Candidates announce 2026 election bids for AOA Board of Trustees

Read about the seven doctors of optometry seeking positions on the AOA Board of Trustees during voting at Optometry’s Meeting® 2026  in Phoenix, June 17-20. 

Terri A. Gossard, O.D., M.S., of Ohio, has filed for the office of president-elect. Dr. Gossard 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 vice president during the 128th Annual AOA Congress & 55th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2025. She serves on the Executive Committee, the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee, the Board Advancement Committee, and the Student Engagement Committee. She is the liaison trustee to the Advocacy Committee, Council on Research, Faculty & Student Membership Liaisons, Future Practice Initiative, Industry Relations Committee, and the Innovations in Care Committee. She also serves as liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington. Additionally, Dr. Gossard serves as the liaison trustee to schools of optometry including the Pacific University College of Optometry, Rocky Mountain University, Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, University of California – Berkeley School of Optometry, and Western University of Health Science College of Optometry.    

“As I run for president-elect—my final election to the AOA Board of Trustees—I’m reflecting on how much our profession has evolved since I graduated 30 years ago, and, more importantly, how we position optometry for the next 30. My focus is clear: ensuring patients have full access to the care optometrists are trained to provide, and that our profession continues to advance as an essential part of the broader health care system. That means expanding access to the best technologies and procedures, supporting an appropriate and well-trained scope of care, and strengthening a sustainable practice environment for our doctors. The demand for eye care is only growing, and meeting that need requires fully utilizing optometry. I’m committed to helping ensure our profession is positioned to lead—today and into the future.” 

Curtis A. Ono, O.D., of Washington, has filed for the office of vice president. Dr. Ono was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the annual meeting of the House of Delegates on June 22, 2020, and he was elected as secretary-treasurer during the 128th Annual AOA Congress & 55th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2025. He serves on the Executive Committee, the AOA Advocacy Roundtable Committee and on the AOA Foundation's Board of Directors. He is the liaison trustee to the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification Committee, Community & Engagement Advisory Committee, and the Third Party Executive Committee, Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, and the Optometric Vision Development & Rehabilitation Association. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Midwestern University Arizona – College of Optometry, University of the Incarnate Word - Rosenberg School of Optometry, Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, University of California – Berkeley School of Optometry, and Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry.  

“I am honored to be a candidate for vice president of the American Optometric Association. Over the past year as secretary-treasurer, I have taken my fiduciary responsibilities seriously, prioritizing the thoughtful, transparent and strategic use of our financial resources. Every dollar should reflect our mission, uphold our values and produce meaningful results. During my six years on the AOA Board of Trustees, I’ve seen significant progress alongside our affiliates in scope expansion, VBM legislation, public awareness, payer advocacy, membership growth, and education. These advancements strengthen our profession and, most importantly, improve patient access to high-quality care in their communities. I am energized by the opportunity to continue serving with dedicated colleagues and our exceptional staff. There is important work ahead, and I look forward to strengthening our partnership with affiliates to keep moving optometry forward. Thank you for your trust and collaboration.” 

Paul M. Barney, O.D., of Alaska, has filed for the office of secretary-treasurer. Dr. Barney was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 125th Annual AOA Congress & 52nd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2022 and was reelected as trustee during the 127th Annual AOA Congress & 54th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2024.  He serves as the liaison trustee to the Contact Lens and Cornea Section, Education Center Committee, Ethics & Values Committee, Evidence-Based Optometry Committee, Leadership Development Committee, State Government Relations Committee, American Board of Optometry, and National Optometric Association. He also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services. Additionally, he is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Ferris State University Michigan College of Optometry and University of Houston College of Optometry.  

"The demand for vision care is increasing across the U.S., yet optometry's education and training is underutilized in most U.S. states and in the V.A. Reimbursement for our services is also devalued by most vision plans. Optometry has had great success recently in advancing our scope of practice and with vision plan legislation. I would like to capitalize on that momentum and use my advocacy experience to help move the needle further in all those areas. Utilizing our education and training to its fullest translates to better and swifter access to care for all Americans and fair reimbursement for our services will help us deliver that care more effectively." 

Karoline L. Munson, O.D., of Kentucky, has filed for trustee reelection. Dr. Munson was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 127th Annual AOA Congress & 54th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2024. She is the liaison trustee to the New Trustee Orientation Committee, Coding and Reimbursement Committee, Community & Engagement Advisory Committee, Leadership Development Committee, Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief, Paraoptometric Resource Center, Innovations in Care Committee, Strategic Communications Committee, and serves on the board of the AOA Foundation. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia. Additionally, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Indiana University School of Optometry and the Ohio State University College of Optometry. 

“The advancements in contemporary optometry are due to the forward-thinking leaders of the past. The aging population, VBMs and practice modality changes are posed to further shift our profession. Technology advances and AI will also reshape the way we practice optometry. Through my candidacy for reelection to the AOA Board of Trustees, I am excited to continue my leadership of our profession and to aid our profession in addressing these opportunities. I am passionate about strengthening the connections between our affiliates and the AOA, increasing the engagement of our membership and fostering a feeling of excitement in the direction our association and profession is headed. As our profession continues to evolve, I am poised to use my knowledge of the legislative process and can aid in scope expansion and legislative battles. We are stronger together, and I can’t wait to see where we can take this amazing profession!” 

Amy A. Puerto, O.D., of Louisiana, has filed for trustee reelection. Dr. Puerto was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees at the 128th Annual AOA Congress & 55th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in June 2025. She is the liaison trustee to the Eye Deserve More initiative, the New Trustee Orientation Task Force, Community & Engagement Advisory Committee, Telehealth Council and Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity/International organization. She also serves as the liaison trustee to affiliate associations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Additionally, she is the liaison trustee to optometry schools including Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Optometry, New England College of Optometry, and State University of New York College of Optometry. 

“Thank you, AOA members, for the opportunity to serve as an AOA Trustee! As I humbly seek reelection to the AOA Board of Trustees, I am energized by the momentum you helped build with your vote last year—bridging generations while ensuring experienced, trusted leadership remains at the helm of our profession. We see optometry stands at a defining moment of relevancy—modern scope implementation, increasing consolidation, and competing innovative and disruptive forces are reshaping eye care delivery. As a current trustee who has proudly practiced full-scope optometry since day one, I bring credible, real-world perspective to national conversations—demonstrating that contemporary optometry is not aspirational, but through our optometric education and training, it is already here. I have stood alongside affiliates to combat misinformation, challenge vision plan abuses, expand scope and advance patient access from the statehouse to Congress … and this work is only beginning. I recognize the responsibility an AOA trustee holds—to represent who we are and where we are going—and remain committed, alongside my fellow trustees, to advancing optometry and strengthening our membership for the future.” 

Steven Eiss, O.D., of Pennsylvania, has filed for trustee election. Dr. Eiss has provided more than a decade of national leadership on the AOA Third Party Center Executive Committee, including serving as chair since 2016. He served as Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) president in 2017, where he helped champion legislation allowing doctors of optometry to certify eligibility for handicap placards for visually disabled patients—an important recognition of the profession’s role in patient care. He also serves as an AOA Federal Advocacy Representative and keyperson for his federal legislator. In 2024, he stepped forward to chair the POA Third Party Center, continuing to guide the profession’s work on payer policy and advocacy. He also has represented Pennsylvania on the Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee since 2012 and contributed to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s State Innovation Healthcare Model Workgroup. 

“After 10 years as chair of the AOA Third Party Executive Committee, I’ve decided it is time to bring my knowledge and expertise to the AOA Board of Trustees. The current environment has brought a bright spotlight on payer abuses in medicine. After years of profiting off patients and payers with little regard for what’s really best for patient care, we have a unique opportunity to assist Congress and other regulatory bodies in making change. I feel having a strong third party voice directly on the board at this time is essential, and I’m ready to help make real change to benefit our patients going forward. Third party payer issues are one of the top concerns of our members, and we need to continue the advocacy to bring this valuable benefit to our current and future members.” 

Shane Foster, O.D., of Ohio, has filed for trustee election. Dr. Foster served as president of the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) Board of Trustees in 2022. He has been a staunch advocate for access to care and children’s vision issues, both at the state and national level. He is president of iSee Ohio - the Ohio Optometric Foundation, which oversees the Ohio Children’s Vision Initiative, a $2.5 million grant from the State of Ohio to increase vision health literacy and to expand access to quality eye care through charitable in-school eye exam programs. In 2024, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Dr. Foster to the Ohio Department of Health Children’s Vision Strike Force, a work group that was charged with developing a strategy to ensure that children who failed a school vision screening went on to get a comprehensive eye exam. The result of that Strike Force was the launch of OhioSEE (Ohio Student Eye Exam) in 2025, which ensures access to quality, comprehensive eye care and eyewear for children K-3 who are referred by a school vision screening. He has been a member of the AOA State Government Relations Committee for the past three years and previously served on the AOA New Technology Committee. He is a Myopia Collective Change Agent, a Federal Keyperson, and an AOA-PAC Visionary investor.  

“I have been an AOA member for over 20 years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve at both the state and national levels. If elected to the AOA Board of Trustees, I will work to build upon the strong foundation established by our leadership and by members across the country. We are at a pivotal moment for optometry, on many fronts. Advancing scope modernization, including in-office procedures, must remain a priority so that all doctors can practice to the fullest extent of their training. At the same time, we must continue the fight for fair reimbursement and push back against vision benefit managers and insurance practices that threaten the sustainability of our profession. I am also deeply committed to expanding access to care, particularly for children and underserved populations. Organized optometry is strongest when we are united, collaborative and forward-thinking—and I am ready to help lead that effort as an AOA trustee.”