The Cardinal Health™ Counter Talk™ Podcast with Pharmacy Podcast Network is for independent pharmacists to learn about the state of the industry, innovative services and solutions, and the future of pharmacy. Subscribe to our monthly podcast for conversations with pharmacists, Cardinal Health leaders and industry experts sharing best practices, discussing industry trends and showcasing Cardinal Health™ Products and Services.
You can subscribe to the Cardinal Health™ Counter Talk™ Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Learn about the host.
Jason Callori is a senior advisor, Marketing Operations, and host of the Cardinal Health™ Counter Talk™ Podcast. Jason has worked at Cardinal Health since 2014 and has used his passion to connect with pharmacists for the annual Cardinal Health Retail Business Conference. He started his career back in 1999 with Kinray Inc., a pharmaceutical wholesaler in the state of New York. He was hired to create the company’s first website which blossomed into a 22-year career in marketing to independent pharmacists. While working at Kinray, he learned about challenges the pharmacists, the patients, and how important independent pharmacies are to healthcare. Jason’s passion for the independent pharmacy filters into everything he does.
Episode 51 – Where Women in Pharmacy Shine
Listen Now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Women are driving innovation, improving patient care and leading independent pharmacies through a changing healthcare landscape. In this episode, hosts Jason Callori, Michelle Britt (SVP, Retail Independent, Inside Sales & First Vet Services), and Chelsie Waite (Director of Sales, Retail Independent Sales – West Region) sit down with two remarkable women leaders: Monica Nikseresht, PharmD, and Melissa Hood-Benges, PharmD.
Monica and Melissa share their personal journeys, leadership lessons and insight into key challenges and opportunities. Listen to a conversation highlighting leadership, resilience, advocacy, and innovation, while celebrating women as leaders and change-makers in pharmacy.
You can listen to this episode on cardinalhealth.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Click here for more information on the Cardinal Health™ Counter Talk™ Podcast.
About the Guests
Michelle Britt – Michelle has been with Cardinal Health for 25 years and serves as the current Senior Vice President of Retail Independent, Inside Sales and First Vet Services.
She previously served as a Territory Sales Manager, Director of Sales and Vice President of Sales for the East region. Michelle resides in Miami, Florida with her husband Carlos and their three children.
Chelsie Waite – Chelsie has been with Cardinal Health for 6 1/2 years and serves as the Director of Sales for Retail Independent and Alternate Care Pharmacy in the Pac North Region — serving a team covering 14 states of the West Region from Alaska to West Texas.
She has been in the pharmaceutical and pharmacy industry for nearly 20 years, with experience throughout the supply chain from manufacturing, GPO, and the PSAO space. Chelsie resides in Central Oregon with her husband Shawn and their three children.
Monica Nikseresht, PharmD – Monica Nikseresht is a proud third generation pharmacist who graduated from Drake University College of Pharmacy with her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2021. After returning to her hometown of Glenwood, IA, she and her team began implementing their vision for their Medicap Pharmacy to become a wellness destination for the Glenwood community and beyond. Clinical programs implemented throughout the few short years so far include diagnosis and treatment of non-emergent health conditions, chronic care management programs, smoking cessation consultations, travel vaccinations and more.
She created the MediPack Wellness Program, which utilizes the appointment-based model of care to bill for medication therapy management visits to Iowa Medicaid as a recognized provider so members may benefit from monthly medication therapy visits, access to preventative healthcare services, and medication packaging at no cost to them. She was awarded the 2024 Clinical Innovation Award from Medicine Shoppe International for being on the forefront of innovation in the pharmacy profession and the 2026 Iowa Pharmacy Association Excellence in Innovation Award. She believes that our accessibility as pharmacists to the community is the key to helping close critical gaps in preventative healthcare. She has established a policy and procedure writing and business coaching endeavor called CurateRx, LLC where she helps elevate other pharmacies to implement and grow their own clinical services. As our profession continues to advance, she looks forward to exploring more opportunities to leverage the Standard of Care Act to expand services to her patients.
Melissa Hood-Benges, PharmD – Melissa Hood-Benges is a third-generation pharmacy owner dedicated to advancing community healthcare. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2015 with a doctorate of pharmacy and an emphasis in clinical pharmacy. After graduation, she returned to her hometown of Follansbee to help relocate her family’s long-standing independent pharmacy into a modern, state of the art healthcare facility to expand healthcare services provided to the community.
In 2019, Melissa helped lead the pharmacies continued growth through the acquisition of a second location, Traubert’s Pharmacy, followed shortly thereafter by the construction of their new facility. She is both diabetes certified, POCT certified and PCCA compounding certified, overseeing an extensive compounding department.
Under her leadership the pharmacy has expanded its offerings to include vaccinations, point of care testing, medication adherence programs, consulting services, as well as free delivery services. Melissa is passionate about improving access to healthcare in rural communities and believes community pharmacists are an invaluable resource especially in the rural elderly population she proudly serves.
Throughout her career, Melissa has been recognized for her dedication to community service and health care innovation. In 2025, she received MSI Cobrand Ambassador of the Year Award at the Cardinal [Health] RBC for her leadership and commitment to independent pharmacy. She continues to strive toward providing the most up to date pharmacy services while maintaining the personal care and trust that have defined her family’s business for generations.
