Career
A Leadership Journey
From clinical practice in North Carolina to the deanship at Howard and the presidency at Albany, Prof. Tofade has led institutions whose partnerships, built under her leadership, span six continents. She is a leader whose reach extends well beyond any single profession or country.
Timeline
A Journey Across Institutions and Continents
1994 – 2002
Clinical Pharmacist, Specialist & Faculty
UNC Hospitals / UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
2002 – 2011
Associate Director & Director, Pharmacotherapy Services
Wake AHEC, Raleigh, NC
2011 – 2016
Associate Professor & Assistant Dean
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore
2016 – 2022
Dean & Professor
Howard University College of Pharmacy, Washington, D.C.
2022 – 2026
10th President[1]
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY
• First Black woman appointed president in ACPHS's history. • Under her leadership, ACPHS launched the 2024–2029 Strategic Plan and earned Carnegie Research University classification (2025). • Nine new degree programs launched across 2024 and 2025, the largest expansion in institutional history. • The college introduced ACPHS Online, its first digital academic portfolio. • Applications +19%; PharmD year-one deposits +210%; transfer admissions +700%. • The college secured a $1.9M FDA contract for CBET. • Announced the ACPHS–Russell Sage College merger (April 2025). • Concluding her presidential term June 30, 2026; continuing as President Emerita from July 1, 2026.
Moments
Along the Way
Academic Background
Education
BPharm
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (1989)
MS in Pharmacy Practice
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill (1994)
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill (1997)
Clinical Pharmacokinetics Residency
UNC Chapel Hill (1994)
ASHP-Accredited Residency
UNC Hospitals (1995)
Academic Leadership Academy
The Pennsylvania State University (2016)
Management Development Programme
Harvard Graduate School of Education (2017)
Certificate in Public Leadership
Harvard Kennedy School (2023)
Recognition
Selected Honors & Recognitions
City & State New York: 2026 Trailblazers in Higher Education
2026Albany Business Review Power 50
2023, 2024, 2025Chair of the Council of Deans
2022-2023American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Donald E. Francke Medal: American Society for Health System Pharmacists
2022For significant international contributions to pharmacy practice
Francke Medal Award Lecture: “Leading with Heart in Service of Global Initiatives”
2023Delivered for the 2022 Donald E. Francke Medal; published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
Read the lecture →Top 25 Women Leaders in Healthcare Education
2022Women We Admire
President
2021-2025UNC Eshelman Pharmacy Alumni Distinguished Service Award
2021A. Richard Bliss Jr. Grand Council Citation of Appreciation
2020Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity
Fred M. Eckel Pharmacy Leadership Award
2019By her account, the first Black person to receive this honor
FIP Fellow
2018The first Black woman named Fellow of the International Pharmaceutical Federation
Excellence & Distinction in Medicine and Health
2016Christian Association of Nigerian Americans