It is my honor and privilege to be nominated by the Board of Trustees for the position of vice chair of the AAO Council. I look forward to working with the constituent ophthalmic societies of the council and bringing forth the concerns and issues raised for board consideration and action.
My career in ophthalmology began with residency in the U.S. Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center followed by a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute, after which I continued to serve on active duty. After leaving the military, I entered into academic practice first at Wilmer and then at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where I am currently professor of ophthalmology, neurology and neurosurgery, in addition to being vice chair for academic affairs in ophthalmology.
My involvement with the Academy started during my Army service as a member of the Digital Media Committee, after which I served in several roles including on the BCSC® 5 (neuro-ophthalmology) Committee, the Self-Assessment Committee and as co-director of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Subspecialty Day program. In parallel, I was elected to the leadership of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS) and currently serve as president elect. I became the alternate and then regular councilor for NANOS and also serve as the chair of the NANOS AAO Committee.
In these roles, I learned the critical role played by the council in identifying and advocating for professional concerns raised by both state and subspecialty groups. I have come to view with admiration the ways in which my fellow councilors keep the interests of their patients foremost in every issue that is considered by the council and respect the frank and forthright discussions that ensue to ensure that every aspect of a proposed action is recognized and prioritized.
The most important duties of the vice chair include conducting the business of the Subspecialty Section, assisting the chair with planning and running the full council meetings, particularly at the Mid-Year Forum, and creating a unified voice amongst the councilors and the societies they represent. The vice chair must be able to enlist support from societies that have varied interests and concerns, and with my experience in both military and academic practice, my clinical work as as both a neuro-ophthalmologist and strabismus and orbital surgeon and my broad leadership experiences within NANOS and the AAO, I am confident that I will able to move the business of the council and to advance the concerns of our ophthalmic societies.
I thank my fellow councilors for recommending me to the Board of Trustees to serve in this role and look forward to having his opportunity to serve.