Sharon Faust Credits Personal Challenges for Shaping Her Bold Leadership in the PBM Industry | PBMI Innovator

Sharon Faust, Pharm.D., MBA, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer at Navitus Health Solutions, has been chosen as one of the inaugural winners of Managed Healthcare Executive’s PBMI Innovator Award, which honors leaders making an impact in the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) field.

Faust’s journey to leadership has been shaped not only by her professional experience but also by deeply personal challenges. Her husband became a quadriplegic after a car accident, an event that Faust says has deeply influenced her perspective on both life and work.

“Even stepping into this role after that accident and taking on a lot of responsibility, I have less of a notion of fear over things that are not to be feared,” Faust told MHE. “There's this grounding of reality of like, ‘okay, I'm going to present to this client, what's the worst that could happen?’ There's definitely a perspective of this isn't the worst thing ever, and so that's allowed me a little bit of freedom and ability to step into the full potential that I have, because I'm not being held back by these kinds of fears of things, because my perspective has completely been shifted into what is important and what is not.”

Her approach to leadership emphasizes clarity, focus and courage in decision-making. Faust credits her personal experiences with giving her a framework to prioritize effectively, manage risks thoughtfully and lead with confidence.

In the challenging PBM environment—where stakeholders navigate complex regulations, rising costs and evolving patient needs—Faust’s ability to maintain perspective has become a cornerstone of her success.

Through her work at Navitus, she has driven initiatives that streamline pharmacy benefits, improve patient access to medications and support cost-effective care. By blending innovative strategies with a grounded sense of purpose, Faust demonstrates the ways personal resilience and professional excellence can intersect to create meaningful impact in healthcare.

Her recognition with the PBMI Innovator Award highlights both her contributions to the pharmacy benefit field and the value of leadership that is influenced by life experience, vision and a commitment to advancing patient-centered care.