Dr. Stephanie A. Zarus

Stephanie is the Managing Director of Healthcare Innovation for Avancer Group, Inc. Her professional conviction is "Creating ways for people to think differently!"

Professionally, Stephanie has over thirty years of experience both as an executive and healthcare pioneer. As an executive, she has been a Vice President for Quality Initiatives, Marketing Development Officer, Chief Performance Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. Stephanie has also been the registered pharmacist of record for a national provider pharmacy, overseeing pharmacy services in 38 states. As a pioneer, Stephanie co-founded Hospice Pharmacia, LLC, a medication management and pharmacy service provider for terminally ill patients. Then, by transforming Hospice Pharmacia's technology and operational systems, she co-founded excelleRx, which eventually became a $220 million national technology-based tele-pharmacy operation, providing clinical consultation and medication distribution services to 85,000 patients in approximately 40% of the hospice industry. In 2005, as excelleRx prepared for an initial public offering (IPO), the company was successfully merged with the Fortune 500 healthcare company Omnicare.

Academically, Stephanie was part of the founding team who established the Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She served as Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business. She has also served as Dean's professor and Chair of the Board of Visitors. Before her corporate experience, Stephanie was the Vice President for Professional Programs and Associate Dean for Advanced Learning for the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS) where she supported the founding of the School for Advanced Learning. The University of the Sciences merged with St. Joseph’s University 2022.

Educationally, Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS). She completed her residency in pharmacy administration at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia. She completed Executive Certificate Programs from Harvard University's Kennedy School Executive Education in the Art and Practice of Leadership Development and from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.

Philanthropically, Stephanie serves on the not-for-profit boards of WHYY (finance committee), the YMCA of Greater Philadelphia, the Moorestown Friends School (Head’s Council), the Knowlton Foundation for Leadership Development (secretary), and as the clerk of session for Calvary Presbyterian Church, Riverton, NJ. Prior, Stephanie served on boards and committees of the Healthcare Improvement Foundation (governance committee), the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel (State of New Jersey, Department of Health), the Vision 2020 Committee on Shared Leadership (Drexel University), the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania (campaign cabinet for higher education), and Catholic Health East (quality committee).