Mentorship Matters

Meet Jeff and Chelsea, two IAPB honorees who exemplify how identifying talent early can ripple into developing career professionals in eye health.

Jeff was recognized by IAPB in 2020 as an Eye Health Hero of the Year, a nod to his leadership potential and vision for building sustainable, inclusive systems. Six years later, in 2026, one of his team members at KeraLink International, Chelsea Andrews, has been named a Young Systems Leader by IAPB. Their story is exactly what IAPB hopes to inspire: that recognizing rising leaders today can lead to meaningful, long-term change for the field tomorrow.

Finding Belonging

Global eye health is often seen as a field for doctors and engineers, but progress depends on more than clinical expertise. It takes people who can connect systems and communities and ensure that care doesn’t stop at diagnosis but reaches patients in meaningful ways.

Interestingly, neither Jeff nor Chelsea began with a background in eye care. Jeff’s path into the optical field started in retail, where he built his foundation at the frontlines of patient experience before moving into global supply chain and now programming. Chelsea came from government affairs, advocacy, and community engagement, with experience supporting underserved communities and working across cultures.

Despite different starting points, both share a commitment to serving others. Jeff’s 13-year career in eye health has contributed to programs impacting an estimated 20 million people globally. Today, his work spans strategy and service delivery, including efforts with national partners like Prevent Blindness to address “vision deserts” in the United States—communities where access to care remains limited. Through KeraLink, that work extends to closing the gap between screenings and follow-up care, ensuring patients not only receive diagnoses, but also the glasses they need.

For Chelsea, the impact of vision loss was personal. Both of her maternal grandparents were blind, and she learned early how to support them with dignity and independence—helping her grandfather identify dollar bills so he could pay on his own, guiding his arm as a companion, and adapting to accessibility needs in everyday life.

“I may not have had a background in eye care,” she reflects, “but I had respect and heart for the visually impaired. Learning that there was a whole industry working to prevent blindness was revolutionary to me.”

Leading with Impact

Under Jeff’s mentorship, Chelsea began to translate that passion into practice. He introduced her to the broader landscape of eye health, from how autorefractors function to where skills gaps exist among providers and what barriers patients face in accessing care. With that foundation, she quickly found her place in Programs and Partnerships, contributing to initiatives that connect strategy to real-world impact.

Their partnership reflects a shared understanding: solving complex challenges requires both experience and fresh perspective.

A Broader Vision

Both Jeff and Chelsea are first-generation college graduates, shaped by experiences that inform how they approach access, equity, and opportunity. Their journey highlights a broader truth in global eye health: leadership does not come from a single pathway.

By identifying Jeff in 2020 and Chelsea in 2026, IAPB demonstrates the long-term value of investing in people. They demonstrate exactly what IAPB hopes to inspire: that nurturing emerging leaders today will create lasting impact for the field tomorrow.