Virginia Mountaineer
Appalachian College of Pharmacy alumnus Dr. Derek Webb was appointed to the ACP Board of Trustees last week during a meeting of the board. His appointment came from the Harvey W. Peters Foundation.
“We congratulate Derek on his appointment to our ACP Board of Trustees and look forward to working with him in that capacity,” ACP Provost and Dean Susan Mayhew said. “Derek brings a unique perspective to the board, having also been a student here in the past.”
Webb, who graduated in 2008 as a member of ACP’s inaugural graduating class, is the director of government affairs-East for Empower Pharmacy, based in Houston. In that role, he leads multistate legislative and regulatory strategy to expand access to high-quality, affordable compounded medications while enabling licensure, facility expansion and business growth.
Webb joined Empower Pharmacy in October 2025. He has worked to advance legislative and regulatory priorities supporting patient access, pharmacy operations and growth.
He joins other members of the ACP Board of Trustees, including Dr. Lu Ellsworth, who serves as chairman; Dr. Scott Cole; Dr. Rebecca Thornbury; Dr. Sherri Ratliff; Dr. Sue Cantrell; David Compton; Dr. Ida Harris; Tim Hess; Craig Horn; the Hon. Patrick Johnson; Dr. Scott Justus; Derek Keen; Frannie Minton; Dr. Susan Mullins; Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins; Ginger Robertson; John Rocovich; Dr. Eural Viers; and Dr. Jimmy Viers.
“Being appointed to the Appalachian College of Pharmacy Board of Trustees is an incredible honor and a meaningful opportunity to give back to an institution that helped shape who I am today,” Webb said. “ACP’s commitment to improving healthcare for rural and underserved communities closely aligns with the work I have dedicated my career to: advocating for patients and expanding access to medications and therapies. As a trustee, I look forward to helping advance that mission, strengthening ACP’s impact throughout Appalachia and ensuring future generations of healthcare leaders are prepared to serve the communities that need them most.”
“I am thrilled to see Dr. Webb appointed to the board of trustees, a well-deserved recognition of his outstanding expertise and unwavering dedication to the pharmacy profession,” Empower Pharmacy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Edgar Gonzalez said. “His depth of knowledge, sound judgment and collaborative spirit make him an exceptional team member who consistently brings positive energy and drives teams toward shared goals.
“Dr. Webb exemplifies the kind of leadership the pharmacy profession needs and I have no doubt he will serve as a role model and source of inspiration for the next generation of pharmacy leaders,” Gonzalez added.
Webb continues to serve on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, to which he was first appointed in July 2024. He chairs the bylaws committee and serves on the regulations committee.
He was elected earlier this year as president of District 2 of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. He also serves on the association’s Committee on Constitution and Bylaws and its Law and Legislation Committee.
Webb has nearly 20 years of experience advancing health care policy, pharmacy regulation and stakeholder engagement across multiple states, with extensive expertise in compounding pharmacy and 503A and 503B regulatory frameworks.
Before joining Empower, Webb worked at K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. from 2008 until October 2025. He first worked as a pharmacy manager, overseeing daily operations and ensuring compliance, safety and patient satisfaction at the company’s Abingdon store.
While there, Webb led a team focused on operational efficiency and clinical excellence. He collaborated with physicians and regulatory partners to improve patient outcomes through policy-aligned practices and analyzed business metrics to drive profitability and operational growth.
Webb later served as a pharmacy administrator for K-VA-T. In that role, he led communication with regulatory agencies and pharmacy boards, ensuring compliance and proactive advocacy. He also oversaw operations for 130 pharmacy locations, coordinating policy integration and quality initiatives.
Webb served as a media spokesperson and public health advocate and was regularly featured on WCYB’s “Healthy Living” segments. He directed telemedicine and immunization programs supporting community health and access to care and led pharmacy mergers, acquisitions and infrastructure expansion projects across state lines.
At the same time, Webb represented K-VA-T Food Stores before state legislatures, regulatory agencies and pharmacy boards, successfully influencing policies affecting pharmacy practices and patient access.
Webb served as mayor of the town of Abingdon from July 2020 to January 2023 and currently serves as a member of the Abingdon Town Council.
Since 2011, he has owned Phinneas Enterprises LLC in Abingdon, specializing in locating and leasing rental properties. He has also worked as a personal coach for Lululemon Team Webb in Abingdon.
Webb has served as a key opinion leader and speaker for Pharmacy Times and WCYB on a variety of pharmacy-related topics.
He was named a Tri-Cities Business Journal 40 Under Forty honoree in 2020 and scored in the top 99% on the pharmacy board examination. Webb was the youngest mayor to serve the town of Abingdon and received the highest number of votes ever recorded for an Abingdon Town Council candidate.
Webb earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from King College in 2005 before enrolling at ACP.
While at ACP, he was a member of the student chapters of the American Pharmacists Association and the Virginia Pharmacists Association. He was also a member and former vice president of the Rho Chi honor society.
Webb served as the ACP Class of 2008 speaker and received the TEVA Pharmaceuticals USA Award for outstanding achievement in the study of pharmacy, the ACP Pharmaceutics Highest GPA Award and the Merck Award for outstanding achievement in the study of pharmacy. He was named to the dean’s list and served as vice president of his class.
Webb and his wife, Rebecca, live in Abingdon with their 14-year-old daughter, Eleanor.
