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Akito Kamei

Akito Kamei

Researcher, University of Chicago

Akito Kamei is a Postdoctoral Scholar and Lead Researcher at the University of Chicago. He oversees a portfolio of research projects primarily focused on water and sanitation at the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) at the University of Chicago. Akito’s research focuses on applied microeconomics specializing in human capital investment and global health in developing countries.

Before joining the DIL, Akito worked at the UNICEF Office of Research‚ Äì Innocenti conducting education research. He also worked at the Inter-American Development Bank to evaluate a large-scale government early childhood development program. With the World Bank, he conducted research on urban poverty and labour market outcomes in Etiopía. He completed a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Dr André Luigi Tarsia Botelho

Dr André Luigi Tarsia Botelho

Medical Director, Suel Abujamra Institute – SP, Brasil

Medical Resident in Ophthalmology at the Suel Abujamra Institute (São Paulo, Brasil); Postgraduate in Cardiology from Albert Einstein Hospital (São Paulo, Brasil); Postgraduate in Health Management from Albert Einstein Hospital (São Paulo, Brasil); Professor of Internal Medicine at Aristo Residência Médica (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil).

Andrew Bastawrous

Andrew Bastawrous

Chief Executive Officer, Peek Vision Foundation

Andrew is an Ophthalmologist, Professor in Global Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Founder & CEO of Peek Vision, and Co-Founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund. He has worked and undertaken research in over twenty countries including two years living in Kenya, where he was leading a major eye disease study and the development and testing of the earliest versions of Peek’s smartphone-based eye health systems.

Andrew has been listed as one of the world’s 30 most influential people in public health, has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles, is a TED Speaker and TED Fellow, Rolex Laureate, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Ashoka Fellow, and UBS Global Visionary. In 2023 Andrew was awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Ángel Allauca García

Ángel Allauca García

Perú Project Manager, Orbis International

Angel has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Administration, with work experience in different international cooperation organizations. These include Orbis International, where he works as the Perú Project Manager working on the design and implementation of a portfolio of eye health projects in various regions of the country.

He has also served the International Potato Centre by developing financial proposals for new funding opportunities and overseeing project portfolio management. Likewise, he was part of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies team during the response program after the earthquake in Perú in 2007, among other public and private Peruvian organizations.

Cony Palos Rodríguez de San Miguel

Cony Palos Rodríguez de San Miguel

Director of Strategy, Communication, and Fundraising, Ver Bien para Aprender Mejor

Cony has worked at Ver Bien para Aprender Mejor for 12 years. Currently, she is the Director of Strategy, Communication, and Fundraising. During her tenure, she has witnessed the change that a pair of glasses can make in the lives of school children. Convinced of the importance of visual health on people’s lives, she works every day to increase awareness of its impact.

David Ricardo Abaunza Martinez

David Ricardo Abaunza Martinez MAD, MAS-PHM, CP y EF

General Director, Instituto de Oftalmologi­a Fundacion Conde de Valenciana

Graduate of the Harvard Business School and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, interested in the innovative transformation of private health services to afford vision care for those most vulnerable.

Keen on clear objectives, teambuilding and affordable health management, he is set on expanding eye services beyond the FUNDACIÓN CONDE DE VALENCIANA’s seven sites, today.

Dr. Ha Nguyen

Dr. Ha Nguyen

Program Officer, Orbis International

Ha obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles. She is a self-motivated and hard-working pharmacist with a passion for healthcare accessibility. She is currently working at Orbis Vietnam as Program Officer in charge of CyberSight, a global community of learning, sharing and practice for eye health professionals, especially in low-resource settings.

Felipe Gaspar

Felipe Gaspar

Retina Fellow, Instituto Suel Abujamra

Felipe Gaspar is currently an Ophthalmologist pursuing a Retina Fellowship at Instituto Suel Abujamra, in São Paulo, Brasil. Felipe is an advocate for the prevention of blindness as well as for a shift in public policy, promoting inclusive eye care and patient-centred models.

María del Pilar Oviedo

María del Pilar Oviedo

Coordinadora Programa Optometría Universidad CES, Universidad CES

Optómetra. Phd Salud Pública. Magister en Salud Pública. Máster en Políticas Públicas y Prácticas del Desarrollo. Investigadora en baja visión. Coordinadora Programa Optometría Universidad CES. Colombia

Dr. Mediya Rangi

Dr. Mediya Rangi

Senior Research Advisor, The Fred Hollows Foundation

Mediya is a sociologist and a cultural anthropologist currently engaged as the Senior Research Advisor within the Programs Division at the Fred Hollows Foundation. Mediya’s interdisciplinary and intersectoral work spans across academia, public health, and international development and aid. She adopts an intersectional approach to understanding the human experience with a focus on equity and justice.

As the Senior Research Advisor, Mediya offers technical advisory services to the Foundation’s 25 country teams and implementing partners in research design (methodology and ethical principles), implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge translation and dissemination. Her efforts are geared towards quality evidence-based effective and impactful eye health programming that prioritises beneficiaries’ well-being and quality of life by centring and amplifying people’s voices.

Nimisha Chabba

Nimisha Chabba

PhD Candidate, University of Auckland – School of Optometry and Vision Science

Nimisha is a public health professional and a PhD candidate within the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland. Her doctoral research focuses on measuring access to and the quality of diabetic retinopathy services in the context of universal health coverage. Her research interests include population eye health, equity, and health systems strengthening.

MSc Olivia Gomez

MSc Olivia Gomez

Master es Gerencia Hospitalaria y Salud Publica, Fundación Visión

Directora del Programa Vision en Fundación Vision, Paraguay y Vicepresidente del CONAVIP, Comité Nacional de la Vision en Paraguay. Desde el rol en el que me encuentro actualmente creo con firmeza que la colaboración de experiencias entre Instituciones y el trabajo en equipo nos ayudan a reducir el tiempo y hacer más provechoso el camino hacia la mejora de la salud ocular en nuestros países.

Pankaj Vishwakarma

Pankaj Vishwakarma

Head Programme Impact, Mission for Vision

Pankaj brings over more than two decades of professional involvement in the realm of social development. Currenty he is Head of Programme Impact, Mission for Vision, India. His responsibilities encompass spearheading teams for conducting project quality assessments, evaluations, impact analyses, and community-based research initiatives. His educational background includes a Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Development from the Xavier Institute of Social Service, India, followed by a Master’s Degree in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences, India.

Pankaj embarked on his career journey as a District Marketing Manager at the International Development Enterprise, subsequently transitioning to roles at Care International, Sightsavers, and Lodha Group. Throughout his career trajectory, he has garnered extensive expertise across various sectors including health, education, social inclusion, and livelihood development. Noteworthy achievements include his leadership in crafting numerous eye health manuals and authorship of many research publications in indexed journals focusing on eye health.

Dr Pushkar Silwal

Dr Pushkar Silwal

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Auckland

Dr Pushkar Silwal is a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Nueva Zelanda. Trained in health systems and policy, Pushkar is working to strengthen health systems approaches to global eye health in Nueva Zelanda and beyond. He has held professional positions on health system strengthening programs and policies in developing and high-income country contexts.

Pushkar’s areas of interest include mixed-methods research, health equity, health system performance measurement and management, policy analysis, diabetic retinopathy, monitoring and evaluation.

Suzanne S Gilbert, PhD, MPH

Suzanne S Gilbert, PhD, MPH

Senior Director, Research, Seva Foundation

Suzanne Gilbert is a co-founder of the Seva Foundation and has been active at the nexus of public health and global eye care for five decades. A social epidemiologist by training, she has been involved in the development of major national eye care programs and the strengthening of many partner eye care institutions in every region of the world. Her approach to comprehensive, equitable, sustainable eye care was greatly influenced by meeting Aravind’s Dr G Venkataswamy in 1978 and his decades of guidance.

Suzanne has played a leadership role within Seva, IAPB, WHO committees, and related eye societies. Focus throughout on understanding and strengthening the role of women and developing local capacity for service, training, and research. She has been instrumental in developing Seva’s 120-plus partner network in 20 countries, including the US. Suzanne has served with IAPB in multiple capacities since 1982.

En colaboración con:

Global Event Host:

Asociación para la Prevención de la Ceguera

Global Strategic Partner:

Fundación Fred Hollows