Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business Faculty

You'll learn from seasoned, practicing professionals who share their firsthand knowledge with students, contribute current insights into the field and offer connections in the profession. Because they stay abreast of the latest developments in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, they are able to provide you with the most up-to-date information.
 

William L. Ashton, MEd
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
Dean, Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy
w.ashton@usp.edu | 215.596.7557

Mr. Ashton is a Fortune 100 senior executive with over 28 years experience in Biotechnology management. He is extremely skilled at developing and executing long-term business strategies. Bill has been recognized in the U.S. biopharmaceuticals market for his expertise in building and developing commercial operations and establishing key relationships with government agencies. Bill recently retired from a lengthy career at Amgen Inc., the world’s largest biotech firm. He served as Vice President of Commercial Affairs and Reimbursement (2003–2005) and was directly responsible for strategy development and corporate activities designed for key government agencies including: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of Inspector General, Government Accountability Office, Office of Management and Budget, and MedPAC.

Prior to that, Bill was Vice President/General Manager for one of the Amgen key business units where he had responsibility for sales and marketing of Amgen’s largest customer base including Health Systems, Managed Care Organizations, Commercial and Government Payors, Distribution Channel, GPO’s and Physicians’ Practice Management Groups.  He also served as Vice President of U.S. Sales.

Bill holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in Education and is currently Interim Dean of Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy, as well as an Associate Professor at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Additionally, he serves on several boards as an Advisor and Executive Board Member and a Consultant.

Alice Levy
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
a.levy@usp.edu | 267.295.3184 

Melanie B. Oates, MBA, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
Director of Undergraduate Business Programs
m.oates@usp.edu | 215.895.1182
 
Dr. Oates holds an MBA degree in Marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  She earned her PhD in Pharmacy Administration from the University of the Sciences.  Dr. Oates has 15 years experience in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, including sales training, product management, marketing research and merger analysis. She also spent five years working as a registered nurse. As a psychiatric nurse, she conducted one-on-one therapy sessions and facilitated group psychotherapy. Her current research centers on the use of web 2.0 technology in marketing education.

Bruce B. Rosenthal, MBA
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Business
Director of International Business Programs
b.rosent@usp.edu | 215.596.7439
 
Mr. Rosenthal holds an MBA from Rutgers University and a BFA from Syracuse University, and is pursuing a doctorate in Health Policy from USP. He has 30 years experience as a businessman and a teacher, and has lived and worked outside the U.S. for twenty years. Mr. Rosenthal has co-written several research articles for peer-reviewed journals as well as articles on the Japanese pharmaceutical industry and leadership issues for pharmaceutical-oriented journals. As the Director of International programs Mr. Rosenthal is developing relationships between USP and various academic and corporate institutions in Europe and Asia, including top Japanese and French business universities, as well as healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations.  The goal is for USP students to have the opportunity to do semester abroad programs, study trips, internationally oriented research and internships abroad.

Robert J. Votta, MBA
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Administration
r.votta@usp.edu | 215.596.8583
 
Mr. Votta earned his MBA in management from Saint Joseph’s University and is currently a PhD candidate in health policy administration at USP. Prior to joining the faculty, he worked for more than 12 years in the insurance industry. Mr. Votta served as a distance learning consultant for Pierce College and has 10 years experience as a distance learning professor in business law and Management; he also previously was an adjunct professor at numerous other schools. He researches, health policy administration and legislation, pharmaceutical advertising and corporate social responsibility.

Donald Zimmerman, PhD
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Business
Director of Graduate Business Programs
d.zimmer@usp.edu | 215.596.7631
 
Dr. Zimmerman received his doctoral training in Sociology from Stony Brook University and earned a BA with distinction from the University of Washington.  Dr. Zimmerman is an Associate Professor, teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in pharmaceutical business and policy, and leads the graduate MBA program at USP.  Prior to joining USP in 2007, he spent 25 years in healthcare leadership positions in government and industry.  This experience has included serving as lead policy researcher at research triangle Institute International, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Health care Cost Containment Council, senior consultant at KPMG, Managing Director with a start-up dot.com, Senior Aide to the Chair of the national Committee of Vital and health Statistics, and work on national health care reform during the 1990’s as senior healthcare analyst at the national health Policy Forum in Washington, D.C.  In addition, he has provided senior consulting services to the U.S. Senate and House of representatives, worked closely with a variety of executive agencies including the CDC, FDA, office of the Surgeon general, HRSA and CMS, and led a wide range of executive consulting projects for firms such as Merck, Schering-Plough, Roche, Forest Laboratories, and Mt. Sinai Medical Center.  Dr. Zimmerman has also served as a Visiting Associate Professor at Cornell University. 
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