Introducing Your 2021–22 ASCRS Leadership

Each year there are leadership changes to the ASCRS Executive Committee and Clinical Committees that reinforce the society’s commitment to advancing leadership opportunities. One-year terms on the Executive Committee and regular rotation on Clinical Committees creates an atmosphere where new leadership is fostered and where the changing demographics of the field as a whole are reflected.

“The knowledgeable leaders who, with their breadth of experience, have seen a lot of change in ophthalmology balanced with the welcoming of new ideas, thoughts, and energy is a valuable asset to ASCRS. It’s one of the secrets that has made ASCRS sustainable,” said ASCRS Executive Director Steve Speares.

With that, ASCRS welcomes Richard Hoffman, MD, as its 2021–22 president. While this and other leadership changes would historically happen at the spring ASCRS Annual Meeting, we look forward to celebrating and acknowledging these accomplishments at the 2021 ASCRS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July. Dr. Hoffman is from Eugene, Oregon, where he is in private practice. He has served as a column editor for EyeWorld, the ASCRS member publication; he was chairman of the ASCRS Cataract Clinical Committee; and in addition to serving on the ASCRS Executive Committee, he is a member of the ASCRS Research Council.

In addition to the newly appointed president, Douglas Rhee, MD, moves into the role of president-elect, Elizabeth Yeu, MD, treasurer, and Vance Thompson, MD, secretary.

There have been a few changes on ASCRS Clinical Committees as well. Marjan Farid, MD, is now chair of the Cornea Clinical Committee, Cathleen McCabe, MD, chair of the Refractive Surgery Clinical Committee, and Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD, chair of the Young Eye Surgeons Clinical Committee.

“Many of these changes reflect the changing face of ophthalmologists,” Mr. Speares said. “For example, ASCRS now has more women in leadership roles than ever before.”

“ASCRS has been and always will be a meritocracy. It’s solely reliant upon volunteer leaders who give their time and their talent. These are people who are willing to serve as mentors and share some of the pearls of wisdom and success that they have enjoyed. The rise within ASCRS leadership is based on the decisions these ophthalmologists made years ago as they sought to get involved in advancing ophthalmology.”

As we say hello to some new faces and as familiar faces move into new roles, ASCRS thanks those who have served the society in a leadership capacity and are now rotating out of committee positions, particularly Thomas Samuelson, MD, Nick Mamalis, MD, Francis Mah, MD, and Sumit “Sam” Garg, MD.

“Those volunteering in leadership roles within ASCRS are a voice for members and a voice for ophthalmology, serving as a conduit among the membership, government, payers, industry, and the public,” Mr. Speares said. “The society thanks all of these volunteers.”

ASCRS members interested in further engagement are encouraged to get involved. From submitting papers and videos or presenting at the ASCRS Annual Meeting (or any of ASCRS’ other meetings) to contributing to EyeWorld articles to volunteering with the ASCRS Foundation and more, there are a multitude of opportunities.

ASCRS and its leaders are here … for you.

ASCRS Executive Committee 2021–22

Richard Hoffman, MD – President	[email protected]
Douglas Rhee, MD – Vice President/President-Elect	[email protected]
Elizabeth Yeu, MD – Treasurer	[email protected]
Vance Thompson, MD – Secretary	[email protected]
Terry Kim, MD – Immediate Past President	[email protected]
Nick Mamalis, MD – Past President	[email protected]
Edward Holland, MD – Chair, Program Director	[email protected]
Eric Donnenfeld, MD – Chief Medical Editor, EyeWorld	[email protected]
David Chang, MD – Foundation, International	[email protected]
Kerry Solomon, MD – Foundation, U.S.	[email protected]
Richard Lindstrom, MD – Member at Large	[email protected]

ASCRS Committee Chairs

John Berdahl, MD –Membership Committee	[email protected]
Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD – Young Eye Surgeons Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Leon W. Herndon, MD – Glaucoma Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Marjan Farid, MD – Corneal Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Kevin M. Miller, MD – Cataract Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Cathleen McCabe, MD – Refractive Surgery Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Christina Weng, MD – Retinal Clinical Committee	[email protected]
Parag D. Parekh, MD – Government Relations Committee	[email protected]
Edward J. Holland – ASCRS Hall of Fame Committee	[email protected]
Natalie Afshari, MD, FACS – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Committee	[email protected]

Cataract Clinical Subcommittee Chairs

Kendall E. Donaldson, MD – Refractive Cataract Surgery Subcommittee	[email protected]
Jonathan B. Rubenstein, MD – Skills Transfer Subcommittee	[email protected]
Sumitra S. Khandelwal, MD – Challenging/Complicated Cataract Surgery Subcommittee	[email protected]
Robert J. Weinstock, MD – Instrumentation and IOLs Subcommittee	[email protected]
Warren E. Hill, MD – IOL Calculation Subcommittee	[email protected]