College of Pharmacy Alumni Awards

2026 Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient 

Alyssa Christensen, PharmD '15, BCIDP, is the 2026 recipient of the College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni Award. 

Dr. Christensen earned a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2011 and a doctor of pharmacy from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2015. A board-certified infectious diseases pharmacist, Dr. Christensen currently serves as a clinical science liaison for Bruker Daltonics in Billerica, Massachusetts. In her role, she provides clinical subject matter expertise for sepsis solutions, including the company’s novel rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing platform.

Before joining Bruker Daltonics, Dr. Christensen served as system manager for the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at HealthPartners Hospitals & Clinics in Minneapolis from 2022 to 2026. There, she directed infectious disease pharmacists and physicians across eight hospitals and outpatient clinics to standardize clinical practices and optimize patient outcomes. Among her major achievements was establishing a complex outpatient antimicrobial therapy program that demonstrated more than $800,000 in annual cost avoidance — a multi-hospital initiative documented in NEJM Catalyst. She also held an academic appointment as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine Rockford and is widely published in major peer-reviewed journals, including Clinical Infectious Diseases, JAMA Network Open and Pharmacotherapy.

A leader in professional organizations, Dr. Christensen served as chair of the Human Healthcare Workgroup for the Minnesota One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship Collaborative in 2025 and vice-chair in 2026. She was named keynote speaker for the 2026 Minnesota Antimicrobial Stewardship Conference and has served on the board of directors for the Infectious Diseases Society of Oregon and the publications committee for the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Dean's Alumni Excellence Award Recipient 

Carrie Oakland, PharmD '16, BCPS, DABAT, is the 2026 recipient of the College of Pharmacy Dean's Alumni Excellence Award.

Dr. Oakland earned a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2010 and a doctor of pharmacy from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science College of Pharmacy in 2016. As clinical supervisor at the Minnesota Regional Poison Center, Dr. Oakland supports daily operations, department quality assurance, public health toxicosurveillance and clinical education. She holds dual board certifications as a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology, the highest certification for a pharmacist in the field of toxicology. 

Dr. Oakland serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and RFU preceptor to pharmacy students, residents and medical toxicology fellows across Midwest health systems. She contributes to clinical toxicology research through more than 45 peer-reviewed publications and national presentations on pediatric poisoning, toxicological error prevention and public health surveillance. Dr. Oakland also serves on national committees for America's Poison Centers, helping advance standards for poison center operations and clinical practice.