Ophthalmology Foundation elects new board members and officers

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The Ophthalmology Foundation announced the election of new board members and officers.

These professionals offer wealth of experience and expertise from various sectors within the ophthalmology, pharmaceutical, and healthcare fields, further strengthening the Ophthalmology Foundation's mission.

The newly elected board members and officers will play pivotal roles in driving the Foundation's initiatives forward, ensuring that high-quality eye care reaches those most in need, particularly in low-resourced regions.

According to a news release,¹ new officers include Jim Mazzo, who will serve as president, having previously served as vice president.

Peter McDonnell, MD, is the secretary–treasurer. He is director, and William Holland Wilmer Professor of Ophthalmology at Wilmer Eye Institute and co-chief medical editor of Ophthalmology Times. McDonnell has a demonstrated passion and research interest in surgical correction of refractive error, dry eye disease, ocular infection, and the use of nanotechnological solutions to improve drug delivery to the eye.

Julia Haller, MD, is the vice president and ophthalmologist–in–chief at Wills Eye Hospital. She has published over 400 scholarly papers and book chapters and served as President of several health organizations. She is a trailblazing retina surgeon-scientist and leader who has innovated translational advances against blindness.

David Pyott, MDhc, is vice president, and previously served as president.

Bruce Spivey, MD, MS, MEd, vice president and OF representative to IAPB (previously served as secretary-treasurer.

New board member include:

• Brent Saunders is the CEO and chairman of the Board of Directors of Bausch + Lomb. He joins the Board with over 25 years of experience and leadership roles within global pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations.
• Susan MacDonald, MD, CEO and executive director, Eye Corps, Associate Clinical Professor at Tufts School of Medicine. As a co-founder of Eye Corps, a nonprofit in sub-Saharan Africa, she has led the organization's growth from a small idea to a well-respected model with three sites in regional hospitals in Kilimanjaro, Lindi, and Ruvuma regions of Tanzania.
• Justine Smith, FRANZCO, PhD – Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor at Flinders University and a senior consultant ophthalmologist at Flinders Medical Centre, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Professors, and Chair XIII of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis.

"I am honored to lead the Ophthalmology Foundation alongside such esteemed colleagues,” Haller said in the news release. “Together, we are committed to advancing ophthalmic education and ensuring access to quality eye care for underserved communities worldwide."

With the support of the newly elected board members and officers, the Ophthalmology Foundation looks forward to furthering its impact on global eye health.

According to its website, the Ophthalmology Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports ophthalmic education internationally to preserve and restore vision for people worldwide. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through a host of original educational programs and fellowships designed to improve global eye care and advance scientific ophthalmology.¹

Reference:

1. Ophthalmology Foundation Elects New Board Members and Officers to Advance Eye Care Worldwide. www.newswire.com. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.newswire.com/news/ophthalmology-foundation-elects-new-board-members-and-officers-to-22268350