Charlene Tugwete received her PharmD from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) in May of 2023. Her passion for health economics and outcomes research stems from the diverse experiences she had the privilege of encountering during pharmacy school Charlene was first introduced to HEOR after participating in the AMCP Local P&T Competition in 2021. Her interest peaked when she joined a research project under UMB's Pharmaceutical Health Services Research department. During the project, she contributed to understanding the utilization of Z-codes among individuals diagnoses with cancer, aiming to estimate the association between social determinants of health (SDOH) and health utilization using private payer claims data. Additionally, during her rotation at Carefirst Blue Cross BlueShield, she gained insight into the U.S. payer model system and formulary decision-making. While at UMB, Charlene held leadership roles, including National Legislative Chair of SNPhA, chapter president of UMB's Student Financial Advisory Board and treasurer for Phi Lambda Sigma. 

Through the Novartis-JCPH Fellowship, Charlene hopes to develop strong foundational knowledge, acquire essential skills, and gain proficiency in the field of HEOR to improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life.