FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeannie Counce
Jeannie.Counce@NHIA.org
406-600-2649

Alexandria, VA (March 18, 2025)—The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) is proud to announce that Mitra Gavgani, PharmD is the recipient of the 2025 Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor that NHIA bestows on a member of the home and alternate site infusion profession who has dedicated significant time, energy, and resources to advocating on behalf of patients and the industry. The award was established in 2006, and is named after Gene Graves, a home infusion pioneer who was instrumental to the founding of NHIA in 1991. Gavgani will receive the award during NHIA’s 2025 Annual Conference, at the General Session on Monday, March 31 at 8:15 am Eastern.

As President of Johns Hopkins Care at Home, Mitra Gavgani leads an organization of Johns Hopkins Medicine made up of three Medicare-certified home health agencies (2 adult and 1 pediatric), two private duty companies, a home medical equipment company, and community, specialty, and infusion pharmacy services. With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, her emphasis on clinical excellence and patient-focused care are the foundation of her ability to inspire and empower professionals beyond the pharmacy and nursing fields.

Gavgani began her career as a clinical pharmacist for Apria Healthcare in 2001 and joined Johns Hopkins in 2003 as an Infusion Pharmacy Manager. In the two decades since, she has passionately developed home and specialty infusion services within the Hopkins health system to cost-effectively serve the Maryland-DC-Virginia-Pennsylvania regional area. She co-founded a health systems benchmarking group with other trailblazing home infusion pharmacy leaders to foster industry connection and collaboration. The discussions within that group informed the members’ strategic direction and day-to-day oversight of the administrative, clinical, quality, regulatory, customer service and fiscal affairs of their respective organizations.

Gavgani studied chemical engineering at University of Maryland Baltimore County and earned a doctor of pharmacy degree from Howard University. A respected thought leader, she served on the Board of the Maryland Board of Pharmacy from 2010 – 2018, and as its President from 2015-2018. She also served on NHIA’s Board of Directors from 2019 to 2022 and then transitioned to the NHIF Board. In those roles, she passionately advocated for better patient access and worked to elevate the story of infusion in the home and alternate site with evidence-based data.

While her professional achievements are notable, Gavgani’s leadership style is truly stellar. She has the ability to inspire and empower professionals beyond the pharmacy and nursing fields. Her team appreciates that she leads by example, always striving for excellence through servant leadership, and encourages them to reach their full potential through direct mentorship. She consistently embodies the qualities of a dedicated leader, striving to advance comprehensive community health care and its emerging leaders.

“I am honored to be named the Gene Graves Award winner,” said Gavgani. “Throughout my time in this industry, what has been a consistent fuel for me is the purpose and mission of what we do. People come to us in the most vulnerable stages of their life needing care, and we can make that experience somewhat less painful for them. It’s the privilege of making an impact on their lives that guides my ability to stay focused and work with an exceptional team that has the same goals.”

“We are excited to recognize Mitra with NHIA’s 2025 Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. Her passion for pharmacy and home-based services—and the value they can provide to a health system and community—are unparalleled,” said Connie Sullivan, BSPharm, NHIA’s President and CEO. “Her drive to advance the industry and contribution to that end through exemplary leadership have been an asset to NHIA as well as her colleagues.”

“Mitra is so deserving of this award,” said NHIA Board Chair John Rademacher. “She has been laser focused on demonstrating the value of care in the home and community to people in decision-making positions. At the same time, she’s encouraged us to challenge the boundaries of what home infusion can do for patients and use our commitment to patients to navigate into the future.”

“Mitra is an incredible, hard-working, leader and it is wonderful to see her being recognized for her innovative work,” said Kevin W. Sowers, MSN, RN, FAAN, President of the Johns Hopkins Health System and Executive Vice President of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “She is full of passion and compassion for doing the right thing for patients in the home setting, ensuring they get the care they need and deserve.”

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NHIA is a trade association representing companies that provide infusion therapy to patients in their homes and companies that manufacture and supply infusion and specialty pharmacy products. Infusion therapy involves patient-specific compounded medications, supplies, and a range of pharmacy, nursing, and other clinical services for delivering care to patients in the home setting. For more information, visit www.nhia.org.