Boston was the site of the most recent meeting of our Academy's Board of Directors. It was also marathon weekend in Boston. We shared our hotel with many of the runners who had come with their families to watch mom, dad, sister, or brother run in the big race on Monday. Young children were inquiring why mom or dad did not choose the treadmill with warmth of the workout room, rather than the cold and damp weather outside for their Friday work out. Some of us even wandered over to the finish line a few days before the event to grab an evening meal.
The city was alive with the anticipation of the celebration of this famous race where participation is valued as much as winning. We departed on Sunday; some of us early in the morning, others later in the day after walking the streets filled with runners completing their pre-race rituals. We were all shocked by the news that such a celebration and family gathering was violated by such a tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those whose loved ones were killed or injured in this senseless act of violence.
After I left Boston I headed to Malaga, Spain, the site of the combined meetings of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics, the European Council of Optometry and Optics, the World Council of Optometry (WCO), and the Spanish General Council of Optometry. This coalition of meetings brought together over 300 optometrists and opticians from over 40 countries. I primarily attended the European Academy of Optometry and Optics meeting.
I met with many of our European colleagues and had the opportunity to have thoughtful discussions with many of our European Fellows. Our Academy Fellows hold key leadership positions in the European Academy of Optometry and Optics, with Paul Murphy succeeding Roger Crelier as President, as well as Ellen Svarverud, Annemieke Coops, and Marten Fortuin serving on the Board of Directors. Among those honored with Fellowship in the European Academy were American Fellow Andrea Müller-Treiber and Fellow Candidate Caroline Christie.
Tim McMahon primarily attended the WCO meeting and will serve as one of the North American representatives on the WCO Governing Board for the next two years. Academy Fellows are well represented within the WCO, with Susan Cooper succeeding Tone Garaas-Maurdalen as President and George Woo completing his term as Immediate Past President. In addition, Pete Kehoe is the new Treasurer replacing Richard Wallingford, who has served in that role for the past six years.
Other Fellows serving in leadership roles include Committee Chairs Jerry Lowther for Education and Kovin Naidoo for Public Health, and Uduak Udom and Carly Lam who serve on the WCO Governing Board. Brien Holden gave a rousing keynote address at the European Academy of Optometry and Optics meeting and was honored with the Distinguished Service Award of the World Council of Optometry.
