Samford University pharmacy graduate Kali Jernigan Weaver has been elected the first female grand regent and national president of the 85,000-member Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity.

Weaver, who earned a Pharm.D. degree from Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in 2006, was elected at the national convention in San Francisco, Calif.,  in August. She is a pharmacist with Wellmont Health System in Pennington Gap, Va.

Kappa Psi, with 82 collegiate chapters and 59 graduate chapters, is the oldest and largest professional pharmacy fraternity in the world.  Founded in 1879, the organization has 5,000 collegiate members and more than 80,000 graduate members in the U.S., Canada and the Bahamas. 

While a Samford student, Weaver was chapter vice president, regional historian and president, and national collegiate member at large.  After graduation she served as national historian and vice president before assuming her current leadership role.

Weaver is grateful for her Samford friends and faculty, who she said inspired her and helped her “become who I am today.”

“They taught me the qualities necessary to become a leader within a national organization,” said Weaver.  “I hope other women now realize that Kappa Psi will always select the best person for the job, regardless of gender.”