Nov. 21, 2024 — The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) held its annual meeting, Academy 2024 Indianapolis, where it inducted 271 new Fellows and recognized 16 existing Fellows with the distinction of Diplomate.
Becoming a Fellow requires candidates to submit written work for peer review and successfully complete an oral examination held during the annual meeting. Fellowship eligibility extends to optometrists, vision scientists, educators, administrators, and other professionals in the field. Those who meet the rigorous criteria earn the title "Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry" (FAAO). The AAO shares that about 10% of practicing U.S. optometrists currently hold this distinction.
Diplomate status, offered through nine specialized sections of the Academy, signifies advanced expertise in a particular area of optometry. These sections include anterior segment; binocular vision, perception, and pediatric optometry; comprehensive eye care; cornea, contact lenses, and refractive technologies; glaucoma; low vision; optometric education; public health and environmental vision; and vision science.
The 2024 Diplomates:
- Breanne McGhee, O.D., MEd, FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Anterior Segment
- Debora Lee Chen, O.D., MPH, FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Binocular Vision, Perception & Pediatric Optometry
- Ann Morrison, Ph.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Binocular Vision, Perception & Pediatric Optometry
- Maureen Plaumann, Ph.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Binocular Vision, Perception & Pediatric Optometry
- Stephen Chun, O.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Comprehensive Eye Care
- Shelly Kim, O.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Comprehensive Eye Care
- John Buch, O.D., M.S., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies
- Obinwanne Chukwuemeka, O.D., MOptom, FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies
- Mari Fujimoto, O.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies
- Kathrine Osborn Lorenz, O.D., M.S., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies
- Brett King, O.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Glaucoma
- Derek MacDonald, O.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Glaucoma
- Micaela Gobeille, O.D., M.S., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Low Vision
- Emily Aslakson, O.D., MEd, FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Optometric Education
- Patricia Cisarik, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Optometric Education
- Damaris Pagan-Torres, O.D., MPH, FAAO, Dipl AAO: Diplomate, Public Health & Environmental Vision
The 2024 Fellows:
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Veronia Abadeer Jerome Abaka-Cann Maysa Abbas Alexis Abernathy Reynolds Kwame Ablordeppey Osazee Agbonlahor Maureen Aghukwa Sameera Ahmad Syeda Nisma Ahmed Soufiane Ajana Veronica Akuete Muteb Alanazi Courtney Allen Eman Al-Yousefy Meagan Anderson Kashifa Ansari Bridget Appiah Sarah Arneal Memoona Arshad Shyam Asal Moheera Athar Christine Auguste Felix Kofi Awuriki Gulnoza Azieva Rebecca Barth Brian Baxter Elizabeth Bell Sarah Bell Sarah Bishop Eunice Boadu Veena Bokka Jacquelyn Bongard Lindsey Boody Brittany Bowman Amandeep Brar Sandra Brook Travis Bryant Caitlin Burket Lauren Butler Torin Carver Roxanne Chalifoux Carissa Chambers Joanne Chan Manki Chan Yung Fen (Demi) Chen Phoebe Chen Melissa Chen Albert Chen Tiffany Chen Christina Chen Ka Wei Miranda Cheng Hin Cheung Anne Cho Jina Chong Natalia Chramiec Ka Man Chun Graham Chung Johnson Co Christen Jade Coats Jacqueline Dang Edith Daniel-Nwosu Allie Decker Harsida Desai Sarah DeVries Caroline Donato Ravid Doron Fareed Dosani Diana Doscas Danielle Drozd Coral Dundon Madison Dunning Tamunominabo Edah Justin Eghaghara Kelsey Engelbart Silvia Escobar Duran Brittany Finch Michaella Ford Nathaniel Foster Curt Fritts-Davis Julie Furness Olivia Gada Alexandra Gada Richa Garg Jenny Geevarghese Miranda Geisinger Viviana Gonzalez Rachel Goretsky Hanna Grabowski Zachary Graham Sara Hafeez
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Brenda Hahn Chad Hawkins Rebecca Heaps Neil Hecker Elaine Ho Payton Holden Kathleen Holthaus Yurianna Hou Chuan Hu Vanessa Huang Cynthia Huang Megan Hueske Julianne Hui Andrew Humiston Lindsey Hutchinson Osagioduwa Igbinosun Priscilia Imade Asif Iqbal Yasmin Javed Ingrid Jimenez Barbosa Kamilah Johnson Kathryn Johnson Kirby Johnston Monica Jong Andrew Kageyama Babak Kamkar Jeffrey Kamo Alexandra Kamphuis Angela Kaplan Deepayan Kar Alim Karmali Nicole Karson Arathy Kartha Alek Karthikeyan Jaspreet Kaur Jacqueline Kenney Nathan Keyes Abigail Klick Erin Klukas Hiral Korani Patricia Kranz Annie Ku Katie Kwan Katie Kyles Brandon La Kevin La Debbie Laughton Jenny Lee Ka Yan Leung Xiaojing Li Ziqing Li Kristina Lin Avalena Linsky Jade Liu Courtney Luce Alwell Ikechukwu Maduakolam Samuel Mainieri Natalie Maiorca Samantha Manzo Jennifer Maples Remy Marcotte-Collard Michael Marino Mariah Marshall Mark Marquez Matthew McGee Kieran McMillan Ravneet Meeta Shayna Mellesmoen Abdul Rasheed Mohammed Kristin Mohr Connor Monaghan June Morikawa Connor Morris Andrew Muckin Marin Nagelberg Daniel Napierski Amy Neideffer Danielle Nesbitt Jimmy Nguyen Nhat-Quynh Nguyen Jessica Nguyen Lawrence Nguyen Doris Onyeador Cade Oost Helene Pippin Andrew Plaxco Angela Pool Ali Prible Ellen Ren Sara Restuccio
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Sophia Ries Noa Robson Claire Rocken Robert Roden Neisha Rodriguez Ruiz Jacob Rosenberg Kofi Osei-Poku Mary Araba Otoo Bismark Owusu-Afriyie Ranjani Panda Tiffany Pasqua Puja Patel Krupa Patel Himanee Patel Jil Patel Adam Perlman Travis Pfeifer Jonathan Pham Divya Pillai Bradley Salus Monica Sanago Samrat Sarkar Samantha Schlesman McKenna Scott Madeleine Seidel Samuel Sesah Nand Shah Avani Shah Hamza Shah Avjit Shahi-Dhillon Sanjana Shashidhar Erin Shealy Angelo Shimada Kristina Shpountova Emily Shtull Amy Sickinger Aysha Siddique Fareesa Siddiqui Collin Simmons Rachel Slater Whitt Emma Smiley Samuel Soda Megan Solis Anastasia Soulas Oksana Sova Rebecca Stapornkul Rachel Steele Lauren Strawn Erlein Tacastacas Tara Tagami Lauren Talbert Anson Tam Jacqueline Thompson Jill Thompson Emmy Tian Khanh Ton Michael Tran Matthew Truong Tiffany Tsoi McKenna Turrill Cindy Ung Ngozi Precious Uwagboe Jourdan Valkner Krause Nina Van Diane van Staden Brittany Varney Taylor Vincent Heidi Volos Samantha Wang You Annie Wang Yueren Wang Megan Watters Donald Weatherbee Kelsey Whitcomb Qiaohui Wei White Caitlyn Williams Jacob Wilson Timothy Wiseth Carlos Woc Ethan Wohlgemuth Alexander Wong Edward Wygonik Maggie Yamin Rachelle Yang Christopher Yee Celia Yeung Ayhubrhan Yifru Yumna Zaidi Sarah Zender Zhenzhu Zhao Kristen Zulliger |