WHO WE ARE
What We Envision
LEADING SOLUTIONS
aPHP's Path to Impact
About The Academy of Population Health Pharmacy™ (aPHP)
Based in Los Angeles, CA, aPHP is a forward-thinking training academy reshaping pharmacy through Black health strategies and population health pharmacy. Our mission: build a culturally responsive workforce that solves Black health challenges and drives equitable outcomes across systems of care.
While population health has gained traction, pharmacists' impact remains underutilized, especially in addressing persistent health disparities affecting Black communities. aPHP recognizes pharmacists as essential change agents, uniquely positioned to improve outcomes through chronic disease management, preventive care, and equity-driven engagement.
Our skills-first, competency-based training prepares pharmacy professionals to lead with cultural insight, data, and clinical precision. From medication therapy management (MTM) to social drivers of health (SDOH), our approach delivers measurable improvement and sustainable transformation.
By centering Black health and amplifying pharmacy’s role in population health, aPHP is redefining what strategic, community-responsive care looks like.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
La Kesha Y. Farmer, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP, APh
President of Ahsekal Consulting, LLC
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DBA The Academy of Population Health Pharmacy™
Chief Training Strategist
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Driving Excellence through training
Previous Roles
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Pop Health Clinical Pharmacist
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HIV Pharmacy Manager
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HIV Staff Pharmacist
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Hospital Pharmacist
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Travel Pharmacist
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Compounding Pharmacist
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Community Pharmacist
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Hospital Nutrition Representative
Certifications
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Advanced Practice Pharmacist
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American Academy of HIV Pharmacotherapy
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Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist
KNOW MORE
Biography
“At best I strive to excel at business goals, but at least I can ensure I achieve them.”— La Kesha Y. Farmer, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP, APh, (2021)
Dr. Farmer, a USC Mann Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduate, is described as an “extremely talented” individual whose work is “advanced”, “excellent”, and “out-of-the-box”. A three-time recipient of the “Most Compassionate” employee award as an HIV clinical pharmacist, she is driven to make a difference by being the difference. Her former employer describes her as a “great talent multiplier”, a testament to her passion for creating opportunities that foster mutual benefit and professional development.
This drive for excellence continues in her mission to address Black health inequities by leveraging pharmacy to drive systems-level change. As a former Level II Managed Care Clinical Pharmacist at one of the largest Medicaid managed care organizations, Dr. Farmer’s expertise in population health pharmacy shaped onboarding programs and industry best practices. Her ability to translate complex healthcare needs into actionable solutions earned her recognition, with her work becoming the standard for onboarding new hires.
Guided by initiative and drive, she actively contributed to director-level meetings, played a key role in developing local and out-of-state RFPs, advanced corporate SDOH research projects, including a proposed CAL-AIM collaboration, attended NCQA health equity accreditation meetings, presented clinical best practices to the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), and co-presented with a psychiatric regional medical director on behavioral health topics during and beyond clinical rounds. Still, there is more to what she does.
Dr. Farmer often anticipates industry shifts as well. Her former employer noted, “She also took the initiative to advance the health equity of our member base before it was a business focus”. Dr. Farmer’s leadership skills and SDOH expertise established her as a rising organizational leader. Yet she left the corporate world to embark on a new journey, one rooted in equipping pharmacists and health systems to better serve Black communities through culturally relevant population health strategies.
She describes herself as a purpose-driven leader and aligns with Tal Shnall’s definition of purpose-driven leaders:
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“Leaders who are driven by their purpose are no longer seeking a [sic] just a paycheck, but instead seek significance in adding value to people, which they identify with their purpose in life.”
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In 2021, Dr. Farmer stated, “Ultimately, I would like to bring value added to the success of the clinical pharmacy team, but also to other population health teams as well”. Through grit and self-motivation, Dr. Farmer’s 2021 vision has become her 2024 reality, leading efforts to strengthen population health pharmacy programs that center Black health, restore visibility to Black pharmacists, and challenge structural exclusion through strategic, culturally responsive training.
ESTABLISHED
Leadership Roles
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AAHIVM Pharmacist Mentor
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California Pharmacy Student Leadership (CAPSLEAD), USC Mann
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CPhA-NCPA House Delegate
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CSHP Healthcare Reform Committee
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HIV Pharmacy Manager
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National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA) Delegate
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NPhA Pharmacist Mentor​
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Population Health Clinical Operations (PHCO) Leadership Advisory Council
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Dr. Henry Lewis III, Leadership Development Institute, Leadership Trainee, Group I Cohort
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SafeMed LA Pharmacy Practice Action Team (PPAT) Committee Lead
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STATPearls Pharmacy Board Review Content Contributor
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UCSF Training and Health Equity (THE) Collaborative Advisory Council
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Western University of Health Sciences & West Coast University Preceptor
Accomplishments
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ACCP Ambulatory Care Standard Setting Panel Participant
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Global Medi-Cal Drug Use Review (DUR) Board Meeting Presenter on Clinical Pharmacy Best Practices
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Nominee to The Panel for the Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV
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Matriculation into the GTI Data Analytics Program based on Success as Program Manager of HEDIS Medi-Cal Rx Outreach
Presentations
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Asthma: Best Practices to Improve Clinical Outcomes
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Asthma Self-Care & Medication Management Strategies
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Best Practices in Managed Health Care
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Cannabis Impact on the Brain, co-presenter psych MD
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Chronic Disease States: Moving Members Away from Emergency Departments to Patient Centered Medical Homes
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Developing Effective Strategies to Improve Clinical Pharmacy Outcomes: Troubleshooting Medication Access Issues
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HEDIS Medi-Cal Clinical Pharmacy Adherence Program
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HEDIS Medi-Cal Clinical Pharmacy Outreach: An Overview
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Health Net Opioid Workgroup: The Intersection of HIV/HCV & SUD
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Improving The Provider Experience: Pharmacologic Management of CBP and CDC with Focus in Severe Mental Illness
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Managing and Reinforcing Change: Change Management
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Medication Documentation
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Pharmacist-led Transitions of Care Interventions
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Release of Soluble Nucelotidases by the Sympathetic Nerves of the Rabbit Vas Deferens: Modulation by Sodium Orthovanadate
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Shift To Value-Based Care: How Patient Engagement Connects to Disease Management
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SPRAVATO™ for the treatment of Treatment-Resistant Depression, co-presenter psych MD
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Trends of The Opioid Epidemic
MISSION
Our Values & Goals