Meet Dr. Lakesha Butler
Dr. Lakesha Butler is a change agent with deep expertise in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice. She creates a courageous space for the transformation of hearts, minds, and culture. Dr. Butler has provided keynote addresses, educational sessions, and workshops to organizations, national healthcare leaders, pharmacists, students and the general community. Additionally, she is a strategist that facilitates the development and implementation of strategies to ensure equitable and inclusive practices and policies are integrated systematically. She is a Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Clinical Pharmacist and Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).
Dr. Butler is the past president of the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA) in which she has facilitated action with excellence through advocacy, building new collaborations, organizational excellence and transformational branding. Dr. Butler led the collaboration of 14 national pharmacy organizations in taking action against racial injustice. She also serves on the National Medical Association’s COVID-19 Task Force and the global US Pharmacopeia Healthcare Safety and Quality Expert Committee. She uses her skills, expertise and passion to take any tasks she leads from good to great, while operating strategically and building effective relationships with others. Her personal brand statement is: “I use my innovative strategies, courageous influence, compassionate heart and effective communication to serve, lead, educate and inspire people and organizations to develop, transform and succeed.”
Her leadership and impact spans broadly at the institutional level, nationally and in her community serving in various leadership roles. She is the co-editor and author of the pharmacy textbook “Patient Communication for Pharmacy: A Case-Study Approach on Theory and Practice.” She has additionally published numerous peer-reviewed articles and is a highly sought-after national presenter. Recently, Dr. Butler co-authored the peer-reviewed article, “Systemic racism: Pharmacists’ role and responsibility.”
Dr. Butler received her doctorate of pharmacy from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA and completed a pharmacy practice residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has received extensive training in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.
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