Our Team

Meet the Staff Profiles

Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy has built its reputation on unparalleled customer service, and that starts with a fantastic, happy and outgoing staff culture. Below is a little snippet about each of us, but always feel free to come in store for a chat to get to know us more!

Curtis studied a Bachelor of Medical Science at the University of Technology Sydney followed by the Master of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney. He completed his intern training at a busy independent pharmacy near Campbelltown in 2013, where he also met his future wife. Curtis became fully registered and then made the move to Forster the following year. He was the sole pharmacist at The Friendlies Discount Pharmacy for 7 years when he was given the opportunity to buy into the pharmacy. This meant a rebranding was needed, and Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy was born. Curtis is a hands-on owner, and if he isn’t tending to someone’s wound or providing advice on all manner of conditions or medications, you will find him in the dispensary, where he is ready and willing to help his patients with whatever comes through his door.

Zahraa studied a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the Baghdad College of Pharmacy in Iraq. She then worked for 2 years at a hospital pharmacy in Qatar before moving with her husband to Australia in 2014. She settled in Wollongong where the family grew with 2 beautiful girls.

We were fortunate enough to secure Zahraa’s talent here at Forster in 2020 when she started her internship with us, making the move up with her young family. Zahraa passed her registration exams in early 2021, and has been a valued pharmacist in the Forster community ever since. In July 2023, Zahraa successfully completed a Medication Management Review course with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to become an accredited consultant pharmacist.

Janelle is the best all-rounder since Richie Benaud, and is our invoicing and stock control champion as well as a front of shop extraordinaire. Janelle holds a Certificate 3 in Community Pharmacy, and has been in pharmacy for over 15 years. Before she began her pharmacy career, Janelle worked in retail and data entry while she was raising her 3 daughters.

Janelle then started with Pacific Palms Pharmacy and then moved to the Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy team at the beginning of 2018.

Kim is our longest serving staff member and is our merchandising Queen. Kim works tirelessly to ensure all the stock is presented perfectly and that the ‘Specials Wall’ is always stocked so you can avoid the crowds at Stocklands or the main street. Kim holds a Certificate 3 in Community Pharmacy, and has been in pharmacy for over 28 years.

Her first job in pharmacy was at Rob Brady’s Soul Pattinson Pharmacy at Forster, after which she took some time off to raise her 2 daughters. Kim restarted her pharmacy career in 2012 while The Friendlies Discount Pharmacy was just starting to establish itself, and was still with us when we changed to Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy.

Julie has lived in the Forster-Tuncurry area since 1978. Julie is our customer service angel, always making sure everyone feels welcomed and is well-looked after whenever they come into the store. She holds a Certificate 3 in Community Pharmacy, and has been in pharmacy for over 35 years.

Her first job in pharmacy was with Carroll’s Pharmacy in Wharf St Forster, and was a staple there through their changes of ownership, only taking short breaks to raise her 3 boys. After a very brief hiatus, Julie resumed her pharmacy career in 2021 when she joined the Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy team.

Sherika completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy at the Fiji School of Medicine in 2013 before working as a hospital pharmacist with CMM Hospital until 2015. She then made the change to retail pharmacy from 2016 until 2018, before becoming an Assistant Lecturer at Fiji National University. Sherika returned to retail in 2021, and then made the move to Sydney in December of 2021 with her husband.

After a brief settling period, they both moved to Forster for Sherika to begin her Pharmacist Internship training here with us at Watson’s in June 2022. 1 year later Sherika successfully passed her registration exams to become a fully-qualified pharmacist, and continues to deliver exceptional healthcare for our patients.

Emma is the newest addition to the Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy family, but has been a local to the area for 39 years. Emma holds a Certificate 3 in Community Pharmacy, and is currently in her 4^th year of study of a Bachelor of Pharmacy at Armidale University, on her way to becoming a registered pharmacist.

Emma’s first full-time job in pharmacy was at Saxby’s Pharmacy Taree when she was 18. During her time at Saxby’s her roles grew and changed, going from junior assistant, to qualified shop assistant, to dispensary manager and office manager. Throughout those years Emma even found time to raise her 3 beautiful children. In 2020 she moved from Saxby’s to Great Lakes Pharmacy where she worked until 2022, and after 12 months at Forster Private Hospital Pharmacy, we were fortunate to secure her talents here at Watson’s in March 2023.