Board of Directors and Staff
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| Kathy Dumbleton President |
James Sheedy President-Elect |
Pete Kollbaum Secretary- Treasurer |
W. Lee Ball, Jr. |
Joseph Barr Board Member |
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| David Kirschen Board Member |
Howard Purcell |
Colleen Riley Board Member |
Catherine Amos |
Lois Schoenbrun Exec. Director Board Member (ex-officio) |
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| Mark Bullimore Dev. Director |
Tracy Kitts |
Who's who...
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Kathy Dumbleton President |
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Kathy Dumbleton, MSc MCOptom, FAAO, graduated in Optometry from the University of Wales. She completed a pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and received an MSc in Vision Science from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Kathy is Head of Clinical Logistics at the Centre for Contact Lens Research and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo. She is fellow of the British Contact Lens Association, a diplomate of the Cornea, Contact Lens & Refractive Technologies Section of the American Academy of Optometry, a council member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research.
Her research interests include the ocular response to contact lenses, compliance and the measurement of ocular discomfort.
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James Sheedy
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Jim Sheedy, OD, PhD, FAAO, received is OD, MS, and Phd from The Ohio State University College of Optometry. With extensive studies in Physiological Optics, since graduation he has served academia and taught numerous courses at the University of California Berkeley, OSU, and Paciifc University where he is a tenured Professor.
Dr. Sheedy has held the position of Dean of the college at PUCO, 2006-2008, and is currently the Director of the Vision Performance Institute at PUCO. He has received numerous awards and has mentored several outstanding graduate students. Integral in the development of many progams within the teaching institutions, Jim is also a top researcher, accomplished scientific author and lecturer with an impressive grant portfolio. He has published four books, numerous chapters and has over 70 peer reviewed articles.
His management background includes lead research positions at Humphrey Instruments and SOLA Optical and holds several patents.
He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a member of the Foundation's Presidents Circle Gold.
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Pete Kollbaum |
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Dr. Pete Kollbaum, OD, PhD, FAAO, is an assistant professor at the Indiana University (IU) School of Optometry.
After receiving his OD degree from IU in 1999, Dr. Kollbaum worked in private practice in Iowa for a year prior to returning to IU for a Masters in Clinical Research for the IU school of Medicine and a PhD in Vision Science from IU Bloomington. Following receiving his PhD he accepted a faculty position at IU, where he teaches on contact lenses and optics.
Dr. Kollbaum holds membership in several optometric organizations and is the Chair of the Student Honors and Awards Committee at IUSO. Amassing an impressive research background and funding over $5M, his areas of research interest encompass contact lens optics, contact lens fitting and design; presbyopia, keratoconus, refractive surgery optics, corneal topography, predictive modeling.
He has received numerous awards including the George Mertz Young Educator, B+L and AOCLE Teaching Development Awards and he has served as moderator, reviewer, topical editor, teacher, volunteer and a two-time recipient of the Foundation's prestigeous William C. Ezell Fellowship.
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W. Lee Ball |
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W. Lee Ball, Jr., O.D. is a graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He completed an optometric residency at the University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. After residency, Dr. Ball joined the clinical staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Joslin Diabetes Center, teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School.
He was an adjunct clinical faculty member at the New England College of Optometry until becoming Associate Director of Medical Affairs for VISTAKON, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, INC.
Dr. Ball holds a degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is past chair of the Pharmacy, Podiatry, Optometry and Dental Health Provider (PPOD) work group for the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) and was named the Massachusetts Young Optometrist of the Year for 2010.
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Joseph Barr |
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Joe Barr, OD, MS, FAAO received a Doctor of Optometry degree and Master's degree in Physiological Optics and a residency certificate in Contact Lenses from The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He is an Emeritus Professor of Optometry and Vision Science to Ohio State University where he was also Associate Dean for Clinical Services and Professional Program.
He was also the Director of the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation in Keratoconus Photography Reading Center funded by NEI. He is emeritus editor of Contact Lens Spectrum, having been editor for 20 years and founding editor of Contact Lens Today, a weekly email newsletter. He has over 50 peer reviewed publications in the area of contact lenses and cornea. His Professional Affiliations include: membership in The AOA, International Society for Contact Lens Research, and ARVO. He previously served as chairman of the Section on Cornea and Contact Lenses of the American Academy of Optometry. In the early 1980s he was the Manager of Clinical and Materials Research for Dow Corning Ophthalmic.
In July of 2007, he became Vice President of Global R & D - Vision Care for Bausch & Lomb in Rochester, NY Currently he is the VP of Global Clinical & Medical Affairs and Professional Services Vision Care to B & L.
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David Kirschen |
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Dr. David G. Kirschen, OD, PhD, FAAO received his OD and PhD degrees from the University of California Berkeley. He is currently the Chief of Binocular Vision and Orthoptic Services at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
He has been in private practice in California for 41 years while continuing his teaching and research efforts. He also serves as Full Professor of Basic and Visual Science and Optometry at the Southern California College of Optometry. Dr. Kirschen has been the team optometrist for several professional sports teams including the LA Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, NY Mets and LA Kings among others. In 2008 he had the privilege of working with the US Olympic team as they prepared for Beijing and in 2008 he was honored to be the AOA Sports Vision Optometrist of the year.
He has served as president of the California Chapter of the AAO, president of Occupational Vision Services, Inc and has served on the board of directors of Vision West, Inc.
Dr. Kirschen has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad. In his private practice he specializes in Pediatric Optometry, the treatment of binocular vision anomalies, computer-related vision problems, strabismus and amblyopia, contact lenses and sports vision.
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Howard Purcell |
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Howard B. Purcell, OD, FAAO currently serves as Vice President, Customer Development for Essilor of America. Prior to joining Essilor he served as Senior Director of Professional Affairs for Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. He was with Vistakon since February 1995.
A graduate of the New England College of Optometry in 1984, Dr. Purcell participated in a group optometric practice for ten years.
Beginning in June 1991, Dr. Purcell joined the faculty of Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry. During his career at the college, he was a principle in the development of the Department of Cornea and Contact Lenses. Reaching the rank of Associate Professor Dr. Purcell was responsible for both the didactics and clinical components of the program, serving as the Deputy Dean of the College. Further, Dr. Purcell also participated in the University Committee on Admissions as well as its Internal Review Board. Dr. Purcell was honored by the inaugural class of Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry as the recipient of the Golden Apple Award, selected by the Optometry students as the Teacher of the Year.
While in private practice, Dr. Purcell served as clinical investigator and consultant to the contact lens industry. He has actively supported Optometry in the state of Florida as President of the Dade County Optometric Association, as well as an examiner and Disciplinary Monitoring of the State Board of Optometry. Dr. Purcell is a Diplomate in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of Optometry. In 2007, Dr. Purcell was named a Distinguised Practitioner in the National Academies of Practice.
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Colleen Riley |
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Colleen Riley, OD, MS, FAAO, Dipl CL has 20 years of experience as a practicing optometrist, academic instructor and clinical research strategist in corporate and clinical settings. She attended the Indiana University School of Optometry where she received her Doctor of Optometry in 1992 and her Master of Science in Physiological Optics in 1998. She then became a faculty member at the Indiana University School of Optometry.
Dr. Riley is a Fellow and a Contact Lens Diplomate in the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies of the American Academy of Optometry and is an accomplished speaker and author. She was a Principal Investigator in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study funded by the National Eye Institute. Since 2004 she has held a number of senior leadership positions in eye care and consumer products. In 2007, she was selected as one of the top 20 Most Influential Women in the Optical Industry.
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Catherine Amos |
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Dr. Catherine Amos, OD, FAAO has a private group practice, EyeCare Associates, in Birmingham and received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
She has served as President of the Alabama Optometric Association and Birmingham Optometric Society. Since 1978, she has served on various committees for the Southern Council of Optometry and is currently a member of the Industry relations Committee. She joined the VSP Board in 1993 and was Board Chair 2004-2006.
From 1977 to 2002, Dr. Amos was the optometrist for the Program Project Grant, "Perinatal Infections and Immunity Maldevelopment" in the Department of Pediatrics at UAB. Her research interests include refractive errors in the mentally disabled, pediatric infectious diseases, and developmental disorders.
She joined the AOF Board in 2007 and is currently serving as President for the 2010-2012 term.
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Lois Schoenbrun |
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Lois is Executive Director of the Academy and the American Optometric Foundation, with responsibility for leading staff in carrying out the policies set by the governing bodies of each. Lois also works closely with the volunteer leadership in planning for the future of the organizations.
Lois has been with the Academy since June of 1996. She has nearly thirty years of experience in executive leadership of medical and health-related associations, and has earned the Certified Association Executive designation. She earned her Academy Fellowship in 2000.
In her spare time, Lois practices and is an International Referee in the Korean martial art of Taekwondo. She has a son, 25.
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Mark Bullimore |
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Mark A. Bullimore, MCOptom, PhD, FAAO is the Foundation's Development Director.
He received his Optometry degree and PhD in Vision Science from Aston University in Birmingham, England. He spent 8 years at the University of California Berkeley and 15 years as a professor at The Ohio State University College of Optometry where he taught geometric and ophthalmic optics. His research interests include myopia, low vision and refractive surgery, and he received a number of grants from the National Eye Institute.
From 1996 to 2004 he was Editor of the Academy's journal, Optometry and Vision Science. He is an Associate Editor of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, a former member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Refractive Surgery and has served on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Ophthalmic Devices Panel.
Mark served as Foundation President from 2005 to 2008 before assuming the role of Development Director.
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Tracy Kitts |
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Tracy Kitts is the Foundation's Coordinator.
Tracy attended the University of Toledo and The Ohio State University with a primary focus on Strategic Communications. She has over 27 years in the optical field in a variety of diverse roles including Optician, lab technician, retail optical manager, BV&Peds office manager and research coordinator.
Her clinical trial coordinator experience includes multiple Amblyopia Treatment Studies (ATS) developed by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), the US Pirenzepine Study Group, Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial (CITT), and the Study of the Progression of Adult Myopia (SPAM).
Tracy has served as Chair of the Staff Advisory Committee at The Ohio State University College of Optometry and is a two-time recipient of the college's Research Staff Award.