Presenters
Dr. Jayme R. Vianna, MD
Dr. Vianna was born in São Paulo, Brazil, where he attended medical school, ophthalmology residency and glaucoma specialization at University of São Paulo. Dr. Vianna came to Halifax in 2014 to do a fellowship in glaucoma research. Dr. Vianna currently holds the position of QEII Foundation Glaucoma Scholar at Dalhousie University. His research focuses on optimizing the use of optical coherence tomography and visual field examinations to understand, diagnose and manage glaucoma.
Dr. Melanie Roy, MD, FRCSC
Dr. Roy is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC), Dr. Roy received her medical degree in 2000 from the Université de Sherbrooke, where she also completed her residency as chief resident. Dr. Roy received post-graduate, fellowship-level training in refractive surgery at LASIK MD in Montreal with Drs. Mark Cohen, Avi Wallerstein and Pierre Demers. She currently practices in clinics in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
Dr. Anastasia Neufeld MD, FRCSC
Dr. Neufeld completed her medical school at the University of British Columbia, her residency in ophthalmology at Dalhousie University and her ophthalmology fellowship at the John A. Moran Eye Centre at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She has done multiple podium presentations at the Walsh Meeting, North American Neuro-Ophthalmological Society Meeting, Canadian Ophthalmological Society Meeting and Western Intermountain Neurological Society Meeting. Her academic interests include surgical teaching in ophthalmology, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, optic neuropathy and autoimmune neuro-ophthalmic conditions
Dr. Clara Chan, MD, FRCSC, FACS, DABO
Dr. Chan is a specialist in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery. After her Bachelor’s degree at Stanford University, she attended Queen's University Medical School and the University of Toronto for her ophthalmology residency. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Toronto. She teaches international fellows as part of the Cornea fellowship program at the Toronto Western Hospital and is the Medical Director of the Eye Bank of Canada, Ontario Division.
Dr. Toby Mandelman OD
Dr. Mandelman is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in 1983. She founded, and currently practices in Bedford, NS at Bedford Eye Care. In 2014, she developed a special interest in treating concussion patients who suffer from Post Trauma Vision Syndrome and began the lengthy journey to educate herself in this interesting field. Since then, she has treated over 300 patients using a multi-disciplinary care model, involving physicians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, neuropsychologists and naturopaths.
Dr. Bernard R. Hurley, BSc, MD, FRCSC
Dr. Hurley is an Assistant Professor at The University of Ottawa Eye Institute where he is also the residency program director and the fellowship program director. He has received awards for top clinical instruction in the department in 2016, 2013 and 2011. He completed his post-graduate medical education with a Retina Fellowship at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia where he was twice awarded the Outstanding Fellow Award. He has written several chapters and has been the author or co-author of many peer-reviewed publications. He has received research support from the E.A. Baker Foundation.
Michelle Steenbakkers OD, FAAO
Dr. Steenbakkers graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences. She earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo. Dr. Steenbakkers completed two residencies with the University of Houston, the first focused on Community-Based Family Practice and the second, as Chief Resident at Bridge Builder’s Eye Clinic. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and was an Associate Clinical Professor at the School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo, following several years of private practice in Nova Scotia. She since practiced in Stittsville, recently Dr. Steenbakkers has joined Richmond Village Eye Care Centre.
Nathan Whims | Trainer | Eye Recommend
Nathan is a licensed Optician who has spent the last 12 years trying to learn as much as he can about the optical industry and its many facets. He has worked for large corporations and independent Optometrists alike, and has had a variety of positions within them such as Dispenser, Contact Lens Fitter, lab technician, optical manager and IT Helpdesk support.
He currently works for Eye Recommend as a Staff Trainer.
Dr. Gerry Leinweber OD
Dr. Leinweber is an honours graduate in optometry from the University of Waterloo, Dr. Leinweber has been helping to protect and enhance vision since 1980. As President, and Founding Member, of Canadian Vision Care he has devoted more than 60 weeks to providing free eyecare to men, women and children in developing countries. He is also an active member of the Lions club and lives by the motto "We Serve." Dr. Leinweber has a special interest in glaucoma and complex contact lens fitting including keratoconics and ortho-keratology.
Christina Ferrari & Kelly Hrycusko | SIMI Analytics
Christina and Kelly are practice consultants and managing partners at SIMI Analytics, the first Canadian data analytics system for Optometrists. Kelly and Christina bring over 40 years of combined experience to help ODs improve practice performance.
Jacques Lecavalier | Sales Director | Optometric Services inc (OSI)
Jacques Lecavalier has more than 36 years’ experience in the optical industry. Dispensing Optician by trade for 7 years then worked as a representative, regional and national manager for a major contact lens company for 16 years. Jacques has been a Sales and Member Relations Director with Optometric Services Inc ( OSI ) since 2008. He completed his studies in Microbiology (Minor), Dispensing Optician then Marketing at Mc Gill University and studied Finance at the University of Montreal.
Stacey Schmidt DO, CCLF, BA
Stacey has been a licensed optician in the optical field for over a decade. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Brunswick, she entered the Optical Sciences program through the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and subsequently their Contact Lens Program. Motivated to learn and gain experience in the optical field, she has had the opportunity to work at various roles within private optical stores, chain opticals and within optometry practices. Today, she works as a Business Consultant for Essilor Canada for the Nova Scotia region.
Kim Manias, RO
Kim entered the eye care profession as a student Optician in 1991. She graduated in 1993 with Honors at the top of her class. She passed the Provincial exams for both Ontario and Nova Scotia for both eyeglasses and contact lenses in 1993. She worked at 2 independent opticians before joining Delta Optical as a managing optician where she was instrumental in the growth and business development of one of their locations for 11 years. After having 2 wonderful children she started working for Essilor, She became a Sales Representative for the Greater Toronto Area, then was promoted to a Senior Sales Representative and then became the Regional Sales Manager for Ontario. She has recently started working on her MBA.