Meet our Pharmacology team

Dr. Azur Eckley is a board certified Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System.
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy
Residency: PGY1 and PGY2 in Ambulatory Care - Tennessee Valley VA Healthcare System
Board Certification: Yes - Pharmacotherapy Specialist

Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner in cardiology and gastroenterology. I run a heart failure telehealth clinic to assist with fluid management and optimization of guideline-directed medical therapies for our heart failure patients. In gastroenterology I help with monitoring high-risk medications and medication optimization in patients with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. I also serve as the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director. 

I participate in annual residency clinical projects focused on quality assurance and quality improvement. This year we have focus on developed a population management tool to monitor biologic medications used for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Brett, going camping/hiking, rooting for the Vols (no matter how bad the season is), and snuggling her pup Rye. 

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Calleen (Callie) Lavinghousez is a board certified Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System.
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy
Residency: Pharmacy Practice: Medical University of South Carolina; Psychiatric Pharmacy: Eskenazi Health/Purdue University - Charleston, SC then Indianapolis, IN
Board Certification: Yes - Psychiatric Pharmacy

Callie works with the Substance Treatment and Recovery (STAR) team where she serves as the Substance Use Disorders Pharmacist and Harm Reduction Coordinator. She runs a mental health medication management clinic for Veterans in the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team. Additionally, Callie has a passion for teaching and has been the Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Program Director since 2022. She is actively involved in the national organization, the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, holding various leadership roles throughout her career. 

Callie was born and raised in upstate NY but has called Charleston home since 2013. When she isn't working, she is a busy mom to 3 kids and enjoys trying new restaurants with her husband Chad! 

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Dr. Emily Rowley is a board certified Clinical Pharmacist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System.
Medical School: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Residency: Boise VA Medical Center
Board Certification: Yes - Pharmacotherapy

Dr. Emily Rowley is a Pain Management Clinical Pharmacy Specialists working alongside interdisciplinary team members within the Pain Clinic to deliver pain management to our veteran population at the Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC.

Dr. Rowley attended the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy in Chapel Hill, NC followed by a PGY1 general practice residency at the Boise VA Medical Center in Boise, ID where she first honed her skills in pain management. Since residency, Dr. Rowley has served in several clinics to include Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Care, Warrior Transition Clinic and traumatic brain injury care. She has found all of these instrumental in assisting veterans with their chronic pain concerns. She is a Board Certified Clinical Pharmacist in Pharmacotherapy and proud to be serving active duty and veterans since 2013.

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PhD Erin Gaughran  is a Pharmacists at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System.
Medical School: St. John's University
Residency: Dublin, Georgia
Board Certification: Yes

I am the home-based primary care clinical pharmacy practitioner for the Myrtle Beach outpatient clinic. 

In my free time I enjoy competing in agility trials with my dog and doing pet therapy visits at the Myrtle Beach International Airport and our local assisted living facility. 

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PhD Yara Salem is board Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner - Primary Care - at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System
Medical School: MUSC - College of Pharmacy
Residency:PGY1: Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and PGY2: Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center specialize in Geriatrics - PGY1: Phildelphia, PA and PGY2: Cleveland, OH
Board Certification: Yes - Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (BCGP)

My main clinical services to veterans include providing comprehensive medication management with areas specializing in diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and several other disease states commonly addressed with your primary care team. Additionally offer comprehensive visits for the opportunity to deprescribe medications that are no longer indicated. I bring a background of training that is advanced in care of older adults. 

I enjoy shopping, trying new restaurants and spending time with my cat, Leo.

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PhD Paul Strange is board certified Pharmasist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System
Residency: PGY 1 - Ralph H. Johnson VAMC
Fellowship:  Surgical Critical Care - Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington
Board Certification: Yes - Ambulatory Care

Dr. Strange attended the Medical University of South Carolina where he received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. This was then followed by a PGY1 general practice residency at the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC here in Charleston.  He has worked at the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC since completion of Residency in Primary Care for the last 13 years at Myrtle Beach, Trident, and now the North Charleston Clinic CBOC.  Dr. Strange provides care in various disease states to include diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, gout, heart failure, and weight loss to name a few.  He has a strong interest in obesity medication management and is involved in helping oversee the medications for weight loss for the facility which incorporates teaching/consulting/prescribing. 

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Dr. Dea Gal is a board certified Pharmacologist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System 
Medical School: MUSC College of Pharmacy
Residency: Asheville VA Medical Center
Board Certification: Yes - Pharmacotherapy

Dr. Dea Gal attended the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, where she received her Doctorate of Pharmacy followed by a PGY1 ambulatory-care focused residency at the Asheville VA Medical Center.  Dr. Gal is currently a Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center at the North Charleston outpatient clinic. She provides pharmacotherapy services for chronic primary care conditions for Veterans. 

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Ashley Donato is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Rlaph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System.
Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Pharmacy

Ashley Donato, Pharm.D is currently the Anemia-Medication Pharmacy Specialist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina.
Ashley graduated from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in 2000 with her Doctorate of Pharmacy. Dr. Donato’s pharmacy experience started as an inpatient pharmacist. She began  employment at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist, IV Specialist, in 2004 and assisted in program management for chemotherapy and IV room operations.  In 2006, she was involved with developing and beginning a new clinic for patients at the VA, the Anemia Medication Management Clinic. Anemia-related medications need close monitoring so she provides laboratory oversight for patients prescribed Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESAs or “EPO”) and for patients who require iron infusion treatments. She works very closely with many specialty groups including Nephrology, Hematology, Gastroenterology, Gynecology, and Cardiology. In the past, she also served on the Nutrition Support Team for over 10 years for management of patients receiving parenteral nutrition.  

In my free time, my husband and I enjoy watching sports, especially the ones our two sons play (golf, baseball, football, and basketball).

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Thomas J. Worrall, BS Pharm., Pharm.D., BCACP, FAPhA is board certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Specialist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System.
Medical School: University of Florida College of Pharmacy
Residency: Mt Sinai Medical Center 
Fellowship:  Surgical Critical Care - Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington
Board Certification: Yes - Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Specialist

Thomas J. Worrall, BS Pharm., Pharm.D., BCACP, FAPhA, is a Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner in Primary Care at the Goose Creek Primary Care Clinic.  He manages hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, gout, hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, weight management and smoking cessation to improve the health of veterans.  He holds an academic appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.  He was honored by the Medical University of South Carolina and University of South Carolina Colleges of Pharmacy with the 2018 Distinguished Preceptor Award in recognition of sustained commitment to excellence in experiential education and professional practice.   He was awarded the 2017 Pharmacist of the Year by the South Carolina Society of Health System Pharmacists.  Dr. Worrall was honored by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy as a National Master Preceptor in 2014, one of 7 pharmacists recognized nationally. He received this award for demonstrating a sustained commitment to excellence in experiential education, pharmacy practice and community service.   He is the 2012 recipient of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy APPE Preceptor of the year award.  Dr. Worrall received his BS in Pharmacy from Rutgers University and his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Florida. He is a recipient of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy “Outstanding Graduating Doctor of Pharmacy Student Award” for distinguished scholarship, leadership, professionalism, service, research and clinical skills. He completed an ASHP accredited Residency in Pharmacy Practice at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, New York. He is board certified as an ambulatory care specialist and is a fellow of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Professional memberships include SCPhA, SCSHP, and APhA. He is a past APhA national officer.  He currently serves on the national executive committee for Health System Pharmacy Community of APhA.  He is a judge for the South Carolina Clinical Skills competition held annually at the Fall SCSHP meeting.  He served on the SCSHP Board of Directors as the Low Country Region V Director (2018-2020).  Dr. Worrall served as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Pharmacy Today 2009-2012 and was the chairman of the APhA House of Delegates New Business Review Committee in 2010. Dr. Worrall served on the APhA National Policy Committee 2014-2015.  Before coming to the VA in 1999, Dr. Worrall was a clinical pharmacist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota and at the MUSC Medical Center where he received the MUSC Clinical Services Recognition Award for Superior Performance and Professionalism.  His primary interest is in ambulatory care issues. 

Dr. Worrall enjoys being outside, walking on the beach, playing golf and spending time with his family and friends.

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