Board of Directors

Robert Solek graduated from the pharmacy technician program at the Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology in Hamilton in 2003.  As part of this program he did a placement at both the in-patient and out-patient pharmacies at St Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton. Robert was offered employment at St Joseph’s upon graduation and spent four years as an in-patient pharmacy technician. In his fourth year he participated in a pilot project where a pharmacy technician was placed on the ward as liaison to the Acute Mental Health Unit.  In 2007 Mr. Solek accepted a position at the University Health Network (UHN). The position had him employed in the Investigational Drug Services department where he was a Clinical Trials Pharmacy Technician.  Robert also became an IV trainer at UHN and sat on many committees focused on IV preparation standards and safety. As part of a nation-wide clinical trial to evaluate two different treatments for Fabry disease, he was also instrumental in the consolidation of study data and the occasional provisioning of medication to dispensing pharmacies. In 2010, Robert migrated within UHN into the role of pharmacy purchaser, part of the team responsible for keeping supplies inventoried for this very busy hospital.  In November 2011, Mr. Solek accepted a position as a pharmacy auditor with Express Scripts Canada allowing him to travel the country and visit many pharmacies and medical supplies and equipment providers.  In September 2021 Robert joined the Pharmacy Policy Development Division for the Non-Insured Health Benefits Directorate at Indigenous Services Canada and is currently enjoying this newest role.

Robert was part of the pioneer class to complete all the requirements for pharmacy technician regulation in the province of Ontario in June 2010. He successfully passed the PEBC pharmacy technician exams on his first attempt. In February of 2009, he was elected to the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians’ (CAPT) board of directors. He started as the Director of Administration and has held the positions of Director of Promotions and Public Relations, Vice President and he is currently the President of the CAPT board of directors. In 2017, Mr. Solek has also been appointed to the board of directors of PEBC and in 2019 is the chair of the Public Relations committee and sits on the finance committee. In these roles, he has acquired leadership qualities, learned to manage dedicated team members and other skills associated with working on large boards.  He is a firm supporter of the changing roles of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the Canadian Health Care system.

Mr. Solek is also a community advocate for pharmacy technicians, speaking in college classes and at national conferences about the diverse jobs opportunities available for registered pharmacy technicians. He is a subject expert and reviewer for pharmacy technician programs going through accreditation with CCCEP.  He was also a volunteer at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, as a member of the pharmacy team at the Whistler Polyclinic in the Athletes’ Village. He currently resides in the Montreal area with his wonderful wife, Cynthia and their rescue dog Maya a mix of husky, akita and Canadian Eskimo dog.

Mona Sousa currently works full time at Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy, a dedicated team that supports each employee and creates an integrated, individualized treatment and health plan that includes both maintenance and specialty drug treatment. She also worked at a hospital setting with University Health Network; at Toronto Western hospital where she rotated in various roles in the inpatient department and Toronto General hospital as part of the Pharmacy Inventory Management team overseeing the financial aspects of UHN Pharmacy sites. Mona also worked at community pharmacies where she served her local community she resides in.

Mona joined the CAPT Board of Directors in 2014. This position allows her to gain more knowledge and expand her experience in pharmacy career.

Mona obtained her diploma in Pharmacy Technician Program at Humber College and registered with Ontario College of Pharmacist in May 2013. She currently participates in assisting OCP with the development of Pharmacy Technician self-assessment tool.

Mona demonstrates a positive attitude, enjoys working with the public and understands how to nurture relationships.

Coordinating Instructor for the Pharmacy Technician Program at New Brunswick Community College in Saint John. Has been instructing in the Saint John program since 2012.

Graduated from the Pharmacy Assistant Program at NBCC Saint John in 1995 and became a Registered Pharmacy Technician in 2015.

Over 25 years of experience working in pharmacy as a pharmacy assistant/pharmacy technician in both Hospital and Community pharmacy. Has experience in sterile compounding at the hospital setting as well as many other hospital areas.

Has technical permit to administer injections. Completed the course to administer IM and SC injections May 2021.

Currently teaches full time, works as a casual RPhT at the Saint John Regional Hospital and does relief work and/or immunization clinics at local Community Pharmacies.

Lyona Lunter was immersed in the field of pharmacy from an early age. Her mother worked as a clinical consultant pharmacist, often responding ‘on call’ to the needs of various retirement/nursing homes with a young Lyona in tow, who adored connecting with the residents at each facility. Her first job was as a pharmacy assistant (1999) for the same long-term care pharmacy provider, delivering emergency medication to the homes on weekends and responsible for batch processing medication (strip-packaging) for several facilities each week.

After “failing forward” through two very separate educational pathways – first with an intent to complete a doctorate in English followed by a second intent to become a pharmacist like her mother – she found her niche in the social sciences. She completed a 4-year double-major in Health & Aging and Criminology at the University of Western Ontario (2009), while continuing to work in more specialized pharmacy environments (addiction treatment centres) alongside her long-term care and retail pharmacy commitments.

With the regulation of pharmacy technicians in 2010, Lyona focused on completing the requirements for registration and became one of the first Registered Pharmacy Technicians to work to full scope at Shoppers Drug Mart in the London/surrounding region (2012).

In 2015, she began teaching at Fanshawe College and became a full-time faculty member (2018) in both the Community Pharmacy Assistant and Pharmacy Technician programs. During this time, she returned to Western to complete a Master’s Degree in Professional Education (2019), this program focused on using innovative platforms to deliver educational content, she immersed herself in many different internet technologies and utilized that knowledge to create a website on Strikingly. This website development earned her the highest academic achievement across my cohort as her culminating capstone project.
Most recently she was awarded the PEBC/CPTEA Award for Excellence in Innovation and Competency Assessment (2022) for her work in creating a Virtual Pharmacy environment for the students, which was presented to CPTEA at the Best Practices showcase in 2021. The Virtual Pharmacy was created using H5P, which is a free and open-source content collaboration framework; the tool allows students to self-select products in the dispensary, interact with those products (viewing expiry dates, lot numbers, and reconstitution instructions) such that it eliminated any structural barriers in the learning environment. In a nutshell, the Virtual Pharmacy has been an ongoing labour of love, but one that has prepared me well (through much trial and error!) with respect to various online technologies. She has recently stepped into the coordinator role for the Community Pharmacy Assistant program (2022) and continues to lead the community-based courses, affiliated labs, simulation, and intra/inter-professional events across both programs.

With a passion for innovation, Lyona received national recognition for her work in creating a Virtual Pharmacy environment for her students and was awarded the 2022 PEBC/CPTEA Educator of the Year Award for Excellence in Innovation and Competency Assessment.

Lyona is a strong advocate for the advancement of pharmacy technicians; her students would say that her passion and excitement for the profession is ‘infectious’ but she appreciates that her students tolerate her being ‘extra’ on most days. She is so proud of all that has been accomplished in the field to date and sees all pharmacy professionals working to full scope as invaluable to providing quality patient care. She hopes that by fostering a love for continuing education and encouraging pharmacy technicians to see themselves as leaders in the profession that this will continue to build confidence in the profession.

Colleen Norris received her CPhT in 1996 and has been working in retail pharmacy for over 25 years. For 20 of those years, Colleen worked as Dispensary Operations Manager at an independent compounding pharmacy where she was also trained a non sterile and sterile compounding technician.

Colleen won a Commitment to Patient Care award for Best Pharmacist\Technician in 1994 and also Technician of the Year for Pharmasave Drugs in 1996. During her time spent in community pharmacy practice, Colleen held a teaching assistant position with the University of Toronto International Pharmacy Graduate program.

Most recently, Colleen has held a position as a Consultant Technician with a Long Term Pharmacy and is currently the only Pharmacy Technician at PointClickCare as a Project Manager for Pharmacy managing Pharmacy integrations with electronic health care record in Long Term Care facilities.

Colleen started with CAPT as Vice President and then President of the Ottawa Chapter and moved elected to the Board in June of 2007. Colleen has held the position of Internal Affairs and is currently in the position of Director of Membership. In her current role on the Board, Colleen has initiated the CAPT website development, initiated the online payment process and is working on the new membership database. Colleen has worked on the Moving Forward project with the Canadian Pharmacists Association and is active with the Blueprint for Pharmacy working groups and taskforce.

I have been working in community for 16+ years, trained in both community
pharmacy as well as long term care. I work to my full scope of practice each
day as well as take on the role of Manager of Accounts and Inventory Control
in the pharmacy.

I continue to educate myself in my field and enjoy reading and learning all that I can to expand my role and assist my customers with whatever is required. I am a positive person who approaches every situation with enthusiasm. I am a very focused individual who enjoys the feeling of fulfillment that a productive day has to offer. I am eager to talk about and promote our industry as well as help others who are on the road to becoming Registered Pharmacy Technicians.

I am excited about my new scope of practice and all it offers. I like to share my views with technicians and assistants across the country and help grow our membership

I currently sit on Quality and Assurance committee with Newfoundland Pharmacy Board and I sat on the organizing committee for the 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador CAPT conference. I work part time as Deputy Sheriff for the Department of Justice, delivering documents for the Department as well as law firms, nationwide.

I am a community volunteer. I am an avid hiker and exercise enthusiast. I currently live on Bell Island which is in NL with my husband Ron.

Samantha from St Catharine’s Ontario graduated from Niagara College in 2010 as a pharmacy technician. She successfully completed the requirements to become regulated with the Ontario College of Pharmacists shortly after.

Samantha started her career in pharmacy 12 years ago in an independently owned retail pharmacy. Then moving to Toronto, she worked at Medisystems pharmacy as a third-party reimbursement specialist for nursing and retirement homes. Afterward moving into the hospital sector, working at Odette Cancer Centre pharmacy in Sunnybrook

Hospital, she specialized in Oncology and providing patient care for the last 7 years. More recently, she moved back home to Niagara and currently working at NHS in-patient pharmacy and Niagara College.

Samantha is self-motivated, hardworking and a team player. She is passionate about sharing and exchanging ideas and bringing new perspectives as to where the pharmacy profession could go in the future with leading edge practises.

Lois is Registered Pharmacy Technician with the Newfoundland Pharmacy Board. 

She is the Program Coordinator and Instructor at Keyin College, St. John’s, NL.  She has over 30 years of experience as a Pharmacy Technician/Assistant. Her hospital pharmacy practice includes the Halifax Infirmary in Halifax Nova Scotia, and with Eastern Health in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She has also worked with Telus Health Solutions as a Pharmacy Technician, Technical Customer Service Agent for Atlantic Canada, Pharmacy Technician Application Specialist with The Newfoundland Centre for Health Information and as a Pharmacy Technician Specialist Workflow and Systems with Shoppers Drug Mart Central Office.  

Her community pharmacy experience includes Kennedy’s PharmaChoice and currently works part-time at Shoppers Drug Mart and Family Drug Mart in St. John’s. 

Lois is an active CAPT member and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians (CAPT) May 2013 as Director of Administration.  She sat on the Sub-Committee for Technician Regulation with the Newfoundland Pharmacy Board.  She currently sits on Professional Development Committee and Non-sterile Compounding Standards committee with the Newfoundland Pharmacy Board. She has sat on the Pharmacy Technician Program Advisory Committee
for Keyin College, Grand Falls, NL. She has been the chair of several Newfoundland Pharmacy Technician Conferences and is chairing this year’s conference that will be held in Clarenville, NL. She also is one of the organizers in forming Nova Scotia chapter of CAPT.

Sheena Deane graduated from St Clair College Pharmacy Assistant Program in 1986. As a pharmacy assistant she worked in various retail pharmacies, expanding her knowledge and skills. She spent 12 years working in an extremely busy pharmacy with a large blister pack and methadone program. She also worked in the third party insurance industry and a hospital pharmacy. Sheena successfully completed all requirements to become one of the first registered pharmacy technicians with OCP in December of 2010.

In January 2013, the opportunity to return to ESC came to pass and she joined the Business Integrity department as an On-Site Auditor for pharmacy. Last year, she moved from the Toronto area to a 100 acre farm 15 minutes from Sauble Beach. She is now employed by Kristen’s Pharmacy in Southampton and practicing to full scope and loving it!

In 2001, Ms. Deane was elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians (CAPT). At first she was Director of Administration and is currently the Director of Finance. Many positive changes within CAPT have occurred during her time on the Board. In the past year on the Board of Directors, she has driven the acquisition of a marketing firm for the development of a new CAPT website and social media network. Sheena was instrumental in securing the partnership with the Blueprint Steering Committee to assist with funding for a meeting of key pharmacy technicians from all provinces. The goal of the meeting is to unite pharmacy technicians from the various provinces and create a Provincial Pharmacy Technician Working Group for the advancement of the profession. She also holds a Board of Director position on the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP). She has held positions on many committees and represented CAPT at different events over the years. Sheena’s continued passion for the profession allows for promotion of CAPT in a professional manner in
all situations.

Zenobia Roussel is a registered pharmacy technician currently working at Shoppers Drug Mart. In her current role, Zenobia works within the scope of practice by taking verbal orders, checking prescriptions and also checking blister packs as some examples. Zenobia previously worked for Express Scripts Canada as a Quality Assurance Analyst, and was also the past chair for the Mohawk College Advisory Committee. Zenobia has also worked previously in the hospital. She continues to be involved with Mohawk College and other pharmacy technician initiatives.