NECO 2022 Annual Report

Celebrating the First 50 Years of NECO’s Partnerships with Community Health Centers

Dear NECO Community,

It is an honor to share the 2022 Annual Report of the New England College of Optometry with you. This issue covers milestones and achievements from calendar year 2022 and financials for fiscal year 2022.

Throughout 2022, NECO celebrated our innovative approach to clinical education that is fulfilled in part through 50 years of partnerships with Community Health Centers (CHCs). These partnerships have enabled the expansion of eye care in underserved communities while providing our students with diverse clinical experiences that prepare them to diagnose, prescribe, and compassionately treat any patient or condition they encounter.

Our celebration reached its peak in October when NECO invited our friends and colleagues to Beacon Street where we recognized and honored many NECO community members while advocating for Eye Care for All. We are inspired by the work of CHCs and eagerly anticipate the next 50 years of collaboration with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and our many CHC friends.

As we celebrated our innovative partnerships with CHCs, we also reflected on the importance of innovation in all aspects of optometric education. In 2022 we added research faculty and funding, we introduced telehealth vision therapy services, IPL labs, and the advanced surgical and laser procedures course. We enhanced our specialty clinics through the addition of a dry eye clinic and expansion of our vision therapy and cornea and contact lens services. We also began exploring the need for a more agile approach to education and the potential for a hybrid OD program.

The 2022 NECO Industry Collaborative brought together over one-hundred attendees from the eye care industry, healthcare, media, and academia to share experiences, debate innovations, and discuss the need for optometry and optometric education to adapt to better serve patients. We are excited to host the event again in August 2023 to further address the issues of supply and demand in eye care.

A key contributor to innovation is an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all. This past year, we hired a full-time Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB); we began a monthly DEIB discussion series for faculty, staff, and students; and we are working to raise awareness of the social determinants of health and the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity to patient outcomes.

Thank you for your commitment to NECO. I am so grateful to our students, residents, faculty, staff, alumni, and Board of Trustees whose dedication inspires me daily and makes NECO the collaborative, innovative, inclusive community it is today. Together, we change the way people see the world!

Sincerely,

Howard Purcell, OD ‘84, President & CEO New England College of Optometry

FAAO

Celebrating the First 50 Years of Partnership with Community Health Centers

Throughout 2022, New England College of Optometry (NECO) celebrated the first 50 years of training students and serving patients in community health centers. The year of celebrations and acknowledgements culminated in a reception and award ceremony on October 6 at the Beacon Street campus.

Dr. Amy Moy ‘03, Director of NECO’s Health Center Network and Chief Compliance Officer, orchestrated the celebration with the help of many supporters from community health center partners and NECO.

RIGHT Dr. Purcell welcomes CHC Partners, honorees, and many advocates for health equity.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

“Eye Care for All is NECO’s hope for the future and represents an unwavering commitment to preparing new optometrists to provide excellent, culturally-competent eye care to patients who tend to be under-resourced,” said Dr. Moy. NECO students are taught the social determinants of health, how they impact our patients and our community, and that we all must advocate for equitable healthcare.

ABOVE In his speech, Dr. Michael Curry, Esq. reflected on the lasting partnership between NECO and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. RIGHT Dr. Moy takes a moment to celebrate the significance of such an anniversary.

Dr. Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, emceed the evening’s award ceremony. In his opening remarks, he referenced the lasting partnership between NECO and the Mass League. He raised awareness that of the 30 million patients seen per year at CHCs, only 3% receive eye care, and the majority of those are in Massachusetts.

Eye Care for All

1 Million+

DATA SOURCES

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Baljot Saini ‘24

B. ANDRE QUAMINA CLINICIAN AWARD

Dr. Nicole Pogue

B. ANDRE QUAMINA CLINICIAN AWARD

Dr. Meng Meng Xu

50 Years Reception and Award Ceremony

BELOW Amanpreet Dhaliwal ‘25, Amulya Madhav ‘24, Suhani Megh ‘24, Baljot Saini ‘24, Abarna Muralitharan ‘24, Navjot Kaur ‘24

BOTTOM RIGHT Dr. Amy Moy, Dr. Fuensanta Vera-Diaz, Dr. Erik Weissberg, Dr. Thanasis Panorgias, Dr. Jennifer Reilly, Dr. Daniel Bastian, Dr. Steve Koevary, Dr. Benjamin Young

ABOVE Dr. John Pietrantonio and his wife Jean (center) with the East Boston team: (left to right) Dr. Joanne Caruso, Dr. Bob Capone, Dr. Dianne Iandolo, Dr. Marion Hau, Dr. Richard Ho (second row)

OCTOBER 6, 2022

LEFT Dr. Ansel Johnson, Dr. Kiame Mahanaiah, CEO, Lynn Community Health Center

RIGHT Dr. Kristen Kerber, Dr. Nicole Pogue, Ruddy Rosario, Dr. Alyssa Lancaster, Alejandra Bautista, Dr. Nikita Aneja

BELOW Dr. B. Andre Quamina, Dr. Doug Hoffman, Dr. Jim Hunt, former President and CEO, Mass League

ABOVE Charles River Health CEO

Liz Browne and Dimock CEO

Dr. Charles Anderson RIGHT

NECO Board Members, Dr. Rick Heller, Dr. Kristen Griebel, Dr. Robert Meenan, Dr. Ron Ferucci

Unequaled Clinical Network

COMPREHENSIVE EYE CARE CENTERS

NECO Center for Eye Care Commonwealth

NECO Center for Eye Care Roslindale

NECO OUTREACH SITES

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

ABCD Head Start

LEO Head Start, Lynn

Boston Public Schools

VA MEDICAL CENTERS

Boston

Bedford

Manchester

Providence

ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS

Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Medical Center

Floating Hospital for Children, Tufts Medical Center

PEDIATRIC SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMS

Screening Program at Boston Public Schools

Preschool Programs

Boston

Cambridge

Somerville

Chelsea

Revere

Lynn

Lowell

NECO faculty & students encounter 60,000+ patients each year.

NECO students gain mastery not just in fundamental skills, but in the critical thinking needed to diagnose, prescribe, and treat any patient or eye condition they encounter.

The NECO Clinical Network includes community health centers, hospitals, schools, private practices, elder care sites, the VA, and NECO owned and operated clinics.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH

Disability Services

New England Eye at Perkins School for the Blind

Cotting School

New England Eye Southeastern

Massachusetts, SEMA

Low Vision and Geriatric Services

Boston University Eye Associates, Brockton

Boston University Eye Group

Mobile Care Teams at Elder Service Plan of Harbor Health

Upham’s Elder Service Plan

Homeless Services*

Pine Street Inn

Barbara McGinnis House

Jean Yawkey Place

* Collaboration with Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program

CLINICAL AFFILIATES

Community Health Center Network

Cape Cod Community Health Center

Charles River Community Health

Codman Square Health Center

DotHouse Health

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

Fenway Community Health Center

Greater Roslindale Medical & Dental Center

Holyoke Health Center

Lowell Community Health Center

Lynn Community Health Center

Manet Community Health Center

Martha Eliot Health Center

NEW Health Charlestown

NEW Health North End

South Boston Community Health Center

South End Community Health Center

The Dimock Center

Upham’s Corner Health Center

Industry Collaborative

NECO hosted the second Industry Collaborative August 29 and 30 in Boston, with over one hundred attendees from the eye care industry, healthcare, media, and academia.

“The Industry Collaborative brought together individuals from over 60 organizations to challenge one another to think differently about innovation within optometry,” said Gary Chu, OD, MPH, FAAO, NECO Vice President, Professional Affairs. “The objective of the Industry Collaborative is to expand awareness and understanding of the beliefs and experiences of others to accelerate adoption of innovative ideas, technologies, and services that will benefit our profession and our patients.”

Dr. Chu introduced a panel of executives to debate telehealth and the role of refraction in optometry. The group of industry leaders challenged one another on the balance of

ABOVE 2022 Industry Collaborative attendees at NECO Beacon Street

patient-centric care and accessibility to care. “Rethinking Refraction” was a spirited discussion that featured Joseph C. Kvedar MD, American Telemedicine Association and Harvard Medical School professor; Digital Optometrics founder, Howard Fried OD; Terri Gossard OD, trustee of the American Optometric Association; Steve Lee OD, MBA of VisionPros; and Shivang Dave PhD, Founder, and CEO of PlenOptika. Participants agreed there is a role for industry and associations in validating patient outcomes with new technologies and services and that the processes for doing so can be improved. There was discussion of the industry lagging in acceptance of innovative technology and as a result, lacking funding to drive innovation, which is considered a recipe for disruption.

The second day of the Industry Collaborative kicked off with the students’ perspective.

Current NECO students discussed bridging the gap between students and industry leaders, the international, national, and state legislative impact on the practice of optometry, and the role debt will play in their decision-making post education. Students included Greta Pucci (fourth year Doctor of Optometry student), Sara Masood (third year Doctor of Optometry student), Matt Beaulieu (third year Doctor of Optometry student), Jnanendra Vegesna (Accelerated Doctor of Optometry Program student), and Emely Miniño Soto (second year Doctor of Optometry student).

Industry attendees and students advocated for more connection throughout their four years at NECO.

we organize a student’s education. This creates opportunities to offer extracurricular activities to allow students to take advantage of professional connections and career opportunities before they graduate. Industry can provide many of these impactful experiences.”

The Industry Collaborative was closed out with a final discussion led by President Purcell and Marc Ferrara, CEO of Jobson Optical Group and with industry professionals and executives on how the industry can better collaborate with students and schools to address gaps in preparedness. Taking part were Charissa Lee OD, MBA, FAAO Head of North America Professional Affairs at J&J Vision; Pratil Lal, OD, MBA Senior Director of Medical and Professional Affairs at Warby Parker; Vernon Dela Cruz, University & Student Relations Manager at VSP Global; Jill Saxon OD, FAAO Executive Director, Professional Strategy at Bausch + Lomb; Chris Lee MS, MBA Medical Science Liaison for Topcon Healthcare Solutions; and Steven Rosinski

OD Senior Manager, Professional & Academic Affairs at CooperVision. The panel indicated there is further need for advances in business acumen in graduates and improved systems of professional development post-graduation.

Colleagues from across the industry helped to make this an engaging experience and one that produced both answers and questions to be addressed in an ongoing dialog.

INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE 2023

Erik Weissberg OD, FAAO, NECO Vice President and Dean, Academic Affairs shared, “Optometry programs have flexibility in how

To be held August 21 & 22 Boston, Massachusetts

Research that Changes the Way People See the World

In 2022, NECO faculty made significant contributions to the field of optometry and vision research, publishing an impressive collection of 89 research and review articles that spanned a wide range of topics from pediatric eye care and specialty contact lenses to traumatic brain injury and ocular disease.

With dozens of faculty publishing in highly regarded journals and working on research grants, NECO stood out as a leading institution in optometry and vision research.

Some of the highlights from 2022 include the work conducted in Dr. Vera-Diaz’s children’s lab on her NIH funded R01 longitudinal study. This study may predict future myopia onset in young children. The results of this study to date have been published in the international journal, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, and multiple aspects of the study were presented at ARVP and AAO.

Dr. Kerber attended the annual AOA meeting and presented key data from the industry funded CHAMP (Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression) study. This study led to the approval of the first pharmaceutical treatment for myopia control in the United States.

RIGHT The Low Vision Lab team: Dr. Jem Martin, Dr. Jeffrey Oh, Dr. Nicole Ross, Dr. Joel Munoz, Dr. Micaela Gobeille, Dr. Kayla Rose, Dr. Alexis G. Malkin

Dr. Nickla continued her high-level research on blue light and myopia, showing the effects of blue light on diurnal rhythms and ocular growth.

Dr. Panorgias published a study describing a novel protocol for electroretinograms in the prestigious journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science.

Drs. Ross and Malkin contributed to multiple studies and reviews on assistive technology for individuals with low vision, including “Acceptability of Telerehabilitation for Magnification Devices for the Visually Impaired Using Various Approaches to Facilitate Accessibility,” and “Why Are Visual Assistive

Mobile Applications Underused by Low Vision Patients?” These articles address the researchers’ interest in developing additional support tools for low vision patients that are easy to access, easy to use, and are available at an affordable cost to patients.

The faculty’s diverse expertise allowed them to not only focus on medical and scientific aspects of optometry and vision research, but also to evaluate and present strategies for improving teaching methods, patient care, and interprofessional education in eye care. Articles such as “Recognizing Eye Health as an Integral Part of Children’s School Health Throughout the World,” featuring NECO’s Dr. Moore, and “Cross Cultural Communication in Optometry: A Teaching Case Report” by Drs. Xu and Lewandowski, reveal the broader impact of eye care across the many facets of a person’s life.

NECO is proud of all the work our faculty has done in 2022, and eagerly anticipates the developments and contributions expected in 2023.

LEFT The Children’s Vision Lab team: Dr. Thanasis Panorgias, Dr. Fuensanta A. Vera-Diaz, Dr. Kristen Kerber, Dr. Ashutosh Jnawali, David Le (OD2022), Emily Jeong (OD2021), Jade Liu (OD2022), Dr. Sara Aghajari

854 130 6

Applicants

Countries Represented: United States, Canada, Panama, China, India, Sri Lanka

ACCELERATED OD PROGRAM

6 4 Students Countries Represented: China, Ecuador, Iran, Jordan

ADVANCED STANDING INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

5 3 Students Countries Represented: Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging is an area of immense focus for NECO. The college has made huge strides in establishing a DEI&B program that serves and impacts students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the optometric community at large.

As an institution, we are steadfast in adhering to the legal framework established by the courts and NECO remains unwavering in our commitment to addressing the disparities in optometry access for individuals from marginalized communities, including Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other under-represented populations. our goal is to effectively meet the diverse needs of all patients. NECO deeply values the transformative power of diversity and inclusivity in our optometry college and we will continue to foster an environment that encourages students from all backgrounds to pursue a career in optometry.

Our DEI&B program is driven by the DEI&B Strategic Plan for the college, a four-year plan that drives our initiatives and goals from four main priorities:

To create change, we must lean into our discomfort.

ABOVE LaVista group enjoying connecting over ice cream. top row from the left, Gabriella Grand-Pierre, Juan Carlos Ceballos Torres, Bianca Guzman, Manuela Jambrina-Escobar. Bottom row, starting from left, Jade Corpus-Sapida, Olivia Wynn, Michelle Vaca, Varisha Ahluwalia, and Nisha Chhayani.

Priority One is to diversify the student body, focusing on historically marginalized groups currently underrepresented within NECO, at the student level as well as within our faculty, staff, and even our Board of Trustees where we strive to increase representation.

Priority Two is focused on learning, in which we will increase education and awareness around DEI&B, engage and challenge the community in effort to expand cultural competencies and equity practices across the college.

Priority Three aims to focus on fostering a culture of belonging and inclusivity for all components and constituents of NECO.

Priority Four focuses on efforts to position NECO as a DEI thought leader in the field of optometry, to strengthen NECO’s position as a leader in optometry locally, nationally, and globally.

These four priorities and the goals, initiatives and programs that fall within them are driving forces of all our DEI&B efforts.

With the establishment of the Association for Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity

(ABIDE) Council, comprised of faculty and staff members of representation across the college and clinics, the partnership of this Council and the DEI program with our student body, we have addressed many of the action items within the four main priorities of the strategic plan.

The establishment of a monthly discussion series, the Open DEI.alogue Series, which is held for students, faculty & staff, and the leadership team, provides an avenue through which constituents at different levels can build relationship with their peers, practice and hone civil discourse and communication skills as they relate to DEI&B topics, and feel connected to each other and the college through a regular avenue for sharing and learning from and with one another. Additionally, the DEI program has established regular, monthly opportunities to gather through cultural and heritage related events, discussions, and learning opportunities.

While there is much work to be done, our program continues to address and align with the overall mission of NECO to change the way people see the world!

BELOW The NECO Asian Optometry Student Organization went to the monthly Chinatown Foodbank at St Anthony Shrine where they provide regular vision screenings to older adults in the area. Students and faculty pictured are Simon Wong OD25, Christine Yuan OD25, and Dr. Meng Meng Xu.

Sponsored Pathways

How will I pay for optometry school?

This question creates stress for everyone who attended, is attending, or plans to attend optometry school. Second only to successful completion of the boards, it is the thing optometry students worry about most. First generation college students feel the burden of optometry school debt acutely. “As a firstgeneration college student, my parents, my

family can’t help me pay for school, so it’s kind of scary the amount of debt I have to bear. It is very stressful,” said Emely Miniño Soto during a student panel at the 2022 Industry Collaborative.

The average optometry student graduates with over $200,000 in debt, and 10% of recent graduates have greater than $300,000 in debt. Students expect it to take more than 20 years to repay their debt from optometry school alone. Graduates with debt may delay entering private practice, buying a home, or starting a family.

For the profession to continue to grow, we must partner to find ways to reduce the debt burden of students. One way is to increase scholarships. Another way is to ensure students have strong career prospects upon graduation to help them accelerate repayment.

A third way, which combines employment and funding, is for employers to provide financial incentives to optometry students who commit to post-graduate employment.

Sponsored Pathways is one such program. Students have a guaranteed job upon graduation that comes with debt relief. NECO is grateful to industry partners FYiDoctors, Vision Source, and Warby Parker who first participated in sharing the student debt burden through this program. Each company reviewed applications, interviewed, and contracted with students in their third or fourth year to provide a total of $1.5 million in funding aligned with multi-year work commitments.

Relieving the debt burden for students is “life changing,” said Matt Beaulieu during the 2022

Industry Collaborative student panel. “I’m happy to sign away three years of my life to reduce my debt, or five years if you’d take away all the debt.” Matt and the other NECO students also expressed their willingness to work extra hours to help fill the gap in patient care needs and to accelerate their debt repayment.

Applications were filed for more than double the number of spots available, which confirms NECO students’ excitement for the program. NECO sees Sponsored Pathways as a significant opportunity to meet the needs of employers, students, and the college, leading to a stronger future for optometry.

ABOVE Dr. Erik Weissberg, NECO Vice President and Dean, Academic Affairs led a panel of where student debt was discussed, including NECO students, Matt Beaulieu, Jnanendra Vegesna, Sara Masood, Emely Miniño Soto, and Greta Pucci.

Distinguished Alumni Awardees

Each year NECO proudly awards the Distinguished Alumni title to several deserving graduates who have exemplified excellence, embraced their role as compassionate caregivers, exhibited an unwavering dedication to the field of optometry, and made a profound impact on the world. It is with pride we recognize and pay tribute to these talented professionals and truly outstanding individuals.

visual impairments and vision rehabilitation was sparked by personal experience, her father’s sudden loss of vision during her high school years.

In 1999, Dr. Dang moved to Southern California and built two private practices with her late husband, Rob Soltes, Jr. NECO OD ’94. After years in private practice, Dr. Dang transitioned to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2011. She joined VA Long Beach Healthcare System as the first optometrist on staff and was named Chief of Optometry Services. She also helped to open the Major Charles Robert Soltes, Jr. Blind Rehabilitation Center in 2012 to honor her late husband and to serve individuals in need of vision rehabilitation.

Dr. Sally Dang graduated from NECO in 1994. She holds a Master of Public Health from Salus University and has completed a California Healthcare Leadership Fellowship at University of California San Francisco. Dr. Dang has dedicated her career to treating and advocating for those with visual impairments to improve their quality of life. Her interest in

Through her relentless efforts, Dr. Dang established and expanded the VA Long Beach Healthcare System Optometry department to provide a comprehensive continuum of care, including primary care services, low vision assistance, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation. Dr. Dang’s commitment to education and training led to VA training programs that include a primary care and low

vision residency program, a two-year polytrauma TBI optometry fellowship, four externship affiliations, and an occupational therapy externship program for vision rehabilitation.

Dr. Dang is currently the Branch Chief at the Vision Center of Excellence (VCE), where her role is to bridge collaborative efforts between the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA to address the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of eye injuries and vision dysfunction in servicemembers and veterans.

Colonel Green served in the Army for three decades and held a wide array of impressive assignments throughout his career. He was the Chief, Optometry Service at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE); Chief, Division Optometrist, Camp Casey South Korea; Chief, Division Optometrist, Hanau, Germany; Chief, Optical Laboratory, Pirmasens, Germany; Chief, EENT/Optometry Clinic, McDonald Army Community Hospital, Newport News, VA; and Director of Ancillary Services, DiLorenzo Pentagon Health Clinic. He held the position of Chief, Optometry Services at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the only military medical center supporting Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and European Regional Medical Command Optometry Consultant.

Colonel Green served as Commander at the SHAPE HealthCare Facility and the Brussels Army Health Clinic from 2013 until 2015 as the first African American and non-physician to command the SHAPE Healthcare Facility since 1967. He was the Deputy Commander for Patient Support Services at Carl R. Darnall Medical Center in Texas, and the Chief of Optometry. Before retirement, he was the Refractive Surgery Optometrist at the Carl R. Darnall Medical Center Ophthalmology Clinic.

Colonel Donovan Green, USA, Retired was the first African American Optometrist to obtain the rank of Colonel in the United States Army Medical Department. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, he obtained a BS in Psychology from Stony Brook University, an MBA from Touro University, and his OD from NECO in 1992.

Colonel Green earned many military medals and honors including being named a member of the prestigious Order of Military Medical Merit and attaining the highest level of professional accomplishment within the Army Medical Department, the “A” proficiency designator awarded by the Army Surgeon General for exceptional professional ability and national prominence in his field. Today, Colonel Green is practicing at First Eye Care Central Texas.

Dr. Thomas Little was a 2008 graduate of the NECO Advanced Standing International Program (ASIP). He arrived at NECO having already treated raging ocular infections in Afghanistan, where he and his wife, Libby, had lived since the 1970’s and where they had raised their three daughters.

Little spent more than thirty years with the people of Afghanistan practicing the skills his father, an ophthalmologist, had taught him years prior. His aim in completing the intensive NECO ASIP degree program was to bring more effective and tactical clinical eyecare skills to Afghanistan by organizing

and managing eye clinics and ophthalmic workshops throughout the country. In July 2010 Little was in communication with former NECO President, Dr. Clifford Scott, to discuss establishing a long-distance education program between NECO and Kabul.

Dr. Thomas Little was killed in August of 2010 along with other members of his team while returning from Nuristan where they had spent two weeks travelling between remote villages on foot to provide medical care. Dr. Little was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and was recognized posthumously as the 2010 International Optometrist of the Year by the World Council of Optometrists.

Libby Little said, “Tom Little was a Christian, a follower of Jesus, and that’s why he lived in Afghanistan. God called him to give his life away in service to others. He didn’t impose his faith on others: he simply lived it out in their midst.”

He was known by many as Dr. Tom. He learned their language and culture. He set up hospitals and clinics, he trained and recruited the staff, from custodians to surgeons. He served as the manager of the International Assistance Mission’s (IAM) National Organization for Ophthalmic Rehabilitation (NOOR) program.

In 2023, IAM remains committed to serving the people of Afghanistan.

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Dear NECO Colleagues and Friends,

The New England College of Optometry (NECO) mission to change the way people see the world is one of the reasons I serve as Board Chair. NECO changed the way I see the world when I was a student, and continues to change me further as an alumnus, an optometrist, a trustee, and as Board Chair. This is in great part due to the network of students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, health center collaborators, and our many friends. We have so much to be proud of and so much to do.

The needs of students, patients, and the world continue to change. Telehealth has become more broadly accepted and remote learning and remote work have become expected options. We aggressively pursued accreditation of the Hybrid OD Program; however, due to stringent requirements around clinical education, we have not yet achieved success. This doesn’t mean we’ve given up on expanding NECO’s reach, including more students with limited geographic access or resources to pursue an optometric education, or the need for more flexible ways of learning. NECO will continue to innovate, to challenge what is expected, and to help others see things differently.

NECO’s Board of Trustees continues to challenge me and support our mission. They are a tremendous resource to me and to NECO leadership. I especially want to acknowledge Joe Zolner for his 12 years of service to NECO as a trustee. He has been an amazing moderator, a very strong collaborator with our

development team, and a tremendous asset across so many areas of NECO. I also want to thank Rich Small, Steve Kirnon, and Bob Ryan for their service to NECO. They have provided excellent business and financial advice. Several new trustees will be added in the coming year.

One of the key concerns for the college and the Board of Trustees is managing the costs for students to attend NECO. A NECO education should be accessible to all who academically qualify without the burden of overwhelming debt. For this to be the case, we must increase contributions and identify, pursue, and deliver on commitments to additional revenue streams. I look forward to working with you to move NECO forward in this next year.

A very special thank you to our faculty and staff for the effort they continue to put forth as creative educators, compassionate clinicians, innovators, and collaborative problem-solvers. You inspire me to continue to change the way people see the world and to ensure the longterm leadership position of The New England College of Optometry.

Sincerely,

Kristen Griebel, OD ‘97 Chair, NECO Board of Trustees

Philanthropists’ Society

Members of the Philanthropists’ Society are recognized for their cumulative giving to the New England College of Optometry and NECO Center for Eye Care. This distinguished group has demonstrated their exceptional commitment to optometric education by making lifetime gifts of $50,000 or more and we are pleased to express our gratitude for their philanthropic leadership.

$1,000,000+

Estate of Joseph Feldberg, OD ‘52 *

Lester Marcus, OD ‘54 *

$500,000 -$999,999

Alcon

Bausch + Lomb

EssilorLuxottica

Warby Parker

$250,000 - $499,999

Stella Beider *

Boston Center for Blind Children

CIBA Vision

Kristen K. Griebel, OD ‘97

Drs. G. Burtt, OD ‘52 and Ruth W. Holmes

Ludcke Foundation

Marco Family Foundation

National Vision, Inc.

Estate of Jean Palomba *

Maurice Saval *

Vistakon

VSP Vision Care

Clinton Wilson, OD ‘43 *

$100,000 - $249,999

Allergan

American Diabetes Association

Estate of Arthur Baker, OD ‘67 *

Bank of America

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation

CooperVision

Lorraine Fedyna, OD ‘84

Estate of Edith Heymans *

Donald Korb, OD ‘57

Steven Manfredi

Massachusetts Society of Optomtery

Meta Platforms

Polymer Technologies

Mary Scott, OD ‘68 and Clifford Scott, OD, MPH ‘68

State Street Foundation

Whitaker Foundation

$50,000 - $99,999

Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund

B&R Foundation

The Boston Foundation

Elizabeth Chen

Citizens Charitable Foundation

Coca Cola Foundation

Ronald R. Ferrucci, OD ‘74

Friends of Disabled Adults and Children

Gould Family Foundation

Edith Hochstadt *

HOYA Vision Care

Johnson & Johnson Vision

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Arnold Katz, OD ‘50 *

Monthe Kofos, OD ‘43 *

Mark Lank

OneSight Research Foundation

Melvin Stack, OD ‘53

William Tolford, OD ‘55 *

Topcon Healthcare

VisionWorks

Zenni Optical

Foster Namias Legacy Society

The Foster Namias Legacy society is named for the 1932 graduate, long-time faculty member, and Trustee of the College in recognition of his lasting legacy. The Foster Namias Legacy Society honors individuals who included the New England College of Optometry in their estate plans. We recognize this esteemed group of individuals with deep gratitude for their commitment to the future success of the College.

Arthur W. Baker, OD ‘67 *

Stella Beider *

Larry R. Clausen, OD

Paul A. DeCesare, OD ‘69

Carl E. Doughty, OD ‘69

Joseph Feldberg, OD ‘52 *

Marion and Eugene I. Fischer, OD ‘61 *

Kristen K. Griebel, OD ‘97

David J. Helfman, OD ‘69

Edith Heymans *

Dorothy L. Hitchmoth, OD ‘96

Edith Hochstadt *

Drs. G. Burt, OD ‘52 and Ruth W. Holmes

Barbara D. Kamens

Arnold Katz, OD ‘50 *

Benjamin J. Lambert, III, OD ‘62 *

Joan C. and Alton W. Lamont, OD ‘55

Peter G. Lapre, OD ‘88

Wendy J. Leslie, OD ‘74

Lester Marcus, OD ‘54 *

Joseph F. Molinari, OD ‘74

Jean T. and Pasquale L. Palomba, OD ‘38 *

Andrew J. Portoghese, OD ‘60 *

Harvey D. Rappoport, OD ‘75

Maurice Saval *

Norman C. Spector, Esq.

Melvin Stack, OD ‘53

Timothy W. Tolford, OD ‘79

William R. Tolford, OD ‘55 *

Guang-Ji Wang, OD ‘92

Roger J. Wilson, OD ‘80

Pano Yeracaris, MD, MPH

Harry I. Zeltzer, OD ‘52 *

Fiscal Year 2022 Donors

We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of our many supporters. The following list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. We apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions.

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

The President’s Circle recognizes alumni and friends whose gifts in Fiscal Year 2022 totaled $1,000 or more. Members of this group are among the College’s most loyal supporters and are recognized at the following giving levels.

$50,000+

Alcon

CooperVision

Kristen K. Griebel, OD ‘97

$25,000 - $49,999

Corley Foundation

Mark Lank

Marie Polizzi and Sebastian Polizzi, OD ‘67 *

Topcon Healthcare

Warby Parker

$10,000 - $24,999

Boston Center for Blind Children

Jeffery Dutch, OD ‘75

EssilorLuxottica

Drs. G. Burtt, OD ‘52 and Ruth W. Holmes

Johnson & Johnson Vision

$5,000 - $9,999

Dominion Energy

Lorraine Fedyna, OD ‘84

Janet LaBreck, MS

Richard Laudon, OD ‘75

Renaissance Administration

Valarie Ricciardi, OD ‘88

Mary Scott, OD ‘68 and Clifford Scott, OD, MPH ‘68

$2,500 - $4,999

Allergan

Alan Glazier, OD ‘93

Keplr Vision

Donald Korb, OD ‘57

Walter Potaznick, OD ‘76

Howard B. Purcell, OD ’84

Joseph P. Zolner, EdD

$1,000 - $2,499

Linda Bennett, OD ‘80

The Boston Foundation

Nancy Carlson, OD ‘77

Ronald Cedrone, OD ‘78

Kimberley Chan, OD ‘05 and Erik Weissberg, OD, ‘97

A. Robert Child, OD ‘78

Terry Chin, OD ‘76

James Comerford, OD ‘78 and Ellen Gilman, OD ‘78

Joseph Donatelle, OD ‘61

Stephen Feltus, OD ‘72

David Fleishman

David Heath, OD ‘83

Richard Heller

Catherine Hines, OD ‘82

Celia Hinrichs, OD ‘79

Reginald Jones, OD ‘81

Barbara D. Kamens

Allen Kaplan, OD ‘67

Marielle Kwon, OD ‘95

Alton Lamont, OD ‘55

Mary Lank

Alan Lewis, OD ‘65

Loretta Li, OD ‘82

Traci Logan

Jonathan Marcus

Andrew McLeod, OD ‘06

Robert Meenan, MD, MPH, MBA

Frederick Moffa, OD ‘95

Susan Monahan, OD ‘98

Rachel Negris, OD ‘84

Khuong Nguyen, OD ‘03

Noodle Partners

John Rabins, PhD, OD ‘00

Michelle Rahimian, OD ‘99

Susan Rodgin, OD ‘84

Frances Rucker

Robert Ryan

Barbara Shapiro

VSP Vision Care

Eric White

Yueran Yan, OD ‘19

Pano Yeracaris, MD, MPH

SUPPORTERS’ CIRCLE

The following group of donors recognizes alumni and friends whose gifts in Fiscal Year 2022 were up to $999. They are recognized at the following giving levels.

$500 - $999

Adventure in Colors

Phyllis Andrejko, OD ‘97

Tracy Balint, OD ‘93

Virginia Banks

Susan Baylus, OD ‘89

Andrew Berger, OD ‘96

Kathryn Beveridge, OD ‘89

Elaine Bourdeau, OD ‘96

Carolee Boyd, OD ‘94

David J. Caban, OD ‘77

Ceida Chan, OD

Cornelius Chapman

Jason Chin, OD ‘04

ConocoPhillips

Cynthia D’Auria, OD ‘85

Lauren Dickerman, OD ‘00

Yanpeng Ding, OD ‘15

Bruce Dornn, OD ‘97

Michel Dubuc, OD ‘94

James Falconer, OD ‘98

Victor Finnemore, OD ‘69

Howard Fried

Richard Gallerani, OD ‘84

Randy Grover, OD ‘94

Catherine Kennedy, OD ‘78

Krishna Krithivas, OD ‘02

Ha Tien Le, OD ‘12

Colin L. Leitch, M. Div.

Ernest Loewenstein, OD ‘77

Glen McCormack

Eileen McGill, OD ‘78

Jeffrey Meltzer

Oscar Ni, OD ‘96

Northeast Congress of Optometry

Thomas O’Neill

Robert Parks, OD ‘84

Amy Peot, OD ‘98

Calvin Perry, OD ‘65

Jeffrey Sonsino, OD ‘01

Cathy Stern

Philip Sutherland, OD ‘86

George Tzepos, OD ‘93

Mary Upton

Paul Vu, OD ‘96

MingJun Wang, OD ‘00

Linda Wirth, OD ‘89

Min Zhang, OD ‘10

Yan Zhang, OD ‘18

Xinsheng Zhu, OD ‘09

$250 - $499

Ara Barsamian, OD ‘92

Douglas Benoit, OD ‘83

Debra Bernstein, OD ‘93

Sonnie Bryant, OD ‘07

Lamont Bunyon, OD ‘99

Robert Capone, OD ‘90

Efrain Castellanos

Jenny Cha, OD ‘97

Katherine Coffey, OD ‘89

Michael J. Cohn, OD ‘77

Thomas Corwin, OD ‘93

Clark Dexter, OD ‘76

Eric Dostal, OD ‘97

James Doyle, OD ‘97

Ronald R. Ferrucci, OD ‘74

Jaclyn Garlich, OD ‘10

Jennifer Gilman, OD ‘02

Lawrence Ginsberg, OD ‘84

Tawara Goode

Howard Greenberg, OD ‘79

Weiqun Guo, OD ‘09

Jane Gwiazda

Maureen Hanley, OD ‘81

Ivo Horak, OD ‘96

Richard Jamara, OD ‘80

Emily Kachinsky, OD ‘08

Jameel Kanji, OD ‘14

Paul Kantrowich, OD ‘74

Stephen Kirnon

Michele Lagana, OD ‘92

Alan Leavitt, OD ‘87

Deborah Lee, OD ‘06

Helios Leung, OD ‘97

Yinhua Li

Henry Lopez, OD ‘88

Peter Maddocks

John Magalhaes, OD ‘97

John McIntyre, OD ‘84

John Minardi, OD ‘85

George Montminy, OD ‘69

Jeffrey Morer, OD ‘88

Richard Morganstein, OD ‘93

Anne Moskowitz, OD ‘93

Milly Mui, OD ‘09

OXY

Eliezer Peli, OD ‘83

John Pietrantonio, OD ‘80

Kathleen Prucnal

Nicole Quinn, OD ‘01

Steven Rafalowsky, OD ‘81

Camille Ruan

Richard Small

Gayathri Srinivasan, OD ‘11

Christopher Taylor

Patricia Thomas

Frank Thorn, OD ‘79

Farzana Virani, OD ‘05

Amy Vo, OD ‘05

Brian Wadman, OD ‘85

Yan Wu, OD ‘04

Winston Yao, OD ‘99

Wei Zhu, OD ‘10

With Special Thanks and Acknowledgement

All donors up to $250

In-kind donors

* Deceased

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

BEACON STREET MAIN CAMPUS

424 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02115

617.266.2030

neco.edu

CONNECT WITH US

@NewEnglandCollegeofOptometry

@neco_optometry

@ new-england-college-of-optometry