Leadership
The AOA Leadership is responsible for meeting the needs of our members and advocating for the profession.
A House of Delegates and an 11-member Board of Trustees govern the American Optometric Association (AOA). The House is comprised of affiliated association representatives, doctors of optometry in federal service, District of Columbia and optometry students. It meets at AOA's annual Optometry's Meeting® to:
- Conduct AOA business.
- Establish AOA policy.
- Elect officers and trustees to the board of trustees.
The board of trustees consists of six trustees plus these officers: President, president-elect, vice-president, secretary-treasurer, and immediate past president. It is empowered to conduct AOA business when the House is not in session.
2023-2024 AOA Board of Trustees
AOA Officers
President Ronald L. Benner, O.D.
President-elect Steven T. Reed, O.D.
Vice President Jacquie M. Bowen, O.D.
Secretary-Treasurer Teri K. Geist, O.D.
Immediate Past President Robert C. Layman, O.D.
AOA Trustees
Ronald L. Benner, O.D.
President
Montana
Ronald L. Benner, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 118th Annual AOA Congress & 45th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in June 2015 and elected to the office of president during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2023.
In addition to his duties as president, Dr. Benner servers as chair of the Executive Committee and chair of the Personnel Committee and is a member of the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee, Center for Independent Practice, and the Student Engagement Task Force. Dr. Benner is the liaison trustee to the Advocacy Committee, the Future Practice Initiative, the American Academy of Optometry, the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety, the National Association of VA Optometrists, the National Optometric Leadership Conference, the East/West Eye Conference, the Great Western Council of Optometry, the North Central States Optometric Council, the Southern Council of Optometrists, and the Universidad InterAmericana. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Florida and Washington, D.C. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Michigan College of Optometry and University of Missouri St. Louis—College of Optometry.
A past president of the Montana Optometric Association (MOA), Dr. Benner has held numerous roles within the MOA, as well as within the Great Western Council of Optometry, serving as chair of the board of directors. Dr. Benner has been honored with the MOA Young Optometrist of the Year Award, MOA Distinguished Service Award and, twice, MOA Optometrist of the Year Award.
A graduate of Pacific University College of Optometry, Dr. Benner has been active in his community, serving in numerous civic and faith-based organizations. He owns and operates a private practice clinic in Laurel, Montana.
Steven T. Reed, O.D.
President-elect
Mississippi
Steven T. Reed, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees at the 119th Annual AOA Congress & 46th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in July 2016 and elected to the office of president-elect during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2023.
As a member of the AOA Board, Dr. Reed serves as Chair of the 401(K) Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee, Agenda Committee, Personnel Committee and AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee. Dr. Reed is the liaison trustee to the Sports and Performance Vision Committee, the Advocacy Committee, the Federal Relations Committee, the Future Practice Initiative, the Meetings & Member Experiences Committee, Optometry Cares–The AOA Foundation, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association Political Action Committee and the National Optometric Leadership Conference. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Indiana University School of Optometry and Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry.
Dr. Reed is a past president of the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) and the Southwest Optometric Society. In his role with the MOA, he served as Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee, Optometry for Progress PAC, the Legislative Committee, the Assistance to Graduates and Undergraduates Committee and the Nominations Committee. He was also Chair of the Board of Trustees at Southern College of Optometry and Mississippi's Trustee for SECO International.
A graduate of Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Reed was the 2010 and 2016 recipient of the MOA James P. Brownlee Optometrist of the Year Award.
In Mississippi, Dr. Reed owns and operates private practices in Magee, Collins and Prentiss and is co-owner of practices in Clinton, Flowood, Forest and Vicksburg.
Jacqueline “Jacquie” M. Bowen, O.D.
Vice President
Colorado
Jacquie M. Bowen, O.D., was initially elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 119th Annual AOA Congress & 46th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in July 2016, and elected to the office of vice president during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2023.
As a member of the board, Dr. Bowen serves as chair of the Investment Committee and is a member of the 401(k) Committee, Executive Committee, Personnel Committee, the AOAExcel® board, the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee, the Center for Independent Practice, the New Trustee Orientation Task Force, and the Student Engagement Task Force. Additionally, Dr. Bowen is the Speaker of the House of Delegates Pro Tem and serves on the Optometry Cares®—The AOA Foundation’s Board of Directors. She is also the liaison trustee to the Advocacy Committee, the Federal Relations Committee, the Future Practice Initiative, the Leadership Development Committee, the Industry Relations Center Committee, the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education, the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association, and the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Furthermore, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including The Ohio State University College of Optometry and the University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry.
Dr. Bowen is a past president of the Colorado Optometric Association (COA), also serving on the COA Board from 1998-2005. She is a member of the Northern Colorado Optometric Society and the Colorado Optometric Glaucoma Society, and a legislative keyperson to Colorado. Dr. Bowen was awarded the Colorado Young Optometrist of the Year in 2000, Colorado Optometrist of the Year in 2012, and Colorado Distinguished Service Award in 2023.
She is a graduate of Southern California College of Optometry and completed a residency in ocular disease at Omni Eye Specialists in Denver. Dr. Bowen has owned and operated a private practice clinic where she recently partnered with MyEyeDr in Greeley, Colorado. She has provided eye care to the community for more than 30 years. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Optometry and continues to be active in her community, serving with numerous civic, faith-based and music groups. She has been married to her husband, Doug, since 1990 and they have two grown sons and one daughter-in-law.
Teri K. Geist, O.D.
Secretary-Treasurer
Nebraska
Teri K. Geist, O.D., was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 122nd Annual AOA Congress & 49th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in June 2019 and elected to the office of secretary-treasurer during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2023.
As a member of the board, Dr. Geist serves as chair of the Finance Committee and is a member of the 401(k) Committee, the Executive Committee, the Investment Committee, and the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee. Dr. Geist serves on Optometry Cares®The AOA Foundation's Board of Directors and is the liaison trustee to the Education Center Committee, the Health Policy Institute, the Advocacy Committee, the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification, the Paraoptometric Resource Center Committee, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, and the National Optometric Association. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Additionally, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including the University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Optometry and University of Houston College of Optometry.
Dr. Geist is a past president of the Nebraska Optometric Association and also served on multiple NOA committees including as legislative chair. She served as president of the North Central States Optometric Council and was the director of the Healthy Eyes Healthy Children grant aimed to address gaps in awareness and public policy in vision care that present impediments for underserved students in Nebraska schools. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. Additionally, Dr. Geist has been a consultant for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education and chaired the Nebraska Foundation for Children’s Vision. Dr. Geist was awarded the NOA Young Optometrist of the Year in 2001, the NOA Optometrist of the Year in 2005 and 2019, NOA Distinguished Service Award in 2015, and four presidential citations.
She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned her doctor of optometry degree from Pacific University in 1996. Dr. Geist practices at Midwest Eye Care, PC in Omaha, Nebraska. She lives in Omaha with her husband Rod. They have two grown sons, Noah and Zachary and daughter-in-law Caroline.
Robert C. Layman, O.D.
Immediate Past President
Ohio
Robert C. Layman, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees at the 116th Annual AOA Congress & 43rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in June 2013 and installed as Immediate Past President during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2023.
In addition to his duties as Immediate Past President, Dr. Layman is a member of the Executive Committee, the Chairman of the Center for Independent Practice, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Dr. Layman is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Midwestern University Chicago College of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry.
Prior to his election to the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Layman's 30-plus years of consecutive AOA volunteer service included the following chairmanships: Diabetes Project Team, Optometric Executive's Project Team, Information and Member Services Group Executive Committee Chair, Non-Dues Income Committee, Assistance to Graduates Project Team and 401(K) Committee Chair.
Dr. Layman was honored with Ohio State University College of Optometry’s 2023 Outstanding Alumnus Award. He was also honored with the AOA Optometrist of the Year award in 2006. He has also received the Ohio Optometrist of the Year, Ohio Young Optometrist of the Year, Ohio Key Optometrist of the Year and Outstanding Senior Student awards. Dr. Layman is a past president of the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA). He served as the OOA Electronic Health Records Task Force liaison to the Northwest Ohio Regional Extension Center/Health Information Partnership from 2010-2014. Dr. Layman chaired the EastWest Eye Conference from 2009-2011. He has presented the RealEyes Classroom Initiative curriculum in his community since the program's inception in 2001.
Dr. Layman is a graduate of The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Optometry, where he was named one of OSU College of Optometry’s Top 100 Notable Alumni during the 100th anniversary of the college. He has served as a vision consultant to the University of Toledo Athletic Department for more than 25 years. He has been an adult leader in Boy Scout Troop 87, a volunteer with the Mildred Bayer Homeless Clinic of Toledo and a member of the YMCA Board of Managers.
Dr. Layman is an owner of Pinnacle Eye Group in Lambertville, Michigan, and Great Lakes Vision Care in Monroe, Michigan, and lives with his wife, Barb, in Toledo, Ohio. They have four grown children. He is energized to continue advancing the profession by working closely with affiliates, increasing membership and securing the proper place for optometry in health care reform.
Terri A. Gossard, O.D., M.S.
Trustee
Ohio
Terri A. Gossard, O.D., M.S., was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 122nd Annual AOA Congress & 49th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting® in June 2019 and re-elected as trustee during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2023.
As a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Gossard is a member of the Finance Committee, the Investment Committee, and the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee. Dr. Gossard is the liaison trustee to the Contact Lens and Cornea Section, the Third Party Center Executive Committee, the Coding and Reimbursement Committee, the Membership Development Committee, the American Board of Optometry, and the Optometric Extension Program. She also serves as liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas as well as the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services. Additionally, Dr. Gossard serves as the liaison trustee to schools of optometry including the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Optometry, New England College of Optometry, and Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry.
Dr. Gossard is a past president of the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA), also serving on the OOA Board and chaired the OOA’s Children’s Vision Task Force and Legislative Committee. She serves on the executive project team for the OneSight Vision Center at Oyler School and volunteers for the RealEyes Save Our Sight classroom initiative. She is on the selection committee for the Young Investigator Student Fellowship Awards for Female Scholars in Vision Research as well as Healthy Eyes, Healthy Children. Dr. Gossard was awarded the OOA’s Optometrist of the Year in 2017.
She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry with both her doctor of optometry and master’s degrees in physiological optics in 1996. She practiced for 20 years in Cincinnati, Ohio, 17 of them in a multidisciplinary practice, and consulted for the Eye Care Provider Network, Primary Eyecare Network, and the Northmark Integrated Eyecare Network. Dr. Gossard is the Midwest Director of Professional Relations for Cincinnati Eye Institute Vision Partners.
Dr. Gossard lives in Cincinnati with her husband Ted. They have two grown children, Maggie and Will. She enjoys snow skiing and rooting for her hometown Buckeyes, Bengals and Reds.
Curtis A. Ono, O.D.
Trustee
Washington
Curtis A. Ono, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees at the annual meeting of the House of Delegates on June 22, 2020, and he was re-elected as trustee during the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2023.
As a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Ono is a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Investment Committee, and the Finance Committee. Dr. Ono is the liaison trustee to the Telehealth Council, the Strategic Communications Committee, the Council on Research, the New Technology Committee, the Quality Improvement and Data Committee, the American Association of Corporate Optometrists, the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity and the World Council of Optometry. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry and State University of New York State College of Optometry.
Dr. Ono is a past president of the Optometric Physicians of Washington (OPW) and also served as chair of the Annual Convention Planning, Awards, Children’s Vision, Legislative Grassroots, Membership Development and VISION USA committees. In 2017, OPW recognized his optometric and community contributions with the Jack Hale (Lifetime Achievement) Award. In addition, he was the recipient of the Optometric Physician of the Year Award in 2016 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2016 and 2005. Dr. Ono also served as president of the Great Western Council of Optometry’s (GWCO) board of directors. Additionally, he was chair of the Congress Planning, Industry Relations, Leadership Development, Medical Grants, Nominating, Education, Executive Director Search, President’s Council Planning and Student Program committees. In 2017, he was awarded the GWCO President’s Leadership Award. In 2019, Dr. Ono received the AOA President’s Award.
Before moving to Washington state, Dr. Ono was a member of the Minnesota Optometric Association and served as the Metro-area Legislative Grassroots Coordinator and chair/co-founder of the Minnesota Vision Project, part of the national VISION USA initiative. The MOA awarded Dr. Ono the President’s Award in 1994.
Dr. Ono is a co-owner of Puget Sound Eye Care in Seattle and Bellevue, Washington. He lives with his spouse, Wendy, and has a grown son, Alex, who is a student at the Southern California College of Optometry.
Belinda R. Starkey, O.D.
Trustee
Arkansas
Belinda R. Starkey, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 124th Annual AOA Congress & 51st Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2021.
As a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Starkey is a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Eye Deserve More, and the Student Engagement Task Force. She is the President of Optometry Cares–The AOA Foundation and is the liaison trustee to the Education Center Committee, the Vision Rehabilitation Committee, the State Government Relations Committee, the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee, the Faculty and Student Membership Liaisons, the Association for Pediatric Vision Advisory Board, and the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin as well as the American Optometric Student Association. Additionally, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University and Western University of Health Science College of Optometry.
Dr. Starkey served as a member of the AOA’s Industry Relations Committee and the House of Delegates Credentials Committee. She served on various volunteer committees for the Arkansas Optometric Association (ArOA) where she was a past president and former co-chair of the State Legislative Committee. Dr. Starkey served as treasurer of Arkansans for Healthy Eyes, a coalition group advocating for Arkansas’ scope expansion law during the state’s recent referendum battle.
A founder and former chair of Networking Optometric Women (NOW), Dr. Starkey received the ArOA’s Optometrist of the Year and Special Service awards in 2020, the Theia Award in 2020 from Women of Optometry and the AOA’s Optometrist of the Year Award in 2021.
A graduate of the Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Starkey is a partner at Parenti-Morris Eyecare in Rogers, Arkansas. She lives in Rogers with her husband, Clay, and dog, Jett. Dr. Starkey enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and is an avid Razorbacks fan.
Marrie S. Read, O.D., M.B.A.
Trustee
Armed Forces Optometric Society
Marrie S. Read, O.D., MBA, of the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 125th Annual AOA Congress & 52nd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2022.
As a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Read is a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Eye Deserve More and Student Engagement Task Force. Dr. Read serves on Optometry Cares®–The AOA Foundation Board of Directors and is the liaison trustee to the Telehealth Council, the Strategic Communications Committee, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and the Leadership Development Committee. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Additionally, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including NOVA Southeastern University College of Optometry and Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University.
Dr. Read is a past president of AFOS, also serving on the AFOS Board and chaired the AFOS Awards Committee. Prior to her election to the AOA Board of Trustees, she chaired the Nominating Committee and served on several AOA committees including Quality Improvement, Registry, Federal Relations, Federal Advocacy Representative and Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety. Dr. Read was awarded the AFOS Navy Optometrist of the Year in 2013.
She is a graduate of Saint Louis University, earned her doctorate of optometry from Southern College of Optometry, completed a residency in primary care and ocular disease from the Harry S. Truman Veterans Hospital, earned a master of business administration from Naval Postgraduate School and completed a legislative fellowship on Capitol Hill. For more than 25 years, Dr. Read has served in the U.S. Navy in various leadership and clinical positions.
Dr. Read lives in Virginia with her husband John. They have three children: Joby, Emma and David.
Paul M. Barney, O.D.
Trustee
Alaska
Paul Barney, O.D., of Alaska, was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 125th Annual AOA Congress & 52nd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2022.
As a member of the board, Dr. Barney serves on the New Trustee Orientation Task Force and the Optometry Cares®—The AOA Foundation's Board of Directors. He is the liaison trustee to the Research and Information Committee, the State Government Relations Committee, the Third Party Center Executive Committee, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, the Membership Development Committee, the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety, and the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including the University of Alabama at Birmingham—School of Optometry and the University of California—Berkeley School of Optometry.
Dr. Barney has dedicated more than 20 years of volunteer service to the Alaska Optometric Association (AKOA), where he has held almost every leadership title, including president, chair of the Education Committee and chair of the Legislative Committee. He also has served as a member of the Board of Examiners in Optometry for the state of Alaska for eight years, including five years as chair. Dr. Barney has devoted countless hours over many years advocating for the advancement of the practice of optometry in Alaska so that the needs of optometric patients in the rural areas and villages of the vast state can have access to the best care possible. He currently serves as chair of the Legislative Committee for the AKOA. He was instrumental in passing H.B.103 in 2017, an Alaska statute which gave the Alaska Board of Examiners in Optometry the autonomy and the authority to write regulations for anything that is taught at an accredited school or college of optometry.
Dr. Barney served as Alaska’s director to the Great Western Council of Optometry for several years and served as its president from 2014-2015.
Tad R. Kosanovich, O.D.
Trustee
Florida
Tad R. Kosanovich, O.D., was elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees at the 126th Annual AOA Congress & 53rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2023.
As a member of the AOA Board of Trustees, Dr. Kosanovich is a member of the New Trustee Orientation Task Force and the Student Engagement Task Force. Dr. Kosanovich is the liaison trustee to the Ethics and Values Committee, the Evidence-Based Optometry Committee, the Commission on Ophthalmic Standards and the InfantSEE® and Children’s Vision Committee. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Pacific University College of Optometry and Southern College of Optometry.
Dr. Kosanovich entered private practice in Englewood, Florida, in 1992, having received his doctor of optometry degree from the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University in 1986 and completing an ocular disease residency at Omni Eye Services in Baltimore, Maryland. He has a history of leadership dating back to his time at Michigan College of Optometry, serving as class president for two years before being elected president of Ferris Optometry College Union of Students and representing Michigan by attending the AOSA national meeting. Dr. Kosanovich became active in his local Manasota Optometric Society in the 1990s, serving as president, and first became involved with the Florida Optometric Association (FOA) when he served on the FOA Charities Board, 1999-2004. Dr. Kosanovich was elected to the FOA Board in 2011, ascending to president for 2017-18.
He served as the AOA Third Party Center State Coordinator from 2014-2023. The state political action committee grew during his chairmanship for FOA ODEYEPAC from 2020-2023. He was appointed to the AOA State Government Relations Committee (SGRC) in 2018 and served through 2023.
During his tenure of service on FOA’s Legislative Committee, Florida achieved success by passing pro-optometry bills and stopping a multitude of anti-optometry pieces of legislation. As a member of the AOA SGRC, Dr. Kosanovich provided assistance to other state affiliates in their own legislative challenges.
In his community, Dr. Kosanovich has served on the board of his local YMCA and the Englewood Youth Foundation, chairing the latter’s Scholarship Committee. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Englewood, serving as president in 2003-2004 and Rotary Area Governor for his district, 2009-2012.
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