It is truly an honor to be nominated for a trustee-at-large position on the Academy Board of Trustees. I am thrilled to be considered for this opportunity to work alongside incredibly dedicated colleagues and Academy staff to serve our field, fellow ophthalmologists, and our patients.
I am a clinical professor, the Jim O’Brien Gross and Donnita Gross Chair in Ophthalmology and vice chair of Faculty Affairs within the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology. I graduated from Pomona College and Stanford University School of Medicine and then moved to Iowa for ophthalmology residency and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for an American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship. After several years at Bascom Palmer, I returned to the University of Iowa and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center 10 years ago. I am currently actively involved in clinical practice, teaching, research and advocacy and wear many hats for various organizations.
I have served on the Board of Directors of the Iowa Academy of Ophthalmology since 2014 and have held several positions, including president in 2020. During six of my nine years on the board, we fought against optometric scope expansion bills. This has been challenging, but this experience meeting with legislators and testifying will serve me well in helping the Academy navigate state affairs.
I also recently took on the position of interim Academy governor to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Governors and joined the newly formed Academy DEI Task Force. I was fortunate to participate in the Academy LDP program and have served the Academy through numerous roles including annual meeting symposium chair, abstract reviewer and co-creator of a CME course. I have been fortunate to receive the Senior Achievement Award and the Secretariat Award twice for my efforts.
If you know me, you know that I have been passionately involved in Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) for many years. I chaired the summer symposium in 2013, joined the Board of Directors in 2014 and was president of WIO in 2020. The organization experienced significant growth during my tenure on the board, and I have enjoyed staying engaged both nationally and internationally.
I am also involved in ASOPRS and serve as the ASOPRS delegate to the AMA, secretary of the ASOPRS Foundation, vice chair of the Government Affairs Committee and past chair of the Thesis Committee.
As an educator and fellowship director, I am passionate about advancing our field and educating medical students, residents, and fellows. It is such an honor to train future ophthalmologists while serving those who have served our country at the VA. I have published extensively and lectured internationally on my research and serve on the editorial board of several journals.
When I am not engaged in ophthalmology activities, I enjoy traveling, exercising and spending time with my husband and sons.
I am looking forward to this opportunity to give back to our profession. I hope to hear from you about how the Academy can best serve you and our patients!