Eyeful Events
Eyeful presents Ophthalmology Famous - AAO 2023
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Biographies
Dr. Tamara Fountain is professor of ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center and maintains a private practice in oculofacial plastic surgery in Chicago’s northern suburbs. She grew up in Minneapolis where her dad was a commercial airline pilot and her mom a marketing executive. Dr. Fountain received her B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University and her M.D. from Harvard Medical School. After an internship in internal medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital, she completed her residency in ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Wilmer Eye Institute. Dr. Fountain pursued specialty training in plastic and reconstructive surgery around the eye at University of Southern California’s Doheny Eye Institute before settling in the Chicago area to start her practice.
Dr. Fountain is the 2021 president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) — at 32,000 members, the oldest and largest society of American and International Ophthalmologists in the world. Click here to watch her AAO president’s acceptance speech. Her past service to AAO includes Secretary for Member Services, at-large member of the Board of Trustees and editorial board of its EyeNet magazine. She has served on the Young Ophthalmologist; Ethics; and Health Policy Committees and was part of the inaugural class of the AAO’s flagship Leadership Development Program. Dr. Fountain was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for service to the Academy.
Dr. Fountain is Past-President of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS), having served as executive secretary and chair of both the thesis and oral exam committees in the past. She has also received the Orkan Stasior Leadership Award for service to the society.
Dr. Fountain served for 15 years as a committee member and director for the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC) and was Chair of the Board of Directors 2014 and 2015. She is a past president of the Illinois Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (formerly Illinois Association of Ophthalmology) and has been involved in programming for both Women in Ophthalmology and the Chicago Ophthalmological Society. She served as chair of the Alumni Fund for Harvard Medical School 2016-2019.
When not serving organized ophthalmology or helping patients with their surgical problems, Dr. Fountain enjoys golf, tennis, biking and lecturing at national and international meetings (she has been invited to speak on six continents). Dr. Fountain has enjoyed serving her patients and community on Chicago’s North Shore for over 20 years.
Audina “Nina” Berrocal, MD received her undergraduate education at Princeton University followed by medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine. She stayed at Tufts/New England Eye Center, where she completed her ophthalmology residency. Dr. Berrocal subsequently received vitreoretinal surgery and uveitis training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She has since remained on the faculty at Bascom Palmer, where she holds currently the rank of Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology. She also serves as Director of the Pediatric Retina service at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Jackson Memorial Hospital and Vitreoretinal fellowship director.
Dr. Berrocal is internationally recognized for her approach to pediatric retinal diseases. As a pediatric retina specialist and Director of Pediatric Retina and Retinopathy of Prematurity Service, she has extensive clinical, surgical and research experience in the diagnosis and treatment of ROP in this population. She has performed extensive basic and clinical research studies in ROP, and has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed papers in these areas. She received the Bernadotte Foundation Award for her work in ROP. Additionally, she maintains a robust adult vitreoretinal surgical practice.
Dr.Berrocal is an active member of The Retina Society, The Macula Society, Club Jules Gonin and holds leadership positions in many of these groups including the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists and is one of the founding members of the Vit-Buckle Society. She is the recipient of the ASRS Crystal Apple Award for her dedication to surgical teaching and of the Bernice Z. Brown Lecture Award for her dedication to the advancement of women.
Dr. Basil K. Williams Jr. is a board-certified ophthalmologist and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, FL. He is the department’s Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and an Associate Residency Program Director. Basil specializes in ocular oncology and vitreoretinal surgery and diseases. He completed his residency, vitreoretinal fellowship and chief residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute followed by an Ocular Oncology fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital.
He currently serves as the co-chair of the Early Career Section for the American Society of Retina Specialists, the president of the PanAmerican Ocular Oncology Society, and the chair elect of the ophthalmology section of the National Medical Association. He was born in St. George’s Grenada and grew up in the Bronx, NY. His research interests pertain to health care disparities, adult and pediatric surface and intraocular tumors, and vitreoretinal surgical topics.
Stuart Abelson serves as President, Chairman, and CEO of Ora, Inc. Fueled by energy, acumen, and dedication to innovation, Stuart has guided the global organization through significant expansion of its services and reach, remaining 100% dedicated to ophthalmology.
With Stuart at the helm, Ora delivers the highest level of customer care and service, making Ora the partner of choice for ophthalmology development programs. Stuart’s focus is mirrored by his drive to continually elevate all aspects of product development, ensuring that Ora remains a source of hope for customers, partners, and patients worldwide.
The son of the Ora’s founder, Stuart spent a decade at Amphenol Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, before joining Ora as President in 2007. He had previously served as a member of Ora’s Board in 1995, and later as Chair.
Stuart remains active on many boards, from corporate to non-profit. He is also a dedicated philanthropist, focusing on education, wildlife and land conservation, medical research, veteran causes, and homelessness. In addition, Stuart founded the “Better & Faster Together” non-profit organization committed to facilitating, through education and awareness, a healthy competitive environment in sports.
Stuart graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Bates College. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. During his studies, he earned multiple recognitions for scholarship and service.
Bindu Manne has been engaged in the eyecare industry for the last two decades. While she was originally seeking a career in fashion, she was recruited to the eyecare space and never looked back. Known for her collaboration throughout refractive, glaucoma, retina, and cataract subspecialties, she has been invested in the last 16 years. Specifically, she has supported various start-ups and has been involved with over a dozen product launches in various capacities from sales, marketing, public relations, market development, and medical affairs.
Following a regulatory set-back at a start-up in 2021, she committed to developing her own consulting business where she would provide early to late-stage drug development or commercial-stage companies with market development expertise, advise entrepreneurs, industry leaders exclusively in the ophthalmic sector. Creating and subsequent curation of the brand and brand architecture are competencies in which she excels. Her extensive knowledge, work ethic, genuine enthusiasm and authenticity combine to hasten innumerable aspects of market development.
Bindu is active in volunteering her expertise and skills to a number of nonprofits including those that promote diversity and inclusion and several that focus on sight restoration.
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