Pharmacy Management Team
Denny Fugate, PharmD
Denny Fugate is the Senior Pharmacy Director at North Kansas City Hospital.
Dr. Fugate completed the Health System Management program at Cardinal Health and earned his doctorate degree in pharmacy from the University of Kentucky.
His professional interests are operational innovation, clinical pharmacy service integration, staff development, supply chain and benchmarking. He serves on the Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Patient Safety, Standards of Practice and Institutional Review committees.
His personal interests include watching the Louisville Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals.
Matt Baker, PharmD, MS, BCPS, DPLA
PGY-1: Required - Longitudinal Health Systems Administration, Elective - Management
Matt Baker is the Pharmacy Department's clinical supervisor.
Dr. Baker earned a doctorate of pharmacy degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
His professional interests include evidence-based medicine, practice-based research and multidisciplinary process improvement. He serves on the Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Antimicrobial and Pain Stewardship committees and on the Glycemic Control Task Force.
When he’s not at the hospital, he enjoys spending time with family and outdoor activities.
David Hitchcock, BS, MBA
David Hitchcock is the acute care and community pharmacy supervisor at North Kansas City Hospital.
David earned his bachelor’s of pharmacy from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his master’s degree in business administration from Baker University.
His professional interests include operations, regulatory requirements and technology. Outside of work, David enjoys watching the Chiefs and Royals, traveling and fishing.
Josh Eklund, PharmD, BCPS, DPLA
Josh Eklund is the pharmacy coordinator of automation and technology.
Dr. Eklund earned his doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
His professional interests include using technology and software to streamline and improve automated processes in medication verification and dispensing. His clinical interests include infectious disease, with a specific focus on early streamlining of antimicrobials therapy.
Outside of work, Dr. Eklund enjoys restoring his house built in 1912; traveling; camping, hiking and backpacking; and spending time outside in general.
Cathy Valenti, PharmD, BCPS
PGY-1: Required - Longitudinal Health Systems Administration
PGY-2: Required - Practice Management Medication Safety
Cathy Valenti is the Pharmacy medication safety and quality coordinator.
Dr. Valenti earned her doctorate of pharmacy degree from The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy.
Her professional interests include patient safety and medication error prevention, glycemic control of inpatients, clinical informatics and how technology can prevent medication errors. Clinically, she enjoys working in the critical care environment. She services on the Medication Management Committee and the Glycemic Control Task Force.
Outside of work, she loves traveling, spending time with family, cooking, cycling and hiking.