Residents: Current Resident Bios

Alaina Chou, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Resident
Alaina Chou is originally from Zanesville, Ohio. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Cincinnati. Her professional interests include internal medicine, infectious diseases, critical care, and emergency medicine. In her free time, Alaina enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to the beach, hiking, playing with puppies, and trying new restaurants.

Brooke Knapp, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
Brooke Knapp is a Jacksonville native. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of North Florida in 2015 and her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2019. Her professional interests include oncology, informatics, and infectious disease. Her research project this year is comparing dosing strategies of allopurinol for Tumor Lysis Syndrome prophylaxis. In her spare time she enjoys riding her bike around the beaches, as well as taking dance and yoga classes.

Mariya Kotova, Pharm.D.
PGY-2 Pain Management and Palliative Care Resident
Mariya Kotova is from San Francisco, California (originally born in Ukraine). She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 2018. She completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center in San Francisco, California and is currently completing her PGY-2 in Pain Management and Palliative Care at UF Health Jacksonville. Her areas of interest include pain stewardship, women’s health, substance abuse and acute pain. Her resident research project this year is comparing peri-partum pain control management and neonatal abstinence syndrome outcomes following delivery of pregnant individuals on maintenance methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. In her free time, Mariya enjoys relaxing by the beach, spending time outdoors and trying new food cuisines.

Ashlan Kunz Coyne, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
Ashlan Kunz Coyne is from Esko, Minnesota. She received her Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2019. Her professional interests include infectious diseases and critical care. Her resident research project involves outcome optimization of patients with ESBL CTX-M and KPC bloodstream infections upon utilization of an antimicrobial stewardship program with and without rapid molecular diagnostic testing. Outside of her professional responsibilities, Ashlan enjoys playing beach volleyball, CrossFit, and spending time with her family and loyal furry companion, Lucy.

Amy Li, Pharm.D.
PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Resident
Amy Li is from Atlanta, Georgia. She received her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Emory University in 2012 and her Doctor of Pharmacy from Belmont University College of Pharmacy in 2018. She completed her PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Her professional interests include diabetes, infectious disease, and management. Her resident research project this year evaluates the impact of pharmacist interventions on antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infections in an ambulatory care clinic. In her free time, Amy enjoys cooking, watching movies, playing board games, and exploring new restaurants.

Alexa Marrese, Pharm.D.
PGY-2 Critical Care Resident
Alexa Marrese is from Ormond Beach, Florida. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Florida State University in 2013 and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2018. Her professional interests include critical care and internal medicine. Her resident research project this year is evaluating the impact of fixed dose recombinant factor seven on outcomes post cardiothoracic surgery. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she enjoys working out and spending time with her family and friends.

Joshua Newell, Pharm.D.
PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Resident
Joshua Newell is from Nashville, Tennessee. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Middle Tennessee State University in 2013 and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in 2018. His professional interests include emergency medicine and critical care. His resident research project this year involves evaluating haloperidol compared to ketamine for the acute management of agitation in the emergency department setting. In his free time, Joshua enjoys running, working out, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.

Sarah Piccuirro, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
Sarah Piccuirro is originally from Cobleskill, New York, but calls Austin, Texas home. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Northeastern University in 2009 and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in 2019. Before pursuing a career in pharmacy, she worked in human services as an advocate for adults with serious mental illness and foster youth. Her professional interests include emergency medicine, ambulatory care, psychiatry, and infectious disease. She plans to pursue a PGY-2 in one of her interest areas in the upcoming year. Her resident research project this year is evaluating the risk of acute kidney injury in patients receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics for diabetic foot infection. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new foods and places, thrift shopping, and spending time outdoors.

John Rivera, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
John Rivera is from Jacksonville, Florida. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of North Florida in 2015 and graduated from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2019. His professional interests include emergency medicine, critical care, and internal medicine. His resident research project this year is transitions of care from the emergency department to the medical intensive care unit. In his free time, John enjoys riding his bike to the beach, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Elizabeth Shald, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
Elizabeth Shald is from Pensacola, Florida. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of South Florida in 2015 and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida in 2019. Her professional interests are critical care and emergency medicine, and she plans to pursue a PGY-2 in critical care. Her resident project this year is evaluating the impact of clinical sepsis phenotypes on fluid status in critically ill patients. In her free time, Elizabeth likes soaking up the Florida sun by the pool or at the beach, baking, trying local restaurants and coffee shops, playing tennis, and spending time with family and friends.

John Shapiro, Pharm.D.
PGY-1 Pharmacy Resident
John Shapiro is from Miami, Florida. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Florida State University and graduated with magna cum laude honors from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2019. John’s professional interests include infectious diseases, cardiology and critical care. His resident research project this year will be focused on evaluating the outcomes of withholding antibiotics in critically ill patients with a negative procalcitonin during an acute exacerbation of COPD. In his free time, John enjoys cooking, fitness, and exploring new restaurants.