The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) today announced its 2023 Board of Directors, including a new Board Chair, and reinforces its commitment to raising awareness and promoting a greater understanding of childhood myopia as a treatable disease.
The newly elected GMAC Board Chair is Lisa McAlister, Global Myopia Lead, at Johnson & Johnson Vision.
Immediate past chair is Millicent Knight, OD, Senior Vice President, Customer Development Group NA, at EssilorLuxottica. Additional 2023 GMAC Board Members include: Sandra Block, OD, M ED, MPH, President-Elect, World Council of Optometry
Rajeev Garg, PhD, Global Head: Myopia Management Strategy, CooperVision
Matt Geller, OD, Co-founder & CEO, CovalentCreative I Eyes on Eyecare
Layna Mendlinger, Global Head of Marketing, Visioneering Technologies, Inc
Prof. Kovin Naidoo, PhD, Global Head Advocacy and Partnerships, OneSight EssilorLuxxottica Foundation
Nick Parker, Head of Business Development & Partnerships, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
Bill Scott, President, Jobson Healthcare Information
Raul A. Trillo, MD, MBA, Chief Commercial Officer, Vyluma
As an industry coalition, GMAC was founded with a mission to promote public awareness of childhood myopia as a treatable disease through direct-to-consumer channels and awareness with governments, NGOs, and other health care associations. GMAC does not advocate for specific clinical approaches. Instead, it is designed to stimulate public interest and prompt parental conversations with eye care practitioners.
“It is an honor to serve as the GMAC board chair on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision, and I look forward to working closely with these leading companies and organizations to bring more knowledge and awareness around the myopia epidemic,” said Lisa McAlister. “With rates on the rise and myopia predicted to impact 1 of 2 people by 2050, our work is more important now than ever, and this coalition is uniquely setup to help create a brighter future for the eyesight of our children.”