The Mortar & Pestle

Host Erin Michael welcomes Adrianna Rodriguez, CPhT, Non-Sterile Lead Technician at Strive Pharmacy in San Antonio, Texas, for an inspiring conversation about pharmacy technician excellence and the evolution of the profession.   In this episode, Adrianna covers: Her journey from high school dropout to certified pharmacy technician and compounding leader Transitioning from retail pharmacy (Walgreens) to specialty compounding Leading non-sterile compounding operations at one of the fastest-growing pharmacies in the country Quality assurance: triple-checking processes, USP 795/800 compliance, and minimum weighable quantities Creating custom formulations including suppositories, capsules, topical compounds, and rapid-dissolve tablets Why "just a technician" doesn't exist—and the expanding scope of pharmacy technician practice Staying current with continuing education through PCCA, APhA, NPTA, and industry newsletters Her memorable patient impact story: creating a custom prednisone tablet troche for a pediatric patient Additional Links:   PATH: PccarxPCCA Tech Summit    PCCA Core Compounding training: PccarxPCCA CORE Compounding   PCCA Technician Summit/Symposium : AppleLive from the 2025 PCCA Technician Summit with Tiffany Kofroth, CSPT, CPhT-Adv & Mindy Stephens    April 29-30 PCCA Compounding Technician Summit: PccarxPCCA Tech Summit   Past Episodes: AppleCommon USP 800 Questions and Misconceptions with Matt Martin   AppleThe New USP 795 with A.J. Day & Matt Martin   AppleTech Talk: Mike Johnston the Accidental Technician

FDA Removes Black Box Warning on Estrogen: HRT Game-Changer for Women's Health After 23 years, the FDA removed the black box warning on estrogen products—a landmark decision transforming hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women. In this episode of the Mortar and Pestle podcast, hosts Mike De Lisio and Sebastian Dennison discuss this breakthrough with Sara Hover, Senior Director of Clinical Services at PCCA.   What You'll Learn: Why the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study was flawed and created decades of HRT concerns The timing hypothesis: why age matters when starting hormone replacement therapy Synthetic vs. bioidentical hormones and their clinical differences Oral estrogen delivery systems and safety implications Shared decision-making between patients, prescribers, and pharmacists Why compounded HRT solutions matter for patients who don't fit commercial products Hormone testing modalities and why multiple testing methods are essential Vaginal estrogen's role in preventing UTIs and hip fractures How pharmacists can educate providers and patients on HRT safety   Topics Covered: Black box warning removal, hormone replacement therapy, bioidentical hormones, menopause management, compounding pharmacy, women's health, estrogen, patient monitoring, HRT dosing strategies   Perfect for: Compounding pharmacists, healthcare providers, and anyone seeking evidence-based information on hormone replacement therapy.   Links: The FDA Removes the Black Box Warning on Estrogen: What Pharmacists Need to Know (2025 Update) Why VersaBase Cream Is Your Best Choice for Women's HRT The Vaginal Microbiome, Menopause & HRT A Personalized Approach to HRT for Perimenopausal Women Backed by Science: Anhydrous VersaBase® HRT Optimizing the Patient Experience with the Right HRT Base: Insights from the Webinar

In this episode, discover innovative dermatology compounding formulations featuring methylene blue for anti-aging skincare. Clinical pharmacist Nat Jones discusses PCCA's USP-grade methylene and the need for quality. Methylene blue may play a role in collagen stimulation, hyaluronic acid production, and UV protection. Also, learn about bio-peptide cream bases, research on carbamazepine and plaque psoriasis as well as research on losartan and hypertrophic scars. Explore evidence-based topical treatments that may be appropriate for patients in compounding pharmacies. Perfect for pharmacists seeking advanced dermatological formulation strategies and cosmeceutical applications.   Learn more by visiting our blog:   Methylene Blue: Something Old and Something Blue   Working with Methylene Blue: Best Practices for Compounding and Cleanup   Methylene Blue: From Textile Dye to Potential Clinical Wonder  

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Tenille Davis, Chief Advocacy Officer for the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, joins host Mike De Lisio and guest co-host Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, to discuss the APC Blue Print, a blueprint for eliminating redundant, unauthorized, or ineffective regulation that impedes patient access to compounded drugs.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Vice President of Research and Development Daniel Banov and Senior Formulation Specialist Courtaney Davis join host Vice President of North American Sales Mike De Lisio and co-host Clinical Compounding Pharmacist, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) Sebastian Denison, to discuss PCCA’s newest base innovation, UniFlow ­— a game changer in T3 and T4 compounding.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Tricia Heitman, PharmD, joins host Mike De Lisio, Vice President of North American Sales, and co-host Sebastian Denison, Clinical Compounding Pharmacist, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to discuss leucovorin and other supplements for autism.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle Podcast, pharmacist and hormone therapy expert Ranel Larsen joins Mike de Lisio, Vice President of North American Sales, and Sebastian Denison, Clinical Compounding Pharmacist, RPh, FAARM (Candidate), to dig into men’s health. From hormone replacement therapy and lab testing to lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, and nutrition, Ranel breaks down how pharmacists can better support male patients while debunking common myths around testosterone.

In this special live episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Tiffany Kofroth, CSPT, CPhT-Adv, Advanced Pharmacy Technician in Continuing Pharmacy Education at the University of Texas at MD Anderson Cancer Center from and Mindy Stephens, as they discuss their compounding journeys.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle: A PCCA Podcast, host Mike de Lisio is joined by PCCA’s VP of R&D, Daniel Banov, and returning guest Richie Ray, owner of Richie Specialty Pharmacy, to explore the innovation and impact of SubMagna—a proprietary sublingual base developed by PCCA. They discuss the technical challenges and scientific breakthroughs involved in formulating SubMagna to effectively deliver high molecular weight peptides like semaglutide via the sublingual route. Daniel details the base’s development process, including surfactant balancing, solubility enhancement, and permeability optimization, while Richie shares clinical insights, patient responses, and the broader market implications. Together, they highlight SubMagna’s potential as a game-changing delivery system for peptides and other challenging APIs, especially in an era of rising demand for non-injectable therapies.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Michael Negrete, Vice Chair of the Board at PLEI (Pharmacy Leadership & Education Institute), and Ryan Burke, Senior Director of Professional Affairs at PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) as they discuss leadership development and what PLEI and PTCB has to offer for pharmacy technicians.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Mallorie Thomasson, pharmacy technician at Chris' Express Drug, as they discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Michelle Frediani, pharmacy technician at Kusler's Pharmacy, as they discuss her compounding journey.

If you've ever downloaded a formula from the PCCA database and thought, “Wow, that was easy,” you’re not wrong — but behind that single click is a mountain of work, innovation and science. In this episode of the Mortar & Pestle, PCCA Senior Formulation Specialist & Project Manager Stacey Lemus, BS, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the engine that drives PCCA’s formulation development.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Cindy Pegues, Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Texas at PCCA, as they discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Stacey Lemus, Senior Formulation Specialist and Project Manager at PCCA, as they discuss her early start into compounding from small town waitress to being recruited as a pharmacy technician.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Mike Johnston, founder and CEO of the National Pharmacy Technician Association, as they discuss his compounding journey from his beginnings as an accidental technician to becoming the CEO of the world's largest professional membership organizations for pharmacy technicians.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Holli LeMond, Key Account Manager at PCCA, as they discuss her journey into compounding from an early passion for chemistry to becoming a pharmacy technician.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Michael Strouse, firefighter for the Department of Defense, and Robyn Crow, RPh, Lead Pharmacist at Clark's Rx The Compounding Lab, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to discuss how compounding saved Michael's life.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Heather Tierney, Compounding Pharmacy Technician at Wheeler Custom Compounding, as they discuss her compounding journey and the importance of adding that personal touch into compounding.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, PCCA’s retired Clinical Compounding Pharmacist Bruce Biundo, RPh, FACA, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to discuss a new study about PSA numbers.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Dr. Pamela Smith, M.D., MPH, MS, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to use her perspective as a physician, discussing how to market to physicians.

In this episode of a Mortar and Pestle, Linda Elsegood, CEO of the LDN Research Trust Charity, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to share what the LDN Research Trust Charity represents and how they contribute to the awareness and research of LDN, MCAS, EDS, and POTS.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Danielle Bush, Regulatory Compliance Specialist at Town & Country Compounding Pharmacy, as they discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Ashley Nolan, Director of Compounding Operations and Marketing for Martin's Wellness Pharmacies, to discuss her compounding journey from helping her mother's pharmacy to owning pharmacies herself.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Laura Pfaffenberger, PharmD, lead of the newly launched PCCA Business Accelerator program, joins Mike De Lisio and Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) as they discuss her journey into compounding and how Business Accelerator will help pharmacy owners achieve their goals.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Arizona State Board of Pharmacy Member Kristen Snair, MSJ, CPhT, as they talk about her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Jennifer Tuck, RPhT, Compounding Lab Supervisor at Integrum Compounding Centre and PCCA's Inaugural Canadian Compounding Technician of the Year as they discuss her compounding journey.  

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Katie Albers, CPhT, Pharmacy Manager at Impact Compounding, to discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Melinda Browning, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Civic Center Pharmacy as they discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Brenda Jensen, CPhT, CNMT, MBA, owner and founder of Compounding Consultants, LLC, as they discuss her compounding journey from joining the Air Force to learning nuclear pharmacy.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Catherine Henderson, PharmD, PCCA Clinical Compounding Pharmacist, joins Mike De Lisio and Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) for National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month as they discuss potential options for migraine patients.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Jen Petska, Chief of Staff Operations Officer and Foundation Administrator at Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding to talk about her role at APC and how APC helps advocate for compounding pharmacies.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Kevin Borg, PharmD, FAPC, FACA, owner of Potter’s House Apothecary in Peoria, Arizona, and Prescott Compounding Pharmacy in Prescott, Arizona, joins Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) as he recounts a life-threatening experience and how it inspired him to create an emergency action plan.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Zachary Green, Associate Director for Professional Affairs at Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, to discuss his compounding journey.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Gus Bassani, Chief Scientific Officer, and Daniel Banov, Director of Research and Development, joins Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to discuss PCCA’s newest base, SubMagna™ SL HMW.  

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Sara Hover , RPh, FAARM, PCCA Director of Clinical Services, joins host Mike De Lisio, North American Sales Director, and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to discuss her experience at the 2024 HRT Symposium.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Jeremy Emelo, Production Team Supervisor at Koshland Pharm Custom Compounding Pharmacy, to discuss his compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Amanda Beliveau, Lab Manager at Montana Apothecary and Compounding to discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Ashely Barton, Compounding Operations Director at Peoples Pharmacy, to discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Adrianna Rodriguez, Director of Operations and Sales at Stone Oak Pharmacy to discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, A.J. Day, RPh, FACA, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to discuss the return of quinacrine for patient care. 

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, is joined by Katie Lewis, Director of Operations and Marketing at Pharmacy Solutions, to discuss her compounding journey.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Gus Bassani, Chief Scientific Officer, and Daniel Banov, Director of Research and Development, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to discuss PCCA’s newest base, EctoSeal P2G.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, discusses with Doug Smith, RPhT, owner of Smith Rexall Compounding Pharmacy, about his journey into compounding, how he became a pharmacy technician and pharmacy owner.

In this episode of Tech Talk, a Mortar & Pestle production, Erin Michael, Director of Member Engagement, discusses with Megan Reed, CPhT, HDDP, about her journey into compounding and how she became a pharmacy technician.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, PCCA’s retired Clinical Compounding Pharmacist Bruce Biundo, RPh, FACA, joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to discuss a new study about testosterone.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Micheal Jones, SHRM-CP, Senior Human Relations Specialist, joins host Mike De Lisio as they discuss recent trends the job force, how to bring newcomers into the workplace, and how a quality human relations team can benefit your company.

In this first episode of Tech Talk, Director of Member Engagement Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, FAPC interviews Stacy Hightower, CPhT of Las Colinas Pharmacy. Stacy has been with Las Colinas Pharmacy Compounding and Wellness Center since 1985. She is a Board Certified Pharmacy Technician licensed through the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Using her extensive knowledge and skills, she has built a successful aseptic practice at Las Colinas Pharmacy. Her expertise is in both pain management and veterinary compounding. Stacy received extensive training in Compounding using USP Regulations. She is extremely knowledgeable of and conducts Quality Assurance Procedures and Practices at our pharmacy.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Dawn Ipsen, PharmD joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM  (Candidate) to discuss the possibilities of methylene blue. Dawn Ipsen is owner and pharmacist of Clark’s Compounding  Pharmacy in Bellevue, WA and Kusler’s Compounding Pharmacy in Snohomish,  WA.  She is dedicated to helping her community find solutions to medication problems through personalized medication therapies.

In this episode of The Mortar & Pestle, Dr. John Kim, PharmD, FAAFM joins host Mike De Lisio and co-host Sebastian Denison, RPh, FAARM (Candidate) to discuss his journey through owning a compounding pharmacy to his passion for functional medicine. Dr. John Kim is the owner and head clinical pharmacist. In 2012, his passion for  patient care and compounding led him to Robinson Drug and Compounding Center.