Greg Caldwell, OD, FAAO

Greg Caldwell, O.D., is a 1995 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of  Optometry. He completed a one-year residency in primary care and ocular disease at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry (ABO), member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society (OGS), and member of the Optometric Wellness and Nutritional Society (OWNS). He currently works in Duncansville, Pennsylvania as an ocular disease consultant. Dr. Caldwell’s primary focus is the diagnosis and management of anterior and posterior segment ocular disease, and he has been a participant in multiple FDA investigations and trials. Dr. Caldwell has integrated nutrition, prevention, and wellness into his patient care. He practices integrative optometry. Dr. Caldwell is a co-founder of Optometric Education Consultants and co-administrator of OCT Connect on Facebook. Dr. Caldwell has lectured extensively throughout the county and over thirteen countries internationally. In 2010 he served as President of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) and served on the AOA Board of Trustees 2013-2016. He is President of the Blair/Clearfield Association for the Blind.

Joseph Sowka, OD, FAAO, Diplomate

Dr. Joseph Sowka is an attending optometric physician at Center for Sight in Sarasota, Florida, a large medical-surgical practice where he focuses on glaucoma management and neuro-ophthalmic disease. He was formerly Professor of Optometry at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry for 28 years where he served as Chief of The Advanced Care Service and Director of the Glaucoma Service at the College’s Eye Institute. He was the Program Coordinator and Supervisor for the Ocular Disease Residency. Dr. Sowka is a founding member of both the Optometric Glaucoma Society and Optometric Retina Society. He is also the Founder and Chair of the Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders in Optometry Special Interest Group for the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Sowka is a Glaucoma Diplomate of the American Academy of Optometry. He is a partner and co-owner of Optometric Education Consultants.

Joseph J. Pizzimenti, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Dr. Joseph Pizzimenti is an internationally-recognized speaker and author, and a Fellow of both the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and the Optometric Retina Society (ORS). He served as ORS President from 2012-2014.

Dr. Pizzimenti has completed funded clinical research in the areas of diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, vitreomacular adhesion, and low vision. His scientific articles and have appeared in a host peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Pizzimenti co-authored a chapter on Diabetic Retinopathy in the textbook entitled Diabetes in Black America.

Dr. Pizzimenti enjoys traveling and spending quality time with his wife, Dr. Claire Pizzimenti, and their three children.

Andrew G. Lee, OD, FAAO

As chair of ophthalmology at Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH), I am committed to the three pillars of academic medicine: clinical care, research, and education. I am actively involved in clinical care as ½ full time equivalent (FTE) clinician devoted to medical neuro-ophthalmology. The other 50% of my time is devoted to being the chair and academic duties, clinical research, and teaching. We value education at HMH and I am fully committed to teaching medical students, residents, and fellows and I am the site supervisor for training for our four local medical schools (UT Houston, UTMB (Galveston), Texas A and M College of Medicine, and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). I am also the fellowship director for our two AUPO FCC Accredited neuro-ophthalmology fellows. Mentoring young people especially those interested in geriatric ophthalmology is an integral part of my job and I enjoy being the faculty advisor for the Ophthalmology Interest Group at BCM. In addition, I serve on the editorial board of 15 eye journals and was the founding editor in chief of the Journal of Academic Ophthalmology. I am interested in clinical research and have served at the principal investigator at HMH on a number of national research trials in ophthalmology. The most exciting part of my job however is teaching and I am pleased to have received the teaching award 7 times from five different academic institutions. I strongly support the proposal to the NIA for the AGS/NIA Clin-STAR Coordinating Center. I am looking forward to serving as a member of the Junior/Mid-Career Faculty Advisory Group, attending the Clin-STAR meetings, and contributing as a mentor.