MHS grad earns doctorate of pharmacy

A former Porterville resident, Jo’Nel Elaine Weber, received her doctorate of pharmacy in June from the University of Oklahoma.

Weber, a former Westfield Elementary and Pioneer Jr. High student, graduated from Monache High in 2003 and from Porterville College in 2005.

She received her Doctorate of Pharmacy a year early from University of Oklahoma, after graduating in 2007 from Sonoma State.

“We can’t say how proud we are of her, especially since she is the first of her family to gain such an accomplishment of education,” said her father, Jeff Weber.

Jo’Nel Weber is the daughter of Darlene Curtis of Colorado, and of Jeff and Gael Weber of Porterville and the late Shirley Weber of Las Vegas. She is the sister of Trina Jones, Michelle Tillery, and Anthony and Cliff Koonce.

Jo’Nel Weber, a clinical pharmacist for Pharmacy Management Consultants at the College of Pharmacy for the University of Oklahoma, partnering with the state’s Medicaid program, said she went into the profession after her love for biology, chemistry and math, led Grant Wagner, a chemistry teacher at Monache High School, to recommend a biochemistry-driven path.

“As I continued my eduction, I realized his advice was accurate,” Weber said. “After eight years in a commercial pharmacy and 10 years of college, I still have a passion for pharmacy that will never fizzle.”