Don’t Stop Believing—Putting the Person Back Into Practice

Editor’s Note: Robert Mancini’s Incoming President’s Address was given during HOPA’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, on April 11, 2025. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Thank you for being here. I may get a little choked up—because what we do matters deeply to me.

At my daughter’s kindergarten graduation last year, they sang Start a Wave from Disney’s World of Color. The lyrics stayed with me:

But someone has to start.
Start the motion,
Throw the stone,
Stir the ocean,
Be the hand that reaches out for the unknown.
Sometimes just one drop is all it takes,
See the ripples, watch them turn the waves
Right before your eyes.
You never know who it might touch,
And soon, it might be all of us.

That’s how I see our work as oncology pharmacists. We might not always see the impact of our actions, but they ripple out, touching more lives than we know.

We all have our own journeys, and that is what makes HOPA a great community. I want to show you what has inspired me in the hope that it will continue to inspire you. Along with my family and my training, I am where I am today because of many of you.

So, who am I?

There is nothing extraordinary about me; I am just another person who answered the call to help move HOPA forward. But I do think it is important to understand who I am and where I am from. I hope hearing my story will make you feel comfortable coming to talk to me about yours.

I grew up in Southern California and studied pharmacy at the University of California San Diego. The program was so new that my early classes were held in trailers—no glamorous start here. My journey took me to Boise, Idaho, where I completed my PGY1 and PGY2 at St Luke’s Cancer Institute. With a nudge from my PGY1 residency director, Catherine Gundlach, I have stayed there ever since, helping build something meaningful in our community program.

Along the way, I’ve had plenty of ordinary jobs—Baskin Robbins (yes, I got fired), Taco Bell (which gave me Chalupa nightmares)—but every role, including those early missteps, shaped me. That’s something I want every member of HOPA to know: your story matters, no matter how it starts.

My path through leadership started locally with the Idaho Society of Health-System Pharmacy and eventually led to serving as Grand Regent of Kappa Psi. That experience helped prepare me to serve you now, as HOPA President.

And I stand here today because of the people who shaped me, especially my family. My grandpa, a World War II vet who lived to almost 102, once joked about me taking care of him when I became a doctor. I said, “You’ll be gone by then”; fortunately, I was wrong. He lived to see me become an oncology pharmacist.

My dad, a 4-time cancer survivor, and my mom, a 4-time caregiver, have taught me as much about patient communication and empathy as any course or rotation. I have seen firsthand how some outcomes are positive, like my Aunt Arlene’s lymphoma being in remission, while others are not, like my Uncle Steve who succumbed to a rare form of leukemia, T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.

My Aunt Jeri’s recent diagnosis reminds me that it’s not always about the treatment plan—it’s about respecting the person. We offer knowledge, but patients choose their paths.

My daughters, Lia (10) and Livia (7), have helped shape me too. They have taught me patience (mostly) and helped me remember what matters most in life. While I dedicate my career to helping my patients, I dedicate my life accomplishments to doing everything I can to make them proud.

There is a fine line between succeeding in careers and not sacrificing your time with family. I have walked that line. That’s why my 3 presidential priorities are rooted in creating space for all of us to thrive:

1. Reimagining Volunteerism

Not everyone can commit to a year-long committee. That’s okay. We're working to diversify volunteer opportunities—more microvolunteering, project-based roles, and new ways to engage that fit different schedules and energy levels. Your time matters, and we want to make it work for you.

2. Elevating Early Education

We’re launching a HOPA-sponsored virtual residency and fellowship showcase—a new way to reach students and trainees earlier and more equitably, especially those who can’t travel to annual conference. We’re also exploring APPE [advanced pharmacy practice experiences] and residency exchange opportunities to broaden exposure to oncology practice.

3. Championing Our Stories

Our stories have power. We’re launching a storytelling initiative to highlight the human side of our work, with support from a task force led by Kristen McCullough, PharmD, RPh, and Latha Radhakrishnan, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS. Inspired by powerful pieces like “Do You See Me?” by Dr McCollough and “The Chemotherapist,” by Joseph Kalis, PharmD, BCOP, we’re building a member-authored book, which will be available in time for HOPA 2026 in New Orleans!

Finally, I want to thank my residents, students, and colleagues. You all keep me going. As Morrie Schwartz said in Mitch Albom’s book Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson, “Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” That’s what HOPA has become for me, and I hope it’s that for you, too.

Thank you. And as my walk-up song reminds us: Don’t Stop Believing.

HOPA President Robert Mancini Interview