SUNY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY FOUNDATION NAMES NEW MEMBER TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
New York, NY - August 5, 2024 (USANews.com) - The SUNY College of Optometry Foundation recently named Jason Eckert to its board of trustees for a three-year term beginning earlier this month. Mr. Eckert is Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Vision Serve Alliance. He has 25 years of professional experience in the Blind and Vision Impaired community. He is widely regarded for working closely with providers and partners in the blind and vision impaired community to remove impediments to success and foster the development of innovative, goal-oriented programs.
The SUNY College of Optometry Board meets at least four times a year. The core responsibilities include fiduciary oversight and securing resources to support student scholarships, vision research and patient care.
Mr. Eckert began his career as a Rehabilitation Counselor providing career services at Lighthouse International (now Lighthouse Guild). In 2000 he joined the New York State Commission for the Blind, where he rose to become Downstate Regional Coordinator, a position he held for seven years. From 2021 to 2023 he served as the Executive Director at the Readers Digest Partners for Sight Foundation.
Mr. Eckert holds many postgraduate certifications in counseling, has completed several government executive training programs, and received many management and leadership awards. He has lectured widely on topics related to blindness and vision impairment. He earned an M.A. in Counseling and a B.A. in Psychology with a secondary field of study in Special Education from George Washington University.
Dr. Richard Soden, OD, FAAO serves as the President of the board of trustees and welcomed its newest member. “Adding Mr. Eckert will help strengthen key purposes of our board that include helping patients, students, and the community,” explained Dr. Soden. “It is through the dedication and commitment of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees that we are able to secure funding for programming that promotes opportunity and better health for all people.”
About the SUNY College of Optometry Foundation
Founded in 1956, SUNY College of Optometry Foundation (Formerly the Optometric Center of New York), serves as an example of what partnership among visionary community leaders, education, vision organizations and businesses can accomplish. Since its inception, the Foundation has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to supporting vision care for underserved populations; educating the next generation of optometrists including providing merit and need-based scholarships to students; and advancing research into the complex human visual system.
To make a donation visit www.sunyopt.edu/give or to learn more contact the foundation at [email protected] or 212-938-5600.
About SUNY Optometry
Founded in 1971 and located in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research, and patient care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in vision science. The College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research and has 65 affiliated clinical training sites as well as an on-site clinic, the University Eye Center. SUNY Optometry is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; its four-year professional degree program and residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association. All classrooms, research facilities and the University Eye Center, which is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation, are located on 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan. To learn more about SUNY Optometry, visit www.sunyopt.edu or view our prior press releases.
Media Contact:
Rob Rosiello
Email: [email protected]
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