Meet Our Board - Ophthalmology Foundation

We are a foundation for ophthalmologists who are passionate about ophthalmic education. We believe improving ophthalmic education around the world improves the quality of care that patients receive. Our board is made up of ophthalmologists, ophthalmology professors, and industry leaders from around the world who believe in our mission and share our values.

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President

James V. Mazzo

James V. (Jim) Mazzo is Executive Chair of Neurotech, a private clinical stage biotech company focused on developing transformative therapies for chronic retinal diseases. Mazzo is an Advisor for Anivive, Bain, CVC Private Equity, Visus, and Zeiss. He sits on the Boards of Emmecell, Iantrek, Pulse Medica, Remonihealth and is the Executive Chair of Trukera and Centricity Vision.

He serves as President of the Ophthalmology Foundation supporting educational programs for eye care professionals around the world and is Board Chair of the Gavin Hebert Eye Institute. Mazzo is on the Advisory Boards of the AAO Foundation, the AGS Foundation, NASA’s Mission to Mars Committee, is an Officer in the Order of St. John, and a Board Member of the Anaheim Ducks Foundation.

Mazzo’s accolades include recognition as a multi-time Top 100 Innovator in Ophthalmology, and one of Orange County’s Top 50 Executives. In 2023 he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Lindstrom Leadership Award, and the Orange County Eye Project Lifetime Achievement Award.

Vice President

David E. I. Pyott, MDhc

The David & Molly Pyott Foundation
Avon, CO, USA

David Pyott has a decades-long career as a globally recognized top business executive (ranked #4 in Harvard Business Review’s The 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World in 2014). He has been a leading member for multiple educational business institutions, a driving force for strategizing next level development for various multinational corporations, and has received many awards for his excellence in business, leadership, and philanthropy, including being bestowed with the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty The Queen in 2006.

For this Board officer, however, bringing awareness to preventable causes of blindness worldwide and improving patient outcomes is of paramount importance. David has dedicated a significant amount of time and money, both personally and professionally, to the advancement of education and training of eye health professionals in lower and middle income countries. Through The David & Molly Pyott Foundation, David and his wife have provided postgraduate scholarships to support international applicants admitted to the University of Edinburgh’s online Master of Surgery (ChM) in Clinical Ophthalmology program, made a major gift for glaucoma education through the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Academy Foundation; started and continue to fund programs through Orbis to doubling the number of ophthalmologists in Zambia, and with the support of the Ophthalmology Foundation is currently funding the Improved Regional Ophthalmic Education Project through the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Southern, and Central Africa and the International Ophthalmological Fellowship Foundation.

Bruce E. Spivey, MD, MS, MEd

Pacific Vision Foundation
San Francisco, CA, USA

Bruce Spivey has led a notable career as a physician, educator, and leader. As a preeminent authority in the medical specialty of ophthalmology, Bruce has given more than 40 named lectures, authored over 140 peer-reviewed articles, and received more than 40 awards for excellence in medicine and contributions to medical education. He also received the Bronze Star for his service in the Army as Chief of Ophthalmology of the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Qui Nhon, South Vietnam.

Bruce is the founding member of numerous national and international societies and associations for ophthalmology, and has served as president, treasurer, and trustee at more than a dozen academic, societal, healthcare industry, or philanthropic organizations.

Honored for his extensive work to enhance ophthalmology education and patient eye care internationally, respected for his exceptional leadership and monumental contributions to ophthalmology worldwide, Bruce is a humble and kind leader, and we are privileged to have him as a founding Officer and integral leader at the Ophthalmology Foundation.

Vice President

Secretary / Treasurer

Julia A. Haller, MD

Wills Eye Hospital
Philadelphia, PA, USA

Julia Haller is a major innovator in treatments for retinal disorders and a strong voice for equity and mentorship within medicine, by her leadership in both academia and industry. She is a celebrated surgeon and noted scientist. Julia has been a pioneer in her field, instrumental in bringing advanced treatment methods from theory to reality in the fight against preventable blindness, including sustained drug delivery devices, ocular pharmacotherapy, retinal “chip” implants, and gene therapy.

Julia graduated with high honors from Princeton University and Harvard Medical School before her ophthalmology training at the Wilmer Eye Institute at John Hopkins. She was the first woman to become Chief Resident at Wilmer, where she was named to two endowed Chair positions and professorships, and led the retina fellowship program before being named Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 2007. She has won numerous awards and held many leadership roles in the ensuing years.

Julia continues to influence medical professionals and women leaders, having held trustee positions at her alma maters, as well as heading associations such as the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and many ophthalmology-specific organizations. Julia also believes in a team approach for physicians working with industry to innovate drugs, devices, and therapies, which is why you can find her name on medical advisory boards and as director, trustee, or executive committee member of a wide variety of biomedical firms. We are grateful for her service as a board member of the Ophthalmology Foundation these past years and are excited for her era as a leader within the organization.

Peter McDonnell, MD

Wilmer Eye Institute
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD, USA

Peter McDonnell is a prolific publisher and keen researcher, with a primary interest in surgical correction of refractive error, dry eye disease, ocular infection, and the use of nanotechnological solutions for improving drug delivery to the eye. Peter has led a distinguished career as an academic department head and director of ophthalmological institutions, as well as served on the editorial boards of multiple ophthalmology journals.

Peter started his academic career at Dartmouth College, graduating from Johns Hopkins University with his medical degree. Subsequent years saw him between the Wilmer Institute and the University of Southern California for residency, fellowship, and professorships before being named as Department Chair in Ophthalmology at University of California Irvine. Since 2003, Peter has been the Director of The Wilmer Eye Institute, with one of the largest complements of full-time faculty and cache of research funds. Peter has published over 250 articles and holds multiple patents for treatments related to eye diseases.

Besides his contributions to research and publishing, one of his most notable non-profit involvements is with the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR/AEVR), where he served as president of the boards of directors in years past. NAEVR/AEVR is primarily focused on advocacy and education for the general public as well as policy makers regarding the importance of funded research for eye and vision care.