International charity Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has announced a new board of directors who will steer the organisation towards new priorities.
The announcement comes after a period of significant change at the charity, including the formal merger of its Australian division with the Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) Foundation in July.
The new board will be led by Dr Juan Carlos Aragón, president of CooperVision’s Speciality Eye Care Division. In addition to serving on OGS’ global board for a number of years he was previously chair of the organisation’s USA advisory committee.
Joining Aragón are Dr Howard Purcell, president and CEO of the New England College of Optometry, Ms Yvette Waddell, CEO of BHVI Foundation, Dr Susan Cooper, former president of the World Council of Optometry and Dr Earl Smith, former dean of the University of Houston College of Optometry.
“We are very excited for Optometry Giving Sight’s future as we will be building on our strong history of supporting projects that bring accessible and sustainable eye care to those who are in need in the developing world,” Aragón said.
“We look forward to enhancing our existing relationships in the vision care community and to establishing new partners throughout the industry.”
Following the merger of OGS’ Australian arm with the BHVI Foundation, the charity is now focusing the majority of its fundraising activities on the US and Canada. The BHVI Foundation will also continue to implement many of the charity’s international projects.
The new board had their first meeting in Orlando, Florida, at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Optometry and the World Congress of Optometry. The World Council of optometry, a founding member of OGS, will also continue as a partner for the charity.
Though originally announced in January 2018, OGS Australia’s merger with the BHVI Foundation was not formally completed until July this year.
