Board Member

Dr. Hensic is a clinical pharmacist by training, and currently serves as the Corporate Director of Medication Safety, Risk and Compliance for Scripps Health in San Diego. Immediately prior to her current role, she was the Director of Pharmacy at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan – the Department of Defense’s largest overseas medical treatment facility. Prior to living in Japan, she lived in San Diego and served as the National Regulatory Affairs Manager at Kaiser Permanente, where she had oversight of 500+ pharmacies across 8 states and Washington DC.

Dr. Hensic held previous positions as clinical faculty and has over a decade of teaching experience at medical and pharmacy schools, including UC San Diego and Touro University. She has been a leader in clinical pharmaceutical care, pharmacy regulatory affairs, and executive health system management for 10+ years. Dr. Hensic is certified in Designing Clinical Research, a Pharmacy Regulatory Specialist (PRS), and a Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP). She has specialty clinical training in LGBT Healthcare & Disparities, Ambulatory Care, Infectious Diseases, Sterile Compounding, Hazardous Drug Handling, and has published numerous scientific articles in peer reviewed journals. Her research has been showcased at state, national, and international conferences.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology & Microbiology at UC Santa Barbara, Dr. Hensic earned her Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) with an emphasis in Health Policy & Management from UC San Francisco. She completed a General Pharmacy Practice Residency followed by an HIV/AIDS Specialty Pharmacy Residency at UC San Francisco and San Francisco General Hospital. 

Dr. Hensic is a nationally recognized advocate for the LGBTQ military community. She is a founding Board Member of the Modern Military Association of America (MMAA), the nation’s largest non-profit organization for the LGBTQ military and veteran community. Dr. Hensic struggled with the isolation and disconnect from the military community that “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) imposed as a result of her former partner being required to serve in silence. While seeking support and means to “survive military life,” she stumbled upon a handful of other partners of service members. This group mobilized to establish themselves as an official non-profit: The American Military Partner Association (AMPA). In 2019 AMPA merged with OutServe-SLDN to form MMAA, which has grown to 75,000+ members and supporters across the globe. 

Dr. Hensic is dedicated to critical educational, research, and policy efforts aimed at strengthening LGBTQ military families’ representation and engagement in policy changes. She provides strategic development and oversight of MMAA’s government affairs, research, and educational programming. Some examples of the support Dr. Hensic has provided include:

• Live webinars on various topics to LGBTQ military families and allies across the globe,
• Continuing education and advanced professional training to civilian and military health care providers across the country (e.g., https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/29793/), 
• Presentations outlining LGBTQ military history and challenges faced by LGBTQ military families to policymakers and other stakeholders, 
• LGBT “cultural competency” training to civilian and military health care providers and employer groups (e.g., Army NPSP Conference, Raytheon, multiple Naval commands, etc.), and 
• Written and verbal briefs regarding LGBTQ military family needs/challenges to multiple Department of Defense (DoD), including the DoD Military Family Readiness Council and the DoD Defense Health Agency.

In addition to her work for MMAA, Dr. Hensic has been a long time volunteer and supporter of both San Diego Pride. She helped establish what is now the San Diego Pride Military Department, including the nation’s first Pride Parade in which service members were able to march in uniform. She also facilitated initial discussions and planning sessions for what is now San Diego Pride’s SheFest. Additionally, Dr. Hensic served several years on The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Advisory Committee for the Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridge Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor. She has appeared in media interviews on local and national broadcasts, and has been invited to speak at several conferences on behalf of our LGBT military families and has received multiple honors and awards for her advocacy.

Dr. Hensic is an outdoor enthusiast and avid hiker. She explores a new trail within San Diego County each weekend and shares her trail adventures to encourage others to enjoy our local outdoors. She lives in San Diego with her energetic dog, Tilly.