Episode 111 - Exploring Career Paths with Erika Anderson, CPhT, CSPT

In this episode of CPhT Connect, host Mike Johnston, CPhT-Adv, sits down with Erika Anderson, a nationally respected pharmacy technician leader whose passion for pharmaceutical compounding has shaped patient safety and compliance across an entire health system.

With more than two decades of experience, Erika currently serves as the System Manager of Pharmacy Compounding for CommonSpirit Health, overseeing compounding standards, policies, and quality assurance for 142 hospitals. As the system’s subject matter expert, she leads regulatory compliance efforts, develops enterprise-wide procedures, and manages the 503B Outsourcing Program, ensuring safe, high-quality compounded medications reach patients every day.

In this powerful and candid conversation, Erika shares how her career began with curiosity and initiative—and how asking questions, pursuing education, and being willing to hear “no” ultimately led her to build doors where none existed. Together, Mike and Erika explore what true leadership looks like in pharmacy, why compounding excellence is inseparable from patient safety, and how pharmacy technicians can advocate for themselves even when opportunities aren’t clearly defined.

Listeners will hear about:

• Erika’s journey from IV room technician to system-level compounding leader
• Why initiative and preparation matter more than waiting to be recognized
• How compounding failures reshaped her commitment to safety and compliance
• The evolving role of pharmacy technicians in quality, regulatory, and leadership positions
• Learning from rejection and continuing to ask—even after hearing “no”
• What it means to lead by engaging the people doing the work

Whether you’re passionate about compounding, interested in leadership, or feeling stuck in your current role, this episode will challenge you to think bigger about your potential—and remind you that many career paths don’t exist until someone is brave enough to create them.

Key Takeaway:
“If the door to opportunity doesn’t exist, don’t walk away—build the damn door.”

For more pharmacy technician career insights, resources, and episodes, visit cphtconnect.com.

Listener Resources: 

Erika's LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/erika-anderson-cpht-cspt-b2a426159