Programmatic Committees

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (AAFC)

General Program Areas: Curriculum, faculty, teaching methods, research and evaluation.

Committee Members:  
Dr. Adam Gordon, UABSO, Chair
Dr. Lindsay Elkins, SCO 
Dr. Cristina Law, NOVA
Dr. Samantha Rice, CCO
Dr. Elizabeth Tonkery, PCO
Dr. Aaron Zimmerman, OSU

Liaisons: 
Dr. Sandra Fortenberry, UIWRSO
Heather Edmonds, NECO
Dr. Erik Mothersbaugh, ICO
Dr. Lisa Ostrin, UHCO
Dr. Diane Russo, NECO
Dr. Thomas Wong, SUNY
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

APPLICANT POOL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (APDC)

General Program Areas: Development of a robust, diverse and highly qualified national applicant pool.

Members:
Dr. Lewis Reich, SCO, Chair
Dr. Alicia Feis, AZCOPT
Sarah Cupples, OSU
Jim Hollifield, SCO
Teisha Johnson, ICO
Howard Purcell, NECO

Liaisons:
Dr. Lucy Kehinde Darnell, UHCO
Kristen Tobin, NECO
Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff
Kimberly O’Sullivan, ASCO Staff
David O’Donnell, ASCO Staff
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

AWARDS & RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE (AWDC)

General Program Areas: Identification, recruitment, and preparation of slate of award winners; oversee and implement ASCO Awards program; recommend new Association awards; nominate individuals for ASCO awards; recommend award winners for board approval. Draft and propose resolutions recognizing and honoring outstanding individuals and organizations in optometric education and outside the profession who have contributed significantly to the optometric education enterprise.

Committee Members:
Dr. Linda Casser, PCO/Salus
Dr. Stacey Coulter, NOVA
Dr. Linda Du, UMSL
Dr. Ann Elsner, IUSO

Liaisons:
Dr. Kelly Nichols, UABSO
Sara Lau, ASCO Staff
David O’Donnell, ASCO Staff
Kim O’Sullivan, ASCO Staff
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

CLINICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (CAFC)

General Program Areas: Clinical education, clinical administration, clinical services, externship programs, clinical research, and program development.

Committee Members:
Dr. Alicia Feis, AZCOPT, Chair
Dr. Dawn Goedde, OSU
Dr. David Hall, SCO
Dr. Bisant Labib, PCO
Dr. Michael McGovern, SUNY
Dr. Amy Roan Moy, NECO 
Dr. Greg Waldorf, MCPHS

Liaisons:
Dr. Vanessa Bachir, ÉOUM              
Dr. Sarah El-Khazendar, CCO
Michelle Sellers Kelley, SCO
Dr. Scott Klemens, PUCO 
Dr. Elli Kollbaum, IUSO
Dr. Swati Modi, UHCO  
Dr. Eunice Myung Lee, SCCO  
Dr. Jaymeni Patel, ICO
Dr. Ashley Speilburg, ICO    
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY COMMITTEE (DCCC)

General Program Areas: Promoting ethnic and cultural diversity; supporting member institutions’ embracement of diversity in their practices and programs as it embodies the idea of an open and multicultural society.

Committee Members:
Dr. Janette Dumas Pepper, SCO, Chair
Dr. Melissa Contreras, SCCO/MBKU     
Dr. Edmund Arthur, UAB
Dr. Joy Harewood, SUNY
Dr. Lucy Kehinde, UHCO

Liaisons:
Dr. Karla Zadnik, OSU
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Dr. Ruth Shoge, PCO/Salus
Dr. Lucy Kehinde Darnell
Dr. A. Philip Aitsebaomo, UIWRSO
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President

EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EDUC)

General Program Areas: Promoting lifelong learning, leadership development and career development for faculty and administrators, students and residents. Review measurable results for this strategic initiative; develop an implementation plan, including recommending priorities, a timeline and necessary structural changes for ASCO to implement strategies and tactics. Covers new educational programs as well as current ones, such as SIFD and FFP.

Committee Members:
Dr. Fraser Horn, PUCO, Chair
Dr. Julie DeKinder, UMSL      
Dr. Erin Jenewein, PCO/Salus            
Dr. Tamara Oechslin, UABSO
Dr. Kathleen O’Leary, MCPHS
Dr. Josephine Ibironke, KYCO            
Dr. Michael Twa, UHCO

Liaisons:
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO Staff EVP/CEO
Dr. Mika Moy, UCB
Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO
Dr. David Damari, OSU
Dr. Tiffany Witherspoon, WUCO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President

FUTURE FACULTY PROGRAM SUBCOMMITTEE (FFPS)

General Program Areas: Develop programs helping graduate students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their success in an optometric academic environment as career-long, productive faculty members.

Subcommittee Members:
Dr. Mika Moy, UCB, Chair
Dr. Heather Anderson, OSU, Vice-chair
Dr. Kate Deliso, MCPHS
Dr. Joseph Gray, WUCO
Dr. Sharon Keh, SUNY

Liaisons:
Dr. Fraser Horn, PUCO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

OPTOMETRIC EDUCATION LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE SUBCOMMITTEE COMMITTEE (OELI)

General Program Areas: Develop and host a leadership training program for faculty and administrators.

Subcommittee Members:
Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO, Chair
Dr. Jamie Althoff, NOVA
Dr. David Damari, OSU
Dr. Erik Mothersbaugh, ICO
Dr. Janice Scharre, PCO/Salus

Liaisons:
Dr. Fraser Horn, PUCO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE (SIFD)

General Program Areas: Develop programs helping faculty members gain the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their success in an optometric academic environment as career-long, productive faculty members.

Subcommittee Members:
Dr. David Damari, OSU, Co-chair
Dr. Diane Russo, NECO, Vice-chair
Dr. Alexandra Benevente-Perez, (SUNY)
Dr. Alicia Feis, AZCOPT         
Dr. Todd Peabody, IUSO
Dr. David Troilo, SUNY

Liaisons:
Dr. Fraser Horn, PUCO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

FUNDRAISING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FNDC)

General Program Areas: Setting and evaluating fundraising goals and strategies; assisting ASCO’s Director of Development in building ASCO’s fundraising capacity and financial resources.

Committee Members:
Dr. Kelly Nichols, UABSO, Chair
Jacquie Patterson, PCO/Salus, Vice-chair
George Miller, SCO
Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO
Dr. Jessica Steen, NOVA

Liaisons:
Dr. Fraser Horn, PUCO
Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO, Liaison
Dawn Rigney, SUNY
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (GAFC)

General Program Areas: Legislative and advocacy efforts for optometric education.

Committee Members:
Dr. Jim Venable, SCO, Chair
Dr. Sandra Fortenberry, UIWRSO, Vice-chair
Dr. Cliff Caudill, KYCO
Dr. Keisha Brown, UMSL
Dr. Erin Draper, PCO/Salus  
Dr. Janet Leasher, NOVA
Dr. Lillian Wang, UCB

Liaisons:
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President

INTERNATIONAL OPTOMETRIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE (IOEC)

General Program Areas: Relationships, projects, and policies related to international education and the global promotion of the profession.

Committee Members:
Dr. Bina Patel, NECO, Chair
Dr. Stephen Chun, UCB
Dr. Ben Konig, KYCO
Dr. Srihari Narayanan, UIWRSO
Dr. Natasha Tetlow, NOVA
Dr. Melissa Vitek, PCO
Dr. Eric Woo, AZCOPT

Liaisons:
Dr. Melissa Suckow, CCO
Dr. Meng Meng Xu, NECO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO

INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE COMMITTEE (IPRF)

General Program Areas: Examining educational strategies of other health care professions; identifying best practices; developing a list of consultants; developing a grant funding process for demonstration projects; seeking industry support; develop, share/recommend strategies incorporating interprofessional education into curricula; monitoring federal activities and funding opportunities; raising public and professional awareness of the role optometry has in team-based collaborative patient-centered care.

Committee Members:
Dr. John Nishimoto, SCCOMBKU, Chair
Dr. Sarah El-Khazendar, CCO
Dr. Lynn Greenspan, PCO/Salus
Dr. Amy Logan, UABSO            
Dr. Danielle Piser, ICO
Dr. Julie Tyler, SCCOMBKU
Dr. Melissa Zarn, SCO

Liaisons:
Dr. Nancy Coletta, MCPHS
Dr. Amy Logan, UABSO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Joanne Zuckerman, ASCO Staff

RESEARCH COMMITTEE (RESC)

General Program Areas: Research training, program development, data collection and information resource, and liaison to the AOA Council on Research.

Committee Members:
Dr. Suresh Viswanathan, SUNY, Chair
Dr. Pinakin Davey, WUCO
Dr. Safal Khanal, UABSO
Dr. Chris Lievens, SCO
G. Lynn Mitchell, OSU
Dr. Jason Ng, SCCOMBKU
Dr. Xiaohua Zhuang, ICO

Liaisons:
Dr. T. Rowan Candy, IUSO
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Joanne Zuckerman, ASCO Staff

RESIDENCY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (RAC)

General Program Areas: Residency training, program development, data collection and information resource, and liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs and other entities for residency programs.

Committee Members:
Dr. Diane Adamczyk, SUNY, Chair  
Dr. Stephen Chun, UCB
Dr. Nancy Coletta, MCPHS
Dr. Brianne Hobbs, KYCO
Dr. Nicole Quinn, NECO
Dr. Harneet Randhawa, ICO
Dr. Jennifer Sanderson, SCO

Liaisons:
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff
Dr. Melissa Suckow, CCO
Dr. Deana Lum, Fresno VA Medical Center
Dr. Lisa Schifanella, Tuscaloosa (AL) VAMC
Dr. Caroline Pate, UABSO
Dr. Judy Tong, SCCO-MBKU
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO Executive Vice President/CEO

ORMATCH SUBCOMMITTEE (ORMS)

General Program Areas: Development and implementation of an optometry residency matching program in conjunction with National Matching Services, Inc. (NMS).

Committee Members:
Dr. Lisa Schifanella, Tuscaloosa (AL) VAMC, Chair
Dr. Cheryl Mengelt, SCO, Vice Chair
Dr. Alicia Greene, Salem (VA) VAMC
Dr. Brianne Hobbs, Salisbury (NC) VAMC
Dr. Larissa Krenk, IUSO                    
Dr. Valerie Quan, WUCO  

Liaisons:
Elliott Peranson, NMS
Jonah Peranson, NMS
Dr. Diane Adamczyk, SUNY
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff

STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (SAC)

General Program Areas: Applicant development, financial aid, student services and policies.

Committee Members:
Dr. Linda Rouse, NOVA, Chair
Dr. Debora Lee Chen, UCB    
Avery Cunningham, SCO
Dr. John Gialousakis, CCO
Dr. Lucy Kehinde Darnell, UHCO
Andrea Quezada, WUCO

Liaisons:
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff
Dr. Kelly Nichols, UABSO
Amanda Peterson, IUSO
Monica Maisto Scirrotto, PCO/Salus     
Dr. Gerald Simon, UABSO
Kristen Tobin, NECO         
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO Executive Vice President/CEO

OAT SUBCOMMITTEE (OATS)

General Program Area: Guiding the development and administration of a quality entrance examination for optometry schools and colleges; working with the American Dental Association on the further development and enhancement of the OAT exam.

Committee Members:
Dr. Gerald Simon, UABSO, Chair
Dr. Benjamin (Ben) Konig, KYCO
Dr. Jason Ng, SCCO-MBKU                  
Dr. James Miller, MCO

Liaisons:
Dr. Linda Rouse, NOVA
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff

OPTOMCAS SUBCOMMITTEE (OPTS)

General Program Areas: Development and implementation of a centralized application service for optometry in conjunction with Liaison International, Inc.

Committee Members:
Monica Maisto Scirrotto, PCO/Salus, Chair
Dr. Keshia Brown, UABSO
Dr. Josh Byung Kim, PCO/Salus
Latasha Jackson, ICO
Rebecca Smietana, SCO
Rochelle Valera, UIWRSO

Liaisons:
Dr. Linda Rouse, NOVA
Dr. Mark Colip, ICO, ASCO President
Dawn Mancuso, ASCO EVP/CEO
Paige Pence, ASCO Staff