Business Coaching Profile: Jackie Howells

“I really want to see independent pharmacy owners succeed and win in this industry — and I’m excited to help them build practical plans that move their businesses forward.” – Jackie Howells, Business Coach, Good Neighbor Pharmacy

Jackie went on to earn a degree in healthcare administration from the University of Wisconsin. After graduation, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where she joined Providence Health Plan and managed the plan’s pharmacy benefit manager operations.

In that role, Jackie managed claims processing, benefit plan setup, prior authorizations, formulary and non-formulary processes, and CMS formulary submissions for Medicare. While the PBM landscape has changed significantly since that time, the experience gave Jackie a strong operational foundation in how pharmacy benefits, claims and plan design function behind the scenes.

Experience across health systems, supply chain and business growth

Jackie’s career later took her to Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, where she worked with the health system’s group purchasing organization. There, she supported Virginia Mason’s GPO account as well as a strategic alliance of large health systems across the country.

The work required close collaboration with clinicians, supply chain teams and vendor partners to identify contracts, solutions and opportunities that could support savings and improve care delivery. It also strengthened Jackie’s ability to connect strategy with execution — a skill that continues to shape how she approaches business coaching today.

From there, Jackie moved into pet and animal health, including work connected to helping build access to the veterinary market. She later joined Petco, where she helped grow the company’s pet pharmacy business by opening over 250+ hospitals. 

That experience gave her direct exposure to scaling a business, managing a P&L and supporting operators responsible for delivering care in their communities. Across each role, Jackie’s work has centered on healthcare, business growth and helping teams and operators succeed.

A thoughtful perspective on long-term care

Jackie also brings meaningful perspective in long-term care, particularly from her background in nursing home administration and assisted living.

She is clear that her long-term care experience was not primarily pharmacy specific. However, it shaped how she thinks about the role independent pharmacies can play in helping patients remain safe, supported and adherent to their medications, especially as more people look for ways to stay in their homes longer.

“What really makes me excited about working with pharmacies is the opportunity to support long-term care at home, giving patients better programming and more assistance so they can stay safely at home,” Jackie said.

For Jackie, medication adherence is one of the clearest areas where independent pharmacies can make a difference. 

“Medication adherence and staying at home is a huge challenge,” she said. “Patients can forget doses, underdose, overdose or decide on their own whether they do or don’t need a medication.”

Jackie believes independent pharmacies are well positioned to provide additional touchpoints, personalized support and practical programming that can help patients and caregivers feel more confident managing care at home. 

“Pharmacists have a strong opportunity to partner with smaller regional and rural facilities and help manage patient care more closely and keep it local,” she said.

Why business coaching

Today, Jackie brings that experience to her role as a business coach for Good Neighbor Pharmacy at Cencora.

Although she is new to the business coaching team, her career has consistently connected her with small business owners, healthcare operators and teams working to grow in competitive markets. For Jackie, joining Good Neighbor Pharmacy was a natural extension of the work she has found most meaningful throughout her career: helping others succeed.

“Working with small business owners and helping them be successful and grow their own business has been one of the most satisfying parts of my career,” Jackie said.

That motivation now carries into her work with independent pharmacy owners, many of whom are navigating complex industry pressures while continuing to serve as trusted healthcare resources in their communities.

“There are a whole bunch of forces competing against small business owners,” Jackie said. “I really want to see these small business owners succeed and win in the industry.”

Building trust through collaboration

As Jackie begins working with Good Neighbor Pharmacy members, she focuses first on building trust and understanding each owner’s goals. Her approach starts with listening. She wants to understand what each owner is trying to accomplish, what success looks like for them and what kind of plan will feel realistic for their business, their patients and their community.

“The big thing is sitting down with pharmacy owners, understanding their goals and helping them put together a plan that makes sense for them,” Jackie said.

That collaborative style is especially important because each pharmacy is different. Jackie may review reports, identify trends and look for opportunities, but she also knows that data alone does not define success.

“I can certainly look at reporting and see what the trends are and where the opportunities are,” she said. “But it’s seeing what connects with that owner and what’s going to speak to them as being successful.”

Celebrating progress and creating practical plans

Jackie’s coaching style combines data, positivity and practical action. She believes owners need support not only in identifying opportunities, but also in recognizing what they have already accomplished.

“These owners work so hard,” Jackie said. “They are doing everything under the sun for their business.”
For Jackie, part of being a strong business coach is helping owners pause, celebrate progress and see how far they have come before moving to the next goal. She also focuses on bringing value by helping owners stay informed about trends, opportunities and decisions that may affect their pharmacies.

“It’s not necessarily saying that you can solve every problem right out of the gate,” Jackie said. “But at least you can come up with different things to try and pilot, continue to chip away at it, learn in small doses what works and what doesn’t, and then implement what does.”

As Jackie continues building relationships with Good Neighbor Pharmacy members, she brings healthcare knowledge, operational experience and genuine enthusiasm for helping independent pharmacy owners succeed.

Learn more about how Good Neighbor Pharmacy supports independent pharmacies today.