Educational Program

OD Sessions Grid

Paraoptometric Sessions Grid

NEW! Podcasts

Monterey Symposium 2008 Testimonials

Food for Thought Series

Exhibit Hall

Speakers

Welcome Reception

Speakers and Bios

The following is this year's list of conference speakers and their bios. Click on any name to read the bio.

Carol L. Alexander, OD, FAAO
Carmen Barnhardt, OD, MSEd, FCOVD, FAAO
A. Paul Chous, MA, OD, FAAO
Melissa W. Chun, OD, FAAO
S. Barry Eiden, OD, FAAO
Murray Fingeret, OD, FAAO
Ian Benjamin Gaddie, OD, FAAO
David Geffen, OD, FAAO
Michael Gzik, FCLSA, COT, NCLE
Cathy Ives
William L. Jones, OD, FAAO
Mark Mandel, MD
Harue Marsden, OD, MS, FAAO
Mark Mattison-Shupnick, ABOM, BS
Michael Pier, OD
Barry A. Weissman, OD, MS, PhD
Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD

Carol L. Alexander, OD, FAAO
Dr. Carol L. Alexander is a private practitioner, with more than 20 years of practice experience, and is a past president of the Ohio Optometric Association. She is the director of medical affairs at Vistakon. Dr. Alexander works in the area of professional affairs serving as a liaison between organized optometry and the company, and is also responsible for helping bring new innovative products to market through education development and facilitating legislative changes at the state level. Dr. Alexander began her career in eye care as an optometric technician, returning to school to receive her OD degree from The Ohio State University in 1987. She has served on several state and national committees in the areas of regulation and legislation and quality assurance.

Carmen Barnhardt, OD, MSEd, FCOVD, FAAO
Dr. Carmen Barnhardt attended SCCO and completed a residency in Peds/VT. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), and a Diplomate in the BV Section of AAO. She has a Masters in Education from CSUF. She serves as chief of the Studt Center for Vision Therapy and is an associate professor. She teaches in the classroom and clinic and is involved in clinical trials (ATS, COMET, CITT). Dr. Barnhardt’s service interests include the Special Olympics.

A. Paul Chous, MA, OD, FAAO
Dr. Paul Chous is the author of Diabetic Eye Disease: Lessons From a Diabetic Eye Doctor (Fairwood Press, 2003), which was named as one of the Top 12 Books on Diabetes by Diabetes Update magazine in 2004. He lectures and writes frequently on the subjects of diabetic eye disease and emerging treatments for diabetes and diabetic eye disease. He is a feature writer for the Web sites dLife — Your Diabetes Life and Diabetes in Control, and is an ophthalmic consultant to Children With Diabetes and the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association. In addition, he is an advisor to two companies working to develop non-invasive glucose sensing technologies. Dr. Chous practices in Tacoma and Covington, WA, and has had type 1 diabetes since 1968.

Melissa W. Chun, OD, FAAO
Dr. Melissa Chun is associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute (JSEI), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She has also been director of the Vision Rehabilitation Center at JSEI for the past 10 years. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate in the Low Vision Section. In addition to clinical practice and research, Dr. Chun teaches residents and lectures on various topics in low vision.

S. Barry Eiden, OD, FAAO
Dr. S. Barry Eiden is president and medical director of North Suburban Vision Consultants, Ltd. He is also co-founder and president of EyeVis Eye and Vision Research Institute. Dr. Eiden is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center in the Department of Ophthalmology, Cornea and Contact Lens Service, and an adjunct faculty member of the Illinois, Salus, and UMSL Colleges of Optometry. Dr. Eiden is chair (2009-10) of the Council of the American Optometric Association’s Contact Lens and Cornea Section. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Eiden is a research consultant for numerous contact lens and pharmaceutical companies.

Murray Fingeret, OD, FAAO
Dr. Murray Fingeret, a graduate of the New England College of Optometry, completed a residency at the Joseph C. Wilson Health Center in Rochester, NY. Dr. Fingeret is chief of the Optometry Section, Brooklyn/St. Albans Campus, Department of Veterans Administration New York Harbor Health Care System. Dr. Fingeret is a clinical professor at the State University of New York, College of Optometry. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), the National Academies of Practice, American Glaucoma Society and sits on the board of directors of the Glaucoma Foundation. Dr. Fingeret is a founding member and past-president of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, and currently its executive vice-president. Dr. Fingeret is also chair of the Glaucoma Diplomate Committee of AAO. Dr. Fingeret has authored numerous articles and co-authored the texts Atlas of Primary Eyecare Procedures and Primary Care of the Glaucomas.

Ian Benjamin Gaddie, OD, FAAO
Dr. Ben Gaddie earned his Doctor of Optometry from the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Optometry. Dr. Gaddie then completed a residency in ocular disease through Northeastern State University (NSU) College of Optometry at the Triad Eye Medical Clinic and Cataract Institute in Tulsa, OK. Dr. Gaddie completed both his residency and also a fellowship in glaucoma and laser therapy at NSU College of Optometry. Currently, he is the owner and director of the Gaddie Eye Centers — a multi-location full service practice in Louisville. Dr. Ben Gaddie is an adjunct assistant professor of optometry at NSU College of Optometry. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and vice president of the Optometric Glaucoma Society.

David Geffen, OD, FAAO
Dr. David Geffen received a doctorate of optometry from the University of California Berkeley School of Optometry. He was in private practice in La Jolla, CA, from 1982 to 1994 before joining the group practice of Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. Dr. Geffen is nationally known for his clinical research on contact lens products, participating in various studies for major contact lens manufacturers such as Bausch & Lomb, Johnson & Johnson, Biocompatibles, Allergan, and CIBA. He is a prominent speaker on refractive surgery and contact lens compliance issues, as well as specialty lens designs. With many published articles, Dr. Geffen is also past contributing editor for Contact Lens Spectrum and Optometry Today.

Michael Gzik, FCLSA, COT, NCLE
Mr. Michael Gzik graduated from Erie Community College in ophthalmic dispensing. He is a New York State licensed optician/contact lens practitioner. He is a Fellow in the Contact Lens Society of America, a JCAHPO certified ophthalmic technician, and NCLE certified. Mr. Gzik works in a private optical office in Syracuse, NY, “New York Optometric,” and at the Syracuse VA Hospital as an optician. He has worked as a consultant and technical trainer for Bausch & Lomb professional services. He is an adjunct instructor for contact lens technology at SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, NY Department of Ophthalmology resident program. He has worked as a site coordinator for a Taunton Excimer laser in Syracuse, and he is a past president of the NY Contact Lens Society. He has served the Contact Lens Society of America as a director and treasurer.

Cathy Ives
Ms. Cathy Ives has more than 30 years of optical industry experience. Her experience includes hands-on practical knowledge with lab work, consulting and strategic business experiences in growing sales teams and revenues. Ms. Ives is an ABO speaker and member of the Optical Women Association. Her areas of expertise are increasing profitability in the dispensing room, developing retail strategies, change management, and developing sales training programs. She currently is the owner/blogger of theopticalvision.com.

William L. Jones, OD, FAAO
Dr. William Jones is in private ophthalmology/optometry practice, a consultant to Optos, and a clinical instructor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Dr. Jones has lectured across the U.S. and in a number of foreign countries. He has published a book, Atlas of the Peripheral Ocular Fundus, and he has been involved with more than 50 articles which have appeared in many optometric and medical journals.

Mark Mandel, MD
Dr. Mark Mandel received his medical degree from UCLA School of Medicine and completed his ophthalmology residency at Pacific Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco. Following this, he took an additional year to sub-specialize in corneal transplant surgery at the University of Iowa. He is one of the few fully-trained corneal transplant surgeons in the East Bay. He entered private practice in Hayward, CA in 1983. He has been elected to the Scientific Advisory Board of the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society, and is a past president of the East Bay Ophthalmological Society. Dr. Mandel teaches and lectures throughout the U.S. and abroad to eye surgeons on different aspects of cataract, corneal, and refractive surgery. He also teaches at the University of California, Berkeley; UCSF; and at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

Harue Marsden, OD, MS, FAAO
Dr. Harue Marsden is an associate professor at the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) and the assistant chief of the Cornea and Contact Lens Service. She received her OD degree from SCCO and her MS in physiological optics from the University of Houston College of Optometry in the combined masters/residency. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Marsden’s primary clinical responsibility is in the Cornea and Contact Lens Service at the Optometric Center of Fullerton. She has provided international lectures, publications and research in the areas of orthokeratology, contact lens management of the post-surgical cornea, and laboratory testing.

Mark Mattison-Shupnick, ABOM, BS
Mr. Mark Mattison-Shupnick directs the continuing education program for 20/20 Magazine and Jobson Medical Information LLC, the largest trade publisher in the ophthalmic field. With more than 40 years in the optical industry, he writes and teaches about products and technology, product development and technical marketing. Prior to Jobson, Mr. Mattison-Shupnick worked for SOLA International as vice president of technical marketing and new products. Mr. Mattison-Shupnick is a member of the Opticianry Hall of Fame and recipient of the Beverly Myers Award for Education from the National Academy of Opticianry.

Michael Pier, OD
Dr. Michael Pier is currently director of professional relations for Bausch & Lomb North American Vision Care, and has accumulated over 28 years of practical clinical experience in optometric patient care. He joined B&L in 1993 as director of clinical research managing the activities of new product development and human testing at the Clinical Research Center in Rochester, NY. Previous to his appointment, Dr. Pier practiced as an independent professional and was the owner and managing partner of Quality Family Eye Care Associates — a three-doctor, two-location practices in Warrensburg, MO after serving in the military as the chief of the Eye Clinic at the US Naval Hospital in Lemoore, CA.
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Barry A. Weissman, OD, MS, PhD
Dr. Barry Weissman received his OD, MS and PhD in physiological optics from the University of California Berkeley School of Optometry. He joined UCLA in 1979 and is currently a professor of ophthalmology and director of the Contact Lens Service at the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Dr. Weissman was a distinguished lecturer at the Ohio State University College of Optometry, and the George Nissel Lecturer of the British Contact Lens Association. Dr. Weissman is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate in its Cornea-Contact Lens Section. He is a member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research. He has served on the Examination Committee of the California State Board of Optometry; the Contact Lens Symposium Committee of the California Optometric Association; the UCLA Academic Senate Committee on Educational Policy and Program Review; and as an advisor to the FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel.

Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD
In 1980, Dr. Mark Wright purchased a satellite office that was open two half-days a week and created Professional VisionCare, which became a nine-doctor, three-location, full scope optometric practice. Additionally, he is the faculty coordinator for the Bennett/VSP Business Management Program at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He is the practice management editor for the COVD journal and the COVD Third Party chair. Dr. Wright was the 1985 Young Optometrist of the Year for the State of Ohio and has served as zone governor of the Central Ohio Optometric Association; chair of the Ohio Optometric Association Pediatric Committee; chair of the Association of Practice Management Educators; and as liaison between the Ohio Optometric Association and the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Education and Medicare. Dr. Wright is the president of Pathways to Success — Optometrists, an internet based practice management consulting company for optometrists.