ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Forsythe with fellow panelists at an LIU Pharmacy discussion, “Understanding the Driving Forces of Pharmaceutical Pricing Today"
LIU PHARMACY GRADUATE & ENTREPRENEUR STARTS PURPLE SQUIRREL ECONOMICS LIU’s mission is to provide excellence and access in private higher education to people from all backgrounds. There may not be a better example of that mission than Anna Forsythe Pharm '95. Forsythe, the Managing Partner of Purple Squirrel Economics–providing health technology assessments and novel solutions for health care leaders–came to LIU Pharmacy in 1991 with a musicology degree from a Russian conservatory and just three dollars in her pocket. “LIU started everything for me,” said Forsythe, who founded Purple Squirrel as the next step in a career that’s included two separate stints at Novartis–most recently as Director of Global Health Economic and Market Access Oncology–in addition to working for several other pharmaceutical companies. Forsythe didn’t have money for her first semester’s tuition. Not sure where to turn, Forsythe met with Dr. Stephen Gross, then the Dean of LIU Pharmacy, for advice.
With Gross’s help in navigating the scholarship opportunities available, Forsythe found the resources to fund the beginning of her pharmaceutical education. From there, it was on Forsythe to earn the Maimonides Scholarship, which required top grades and the recommendation of Dr. Anthony Cutie, who oversaw the program. Forsythe earned a 4.0 GPA, impressing Cutie with her determination. Forsythe got the scholarship, and with it, a part-time job at Maimonides Medical Center. “I was extremely lucky,” Forsythe said. “Without Dean Gross and Dr. Cutie, I wouldn’t have graduated.” When Forsythe did graduate, she worked at Duane Reade before pursuing opportunities in industrial pharmacy. Then, what started as a two-month contract position working for Novartis turned into the beginning of nearly two decades in industrial pharmacy. “It was a huge risk,” Forsythe said, “but I wanted to try something more interesting. “Our contract was finishing,” Forsythe continued, “and they said, ‘Next week, we’re
only going to need a few people. Whoever knows Excel really well, raise your hand.' I raised my hand, but I had no clue what Excel was." “I went on the way home, bought Excel for Dummies, and studied all night.” She eventually became Associate Director at Novartis before moving on to Schering. A five-year stint at Savient Pharmaceuticals followed, and after her second tenure at Novartis and three years at Eisai, she founded Purple Squirrel in May 2016. On returning to LIU, where she teaches as an adjunct professor. “Some of my students said it was the most difficult class they’d taken at LIU,” Forsythe said with a laugh. “I approach it as if it’s real life. When the students go into the real world, they’re not going to be treated as students, and doing your best may not be good enough.” It’s a tough standard, but it’s the one that’s gotten Forsythe to where she is, and what she looks for in her employees– including one of her former LIU students– at Purple Squirrel.
FALL 2017 | LIU MAGAZINE
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