, clinical pharmacy and government areas over 20 years, has enabled her to merge her skills in business management and organization with her extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and profession.
Revised 2/2011