Keith Olsen, PharmD, to retire as pharmacy dean

Keith Olsen, PharmD, will retire as the dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy at the end of the year.

Keith Olsen, PharmD, Joseph D. Williams Endowed Dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy, has announced his decision to step aside as dean, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Dr. Olsen will then phase into full retirement the following January 2026, after 25 years at UNMC.

“We are very grateful to Dr. Olsen for his many years of service to the medical center,” said UNMC Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD. “Especially these last several years as dean, which saw our college of pharmacy rise to unprecedented heights under his leadership.”

Donald Klepser, PhD

Recent pharmacy successes include a top 20 ranking in the most recent U.S. News & World Report . Other highlights of Dr. Olsen’s tenure of nearly six years as dean include annually finishing among national leaders in passing licensure exams, serving as a pound-for-pound research powerhouse, and:

Dr. Olsen also served as dean of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy from 2015-2019. He is a Fellow in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP) and Master of Critical Care Medicine (MCCM).

Dr. Davies has appointed Donald Klepser, PhD, senior associate dean for academic affairs and professor of pharmacy practice and science, to serve as interim dean.

Dr. Davies stated that after working with Dr. Klepser, and consulting with faculty members within the college, it was clear that Dr. Klepser’s experience in leading multiple initiatives over the past few years and his strong knowledge of the NU system, having graduated from the Nebraska University Developing Excellence in Academic Leaders (NU DEAL) Program make him ideally suited to lead the college at the present time.

Dr. Klepser has served in a key role on the college’s leadership team. In addition to his on-campus duties, Dr. Klepser has helped boost the UNMC College of Pharmacy’s national leadership in point-of-care testing and diseases management service in community pharmacies, the expanded role for pharmacists in the changing health care environment, rural pharmacy access, cost containment and managed care benefit design.

Dr. Klepser said he is excited to serve in this new role.

“I’m grateful to have earned your trust, and I look forward to all of the things we as the UNMC College of Pharmacy will continue to do together to serve Nebraska and beyond,” he said.

The UNMC College of Pharmacy and campus community will celebrate Dr. Olsen’s career as we get closer to his retirement date. Please watch UNMC Today for more information.

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