Meet the dynamic team leading the effort to make vision a reality for people in need.
Diane Hollingsworth has been with Eversight since 2010 after eight years at the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois where she served as Director of Medical Education. She also spent 20 years in senior sales and marketing management positions at IBM, Siemens & Rockwell. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University. Hollingsworth currently serves as vice chair of the Vision Share Board of Directors and chair of the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network Advisory Board. In addition, she is active with the Eye Bank Association of America, the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Ann Arbor Host Lions Club.
Julie Collins joined Eversight in 2007 after holding positions as Managing Director at Comerica Insurance Services, as well as Director of Training and Development and Director of Accounting Services at Comerica Bank. Her 25 years of accounting, management and financial leadership has guided Eversight through a period of rapid growth in which the operational budget grew from $7 million to $24 million and the employee count grew from 50 to 170. In addition to her financial responsibilities, Collins oversees human resources, risk management, information technology and facilities at Eversight. She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting from Eastern Michigan University.
Michael O’Keefe, CEBT, M.B.A., joined the organization in 1994 as a Laboratory Technician. Soon after, he was promoted to Laboratory Manager and then Technical Director of Eversight in Michigan. In 2009, he was named Executive Director of Midwire and built that service line to include 10 nonprofit eye banks and Vision Share. In 2017, he was named Chief Operating Officer with a focus on strengthening organizational compliance, improving operational effectiveness and delivering excellent customer service using principles derived from the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan. O’Keefe received his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, is accredited to facilitate cultural surveys by Human Synergistics International and is a member of the Positive Organizations Consortium at the University of Michigan. He has served on numerous Eye Bank Association of America committees and subcommittees, including a six-year term on the Accreditation Board.
Bret Hopman joined Eversight in 2021 and brings to the role nearly 20 years of experience in marketing and communications with a focus on digital marketing, branding and analytics. He’s helped to shape integrated marketing and communications strategies for both leading consumer brands and marketing agencies, along with regional and national nonprofits. Prior to Eversight, Hopman served as vice president at a boutique marketing agency serving a variety of B2B and B2C clients across the manufacturing, automotive, nonprofit and staffing industries. His previous career experience includes roles with the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, the JRT agency, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Condé Nast. Hopman holds a bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in applied mathematics from Colgate University, and a master’s degree in sports business with a concentration in media and marketing from New York University.
Michael Titus, CEBT, joined Eversight in 2017. He is the former Chief Clinical Officer of Saving Sight, an eye bank in Kansas City, Missouri, where he successfully crafted the strategic direction of its clinical program, oversaw lab renovations and improved tissue quality and surgeon satisfaction. Prior to his time at Saving Sight, Titus excelled in various roles with Eversight from 2008 to 2013, including managing the laboratory in Michigan and playing an instrumental role in developing the Eversight DMEK program. He is a Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) and currently serves on the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) Research Committee and Accreditation Board.
Collin Ross, CEBT, has been with Eversight since 1997, leading the organization’s international efforts and building collaborative relationships with overseas partners. He has extensive experience managing Eversight clinical and administrative projects, including facility designs, strategic plans, and new programs and service lines. Ross holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Michigan State University, a master’s degree from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and is a Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT).
Onkar Sawant, B.Pharm, Ph.D. has been with Eversight since June 2019 and oversees the organization’s research and innovations efforts, collaborating with academic and industry scientists to accelerate discoveries and advance clinical practices to prevent vision loss. Prior to joining Eversight, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in ophthalmic research at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Dr. Sawant holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Mumbai University, and a doctorate in biomedical sciences and a master’s degree in biotechnology business from Texas A&M University. In 2018, Dr. Sawant was named an Emerging Vision Scientist by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research. He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed original research articles including high-impact publications in The FASEB Journal, The Ocular Surface Journal, Cornea and Cell Reports. He has extensive experience in the fields of ophthalmic research, pharmacology, toxicology and genetics.
Caithlin Lopes joined Eversight in 2013 (then the Connecticut Eye Bank) and brings to the role more than 15 years of experience in the eye, organ and tissue field. Lopes leads Eversight’s domestic partner relations efforts, guiding her team to forge relationships with surgeons that allow Eversight to continue to make vision a reality for patients across the country. Lopes also works collaboratively with organizations like the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Cornea Society as partners in education and training for surgeons, fellows and residents. Prior to Eversight, Lopes served in various roles at the New England Organ Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theology with a minor in natural sciences from Loyola University of Maryland.
Cathy McClory began her career at Eversight in 1987 as a nurse coordinator performing all laboratory functions as well as eye and tissue recoveries. During her years of service, Cathy managed the Michigan laboratory and provided public and professional education programs throughout the state. These experiences led her to her current role in compliance and quality improvement. Cathy is a registered nurse and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wayne State University.
Nicholas Hicks received a Bachelor of Science from Adrian College and has utilized his knowledge and skills in the Eversight clinical laboratory since 2012. Hicks has prepared more than 4,000 corneas for surgery in his tenure and participated in many research studies to advance the restoration of sight.
Julie McGahey joined Eversight in 2012 and currently oversees the organization’s Donation Support Center and Donor Eligibility teams, which provide timely and compassionate support to donor families and ensure tissue intended for donation is suitable for transplantation and/or research. Prior to Eversight, McGahey worked as a social worker at a nonprofit organization focused on helping young women in need. McGahey holds a bachelor’s from Eastern Michigan University where she double majored in psychology and communication.
Dana Owens, CEBT, joined Eversight in 2017. She began her healthcare career as an EMT and medic in the United States Army. Soon after, she found her niche within the world of eye banking at Saving Sight in Kansas City. For the past ten years, Owens has been involved in eye banking as a recovery technician, recovery manager, business development and distribution manager, and has served as the Director of Tissue Recovery at Eversight since 2022. She has also worked in tissue recovery with Midwest Transplant Network in Kansas and Gift of Hope in Illinois and currently serves on the Eye Bank Association of America Technician Education Committee.
Alex Teska has been with Eversight since December 2010 and currently serves as a Philanthropy Director serving Michigan and Ohio. Building a strong philanthropic foundation to fund the groundbreaking work at Eversight is of the utmost priority. Prior to coming to Eversight, Teska worked on two political campaigns during the 2010 Mid-Term Elections and completed her bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University. Teska is a member of the Ann Arbor Host Lions Club and enjoys being of service in her local community.
Rachel Lee’s career began in talent acquisition and recruiting. Navigating high turnover and job-seeker feedback inspired her to pursue a more meaningful career in Human Resources to help organizations retain talent, improve employee satisfaction, streamline day-to-day processes, and foster an environment where people enjoy coming to work. Lee joined Eversight in February 2022 and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and marketing minor from Eastern Michigan University. She is SHRM-CP certified.
The Eversight Board of Directors form the foundation of our success by sharing their diverse knowledge, experience and passion for helping others.
Katheryne (Kathy) L. Zelenock is Chair of the Real Estate Finance Practice Group and a Member in the Dickinson Wright PLLC’s Real Estate Group in Troy, Mich. In her practice, she leads a team that closes commercial and multifamily mortgage loans across the country on behalf of leading national lenders. She is also co-Chair of Dickinson Wright’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Chair of the Dickinson Wright Women’s Network. Zelenock is a member of the American Bar Association, the Mortgage Bankers’ Association of America, Commercial Real Estate Finance Council, International Council of Shopping Centers and the Oakland County Bar Association. She is an elected member of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Michigan Super Lawyers and DBusiness magazine. Zelenock received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her juris doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School.
Carolyn M. Welsh joined NJ Sharing Network in 1999; in her current role as Chief Operating Officer, she develops strategies to enhance organ recovery and placement efforts with New Jersey hospitals and the state’s six transplant centers. She also oversees NJ Sharing Network’s regulatory compliance, family services department, donation resource center, transplant coordinators, organ and tissue recovery specialists, data division and quality assurance. Welsh serves on the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Council of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and previously served on the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) Committee of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Prior to joining NJ Sharing Network, she worked in the Medicare division at UnitedHealthcare. Welsh holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Seton Hall University and is pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership, nonprofit management.
Jarold (Jerry) A. Anderson is an advisor and board member for Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network in Illinois, where he served as president and chief executive officer for 25 years before retiring in December 2012. Prior to joining Gift of Hope in 1987, Anderson was executive director of administration at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association in Chicago. He has held officer and board positions with numerous local and national organizations in the donation and transplant field, including positions as president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and officer and board member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Anderson is also a founding board member and past chairperson of AlloSource, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit providers of bone and soft tissue allografts, and a member of the American Association of Tissue Banks. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago and completed additional graduate training at the University of Michigan.
Mahmoud Ghazzi, MD, PhD, is a biopharmaceutical research and development expert with more than 25 years of experience in drug development and clinical research. He has held senior leadership roles at Daiichi Sankyo, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, managing development portfolios, therapeutic strategies and global regulatory submissions. Ghazzi holds a doctorate degree in bioengineering and a master of public health degree from the University of Michigan and a medical degree from Damascus University, Syria. He has published many peer-reviewed manuscripts throughout his career and currently serves as an independent biopharmaceutical consultant based in Villanova, Penn.
Patty Jo Herndon is the President and CEO of the Michigan Donor Family Council and also serves as the President of the Gift of Life Foundation. She became involved in the organ donation community following the passing of her sister Ellen in 1997. In 2015, her sister Maureen donated her corneas and provided scientists with the resources they need to find new cures and treatments for blinding eye conditions. Herndon retired from the insurance industry in 2012 after a 30-year career. She and her husband reside in Plymouth, Mich., and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.
Lorenzo Cervantes, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellowship-trained specialist in cornea, external disease, cataract and refractive surgery at Connecticut Eye Specialists. A medical director serving on Eversight’s Medical Advisory Committee, he is a Fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology, and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians, the New England Ophthalmological Society, the International Society of Refractive Surgery, the Cornea Society, the Paton Society, and the Eye Bank Association of America. Dr. Cervantes regularly teaches other surgeons advanced techniques in corneal transplantation and cataract surgery. He has authored several textbook chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. He received his medical degree, cum laude, from the Downstate Medical Center – College of Medicine at the State University of New York, and completed his residency at the North Shore/LIJ Health System in New York, where he also served as chief resident. He completed a fellowship in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at the Eye and Ear Institute of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Jonathan H. Lass, MD, is the Charles I Thomas Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and has served as Program Director for Ophthalmology residency programs at Case Western and University Hospitals from 1993-2013. He remains on staff at University Hospitals Eye Institute, following 20 years of service as Department Chair, and currently serves as Medical Director for both Eversight and the University Hospitals Cornea Image Analysis Reading Center. Dr. Lass is Senior Editor for the journal Cornea: The Journal of Cornea and External Disease.
Dr. Lass has more than 200 publications in the fields of corneal physiology and immunology, genetics, cornea image analysis and clinical trials of corneal disease. His research has contributed to major advancements in corneal preservation and transplantation, including the NEI-funded Cornea Donor Study, which found that donor age does not affect graft success or cell loss for the majority of donors aged 34-71 transplanted in the United States. He was the Study Chair of the NEI-funded Cornea Preservation Time Study, that found that storage time of the donor can be extended to at least 11 days prior to DSEK surgery, allowing for more time for the eye banks to evaluate and distribute high quality donor tissue domestically and internationally. He is now the Study Chair of the NEI-funded Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study, a multicenter clinical trial that will examine the effect of donor and recipient diabetes on DMEK graft outcomes. Among several other awards, Dr. Lass received the Senior Honor Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2004, the R. Townley Paton Award from the Eye Bank Association of America, its highest award, in 2012 and the 2017 Castroviejo Award from the Cornea Society, it’s highest award for recognition of an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of cornea and anterior segment surgery.
Dr. Lass serves as Medical Director for Eversight in Ohio and board member for the Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation. He is also an avid cellist and member of the World Doctors Orchestra.
Jill Maher is the principal consultant and owner of Maher Medical Practice Consulting based in Chicago, serving medical practices and teaching institutions. She has more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry working with Fortune 100 companies, and extensive experience in sales management and national accounts, including more than 22 years with Wyeth, Johnson & Johnson and Allergan. Maher has expertise in physician and administrator recruitment, strategic planning, financial analysis, marketing, leadership training, team building, business development and overall practice efficiency. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago and a Certified Ophthalmic Executive (COE) certificate. Maher has also completed extensive coursework in leadership, communication, management, business and strategic planning.
Joseph Maiuri is retired from a 42-year logistics career in accounting, financial planning and business development with Leaseway Transportation, MPG Transport and United Road. After donating a kidney to his son in 1989, Maiuri served as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan for over 15 years. He also chaired Team Michigan during the US Transplant Games 1994–2004. Maiuri and his wife, Anna, have three children and 15 grandchildren. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University.
Shahzad I. Mian, MD, is the chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the F. Bruce Fralick Professor of Ophthalmology in the U-M Medical School and the director of the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. He also serves as Associate Chair for Education and is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in the University of Michigan Medical School. Mian’s research focuses on the role of lasers in corneal transplantation, keratoplasty techniques, clinical studies in refractive surgery, eye banking and medical education. He led the residency training program 2004-2019 and previously served as fellowship director for the department.
He serves on the Eversight Board of Directors and Medical Advisory Committee, and as as senior medical director. Mian also contributes to the field as vice chair of the Eye Bank Association of America medical advisory board, as secretary of the Cornea Society and secretary/treasurer of the Michigan Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. He earned his medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine, completed a residency at the Wills Eye Hospital of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is a former fellow in cornea and refractive surgery at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Carol Cunningham, MD, FAAEM, FAEMS, is the State Medical Director for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS. A board-certified emergency physician at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center, she also is as an associate professor of emergency medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University. She is the co-principal investigator for the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines project and serves on the Ohio Medical Coordination Plan Committee and Pediatric Disaster Coalition. Named the recipient of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s 2012 James Keaney Leadership Award, Dr. Cunningham earned the Executive Certificate in Public Leadership and completed the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, the Women and Power, Advanced Crisis Leadership, Strategic Leadership: Enhancing You Personal Effectiveness, and Promoting Racial Equity in the Workplace programs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education. She also completed the Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program at the Naval Postgraduate School & the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Dr. Cunningham earned her medical degree and completed an emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati.
Sandra E. Fletcher serves as Senior Associate Director of Corporate Philanthropy at the United Way of Greater Cleveland. She is responsible for strategically identifying, cultivating and strengthening relationships with organizations and employee-donors to increase corporate, employee and in-kind revenue. Fletcher brings to the board over a decade of advancement experience across the academic and social justice sectors, including serving in a leadership role with the YWCA Greater Cleveland and its Women’s Leadership Institute and Racial Justice programs. She holds an MBA in finance from Cleveland State University and a bachelor’s in chemistry from Baldwin Wallace College. Fletcher has served on Eversight board committees since 2018.
Probi Kapur is the Senior Vice President of IT Finance, Sourcing and Portfolio Management at Cencora based in Pennsylvania. He brings a wealth of finance and business leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, including in achieving complex business objectives in matrixed, global and multicultural organizations. In prior roles, Kapur has led the financial operations of diverse functions, including R&D, manufacturing, marketing, in-licensing, capital and strategic planning. Outside of the healthcare space, Kapur is passionate about mentoring students from underprivileged communities and motivating them to pursue STEM education. He holds a chemical engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and an MBA from Boston University.
Joe Radtka serves as Vice President Enterprise Finance and Chief Risk Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and has over two decades’ experience in financial management and accounting. He brings to the board professional expertise in enterprise financial reporting and capital planning; corporate administration financial management; enterprise risk management; and mergers and acquisitions. Radtka holds an MBA from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s in accounting from Eastern Michigan University. He is a long-time supporter of Eversight and served on the organization’s Michigan Advisory Board 2020-2022.
John Ryan is a retired executive in Pennington, N.J. following more than three decades as a leader in the engineering and construction industries. He has served on several boards, commissions and civic organizations, is an active member of his local Lions Club and currently chairs Eversight’s New Jersey Advisory Board. Ryan has a bachelor’s in economics from Iona University, an MBA in industrial relations from The City College of New York and completed advanced studies in finance and organizational development at New York University. He and his wife, Jo, of over 50 years have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Peter Wroblewski serves as Vice Chairman of The Mx Group, an independent, integrated B2B marketing agency headquartered in Chicago that provides strategic, creative and digital services to business marketers globally. After growing The Mx Group for three decades, Wroblewski stepped away from business operations in 2022 to become an active board member focused on acquisitions, global partnerships and mentoring leaders within the company. He holds a degree in business administration and finance from Illinois State University. In 1975, Wroblewski was diagnosed with keratoconus—a common cause of corneal blindness in which the cornea progressively thins and steepens into a cone shape—and received two sight-restoring bilateral corneal transplants in 1984 and 2010. He became an ambassador for the eye bank and served as a board member of the Illinois Eye Bank before it became part of the Eversight network. Wroblewski brings to the board both proven business acumen and his unique experience as a cornea transplant recipient.
Florence M. Johnston, MS, served as Chief Executive Officer of Eversight from 1998 to 2004. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Michigan. Johnston has held a wide variety of leadership positions on boards and committees for donation-related organizations, including the Eye Bank Association of America and Gift of Life Michigan. Her professional experience includes positions at University of Michigan Hospitals, with the World Health Organization and as a member of the faculty of University of Michigan School of Nursing. Johnston volunteers as docent for the University of Michigan Anthropology Museum.
Marilyn R. Lindenauer, MPH, served as President & CEO of Eversight from 1989 to 1998 when it was known as the Midwest Eye-Bank & Transplantation Center (MEBTC). She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Prior to her position with the eye bank, Lindenauer was an associate hospital administrator at the University of Michigan Medical Center. From 1976 to 1982, she was a senior research associate in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and was a co-principal investigator on a $1 million U.S. Department of Justice pilot grant that investigated correctional health care in the prison systems of 10 states. Lindenauer served on several boards and received the Leonard Heise Award in 1999, the highest award presented to a non-physician by the Eye Bank Association of America. She and her husband, Martin Lindenauer, MD, have four children and 11 grandchildren.
Diane Hollingsworth has been with Eversight since 2010 after eight years at the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois where she served as Director of Medical Education. She also spent 20 years in senior sales and marketing management positions at IBM, Siemens & Rockwell. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University. Hollingsworth currently serves as vice chair of the Vision Share Board of Directors and chair of the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network Advisory Board. In addition, she is active with the Eye Bank Association of America, the American College of Healthcare Executives, Donate Life Illinois and the Naperville (Illinois) Noon Lions Club.
The Medical Advisory Committee combines proven leadership and years of experience to provide unsurpassed clinical guidance.
Shahzad I. Mian, MD, is the chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the F. Bruce Fralick Professor of Ophthalmology in the U-M Medical School and the director of the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. He also serves as Associate Chair for Education and is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in the University of Michigan Medical School. Mian’s research focuses on the role of lasers in corneal transplantation, keratoplasty techniques, clinical studies in refractive surgery, eye banking and medical education. He led the residency training program 2004-2019 and previously served as fellowship director for the department.
He serves on the Eversight Board of Directors and Medical Advisory Committee, and as as senior medical director. Mian also contributes to the field as vice chair of the Eye Bank Association of America medical advisory board, as secretary of the Cornea Society and secretary/treasurer of the Michigan Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. He earned his medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine, completed a residency at the Wills Eye Hospital of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is a former fellow in cornea and refractive surgery at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Lorenzo Cervantes, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellowship-trained specialist in cornea, external disease, cataract and refractive surgery at Connecticut Eye Specialists. A medical director serving on Eversight’s Medical Advisory Committee, he is a Fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology, and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians, the New England Ophthalmological Society, the International Society of Refractive Surgery, the Cornea Society, the Paton Society, and the Eye Bank Association of America. Dr. Cervantes regularly teaches other surgeons advanced techniques in corneal transplantation and cataract surgery. He has authored several textbook chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. He received his medical degree, cum laude, from the Downstate Medical Center – College of Medicine at the State University of New York, and completed his residency at the North Shore/LIJ Health System in New York, where he also served as chief resident. He completed a fellowship in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at the Eye and Ear Institute of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
David Chu, MD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School; Director of the Metropolitan Eye Research and Surgery Institute of New York and New Jersey; and Ophthalmologist for the New York Jets.
William H. Constad, MD, is Clinical Professor at Rutgers Medical School and affiliated with Jersey City Medical Center and St. Barnabas Medical Center, and he has been in private practice with Hudson Eye Physicians and Surgeons since 1985. He served on the editorial board for the Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine for several years, contributing numerous articles and textbook chapters to the ophthalmic literature. Constad specializes in corneal transplantation and external corneal disease, as well as specialty contact lens fitting for keratoconus and scarring, post-transplantation and post-refractive surgery. He serves as Medical Director for Eversight in New Jersey. In 2012, he was honored by Eversight in New Jersey with its “Man of Vision” award and received the Founders’ Award from the Eversight Board in 2014.
Catharine J. Crockett, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellowship-trained specialist at VisionPoint Eye Center in Bloomington, Ill.
Jonathan H. Lass, MD, is the Charles I Thomas Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and has served as Program Director for Ophthalmology residency programs at Case Western and University Hospitals from 1993-2013. He remains on staff at University Hospitals Eye Institute, following 20 years of service as Department Chair, and currently serves as Medical Director for both Eversight and the University Hospitals Cornea Image Analysis Reading Center. Dr. Lass is Senior Editor for the journal Cornea: The Journal of Cornea and External Disease.
Dr. Lass has more than 200 publications in the fields of corneal physiology and immunology, genetics, cornea image analysis and clinical trials of corneal disease. His research has contributed to major advancements in corneal preservation and transplantation, including the NEI-funded Cornea Donor Study, which found that donor age does not affect graft success or cell loss for the majority of donors aged 34-71 transplanted in the United States. He was the Study Chair of the NEI-funded Cornea Preservation Time Study, that found that storage time of the donor can be extended to at least 11 days prior to DSEK surgery, allowing for more time for the eye banks to evaluate and distribute high quality donor tissue domestically and internationally. He is now the Study Chair of the NEI-funded Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study, a multicenter clinical trial that will examine the effect of donor and recipient diabetes on DMEK graft outcomes. Among several other awards, Dr. Lass received the Senior Honor Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2004, the R. Townley Paton Award from the Eye Bank Association of America, its highest award, in 2012 and the 2017 Castroviejo Award from the Cornea Society, it’s highest award for recognition of an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of cornea and anterior segment surgery.
Dr. Lass serves as Medical Director for Eversight in Ohio and board member for the Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation. He is also an avid cellist and member of the World Doctors Orchestra.
Roni M. Shtein, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
Elmer Y. Tu, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director of Cornea Service in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Infectious diseases of the cornea form the core of his clinical and research interests. Widely viewed as having special expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba and other severe infections of the cornea, Tu and colleague Charlotte Joslin, OD, PhD, were the first to identify and study the statistically significant increase in Acanthamoeba keratitis in the United States. They established an association between a specific contact lens solution and Acanthamoeba outbreak, theorizing that an environmental change related to water supply standards may be responsible for the persistence of its increased incidence. Tu’s area of expertise also includes new and innovative forms of corneal transplantation and treatment of challenging ocular surface disorders. He is on numerous national and international committees and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cornea Society. He joined the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary faculty in 1999. Tu is board certified in ophthalmology.
Education
BS — University of Miami, elected to Phi Beta Kappa
MD with Honors — University of Miami School of Medicine; elected to Alpha Omega Alpha
Residency — University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
Clinical Fellowship in Corneal and External Diseases — Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami
Selected Honors and Awards
Chicago Super Doctors: 2012, 2013
Best Doctors in America: 1999, 2002-present
Guide to America’s Top Ophthalmologists: 2002-present
American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award: 2010
American Academy of Ophthalmology Secretariat Award: 2009, 2015
M. Soledad Cortina, MD, is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Faculty Practice and General Eye Clinic at Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary at the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
Jeffrey Goshe, MD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in the Department of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and Residency Program Director at Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
Christopher Hood, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
Mark A. Lister, MD, is Director of Cornea, External Disease and Ophthalmic Surgery at Metropolitan Hospital; Ocean County Medical Center; Hoboken University Medical Center in Jersey City; Co-director of corneal services at St. George’s University School of Medicine; Director of Cornea Services at Children’s Eye Care Center of New Jersey, at Clara Maass; and Clinical Assistant Professor at New York Medical College and Rutgers University Medical School.
Marian Macsai, MD, is Chief of Ophthalmology at NorthShore University HealthSystem and Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Chicago.
Ahmed Omar, MD, joined the cornea service at University Hospitals Eye Institute in 2019 and serves as Clinical Assistant Professor for the School of Medicine, University Hospitals at Case Western Reserve.
Allen S. Roth, MD, FACS, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Department of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
H. Kaz Soong, MD, is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
Alan Sugar, MD, FACS, is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center and Department Vice Chair.
