The Industry and Scientific Advisory Board (IASAB) meets quarterly to gather insights, share ideas, and debate critical business concepts that will help identify patient needs, product opportunities, and market challenges associated with the provision of vision-related assessments for clinical trials and safety surveillance.
Jeanne Hecht, Chair
Founder and CEO, JTH Consulting, LLC
Jeanne Taylor Hecht is a global Business Executive and Board Member with deep experience leading successful teams across mature and emerging markets within the product development, pharma services and life sciences space.
As CEO of JTH Consulting, LLC., Jeanne commands broad knowledge and deep expertise in the Life Sciences arena. She also provides advisory services and consultation in support of global and domestic growth strategies for both for-profit and non-profit organizations in the life sciences, clinical research, eClinical, site development and pharmaceutical development markets. She is a NED and external BOD member for life sciences, eClinical, CDMO, pharmaceutical services, medical imaging, and biotechnology companies. She has dedicated much of her career to guiding international companies through healthy growth – thoughtfully, strategically, and with unyielding integrity.
Rajat Agrawal, MD, MS
CEO and President, Retina Global
Rajat Agrawal, MD, MS, is an ophthalmologist and retina specialist with over 25 years of experience between academia and industry. He has published in leading ophthalmology journals, while he has been invited to present in global ophthalmology conferences and speak at ophthalmology departments in cities around the world. Additionally, the fellows and ophthalmology residents he has trained over the years occupy senior level positions in ophthalmology departments and private practices in over 15 countries around the world.
Dr. Agrawal is currently the President and CEO of Retina Global, an international nonprofit that provides access to retinal evaluation and treatment to communities within the United States and around the world. In addition, he advises ophthalmology companies and consults for them in the areas of clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory and business strategy, and commercial opportunity.
Jeffrey S. Heier, MD
Director of the Vitreoretinal Service and Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB)
Jeffrey S Heier, MD, is the Director of the Vitreoretinal Service and Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB), one of the largest multi-specialty ophthalmology practices in the United States. Dr. Heier served as Co-President & Medical Director from 2016-2020.
Dr. Heier is on the Executive Board of the Retina Society, the Executive Committee of the American Society of Retina Specialists, is the Past President of the New England Ophthalmological Society, and a member of the Macula Society. He is one of the leading retinal clinical researchers in the country for new treatments in exudative and non-exudative macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, venous occlusive disease, vitreoretinal surgical techniques and instrumentation, and diagnostic imaging of the retina. He is a scientific advisor to many biotechnical or pharmaceutical companies, lectures nationally and internationally, and has authored numerous, peer-reviewed works.
Peter K. Kaiser, MD
Chaney Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Research and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Peter K. Kaiser, M.D. graduated magna cum laude with Highest Honors from Harvard College and magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School. He completed an internal medicine internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, an ophthalmology residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and a vitreoretinal fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute before joining the vitreoretinal department of the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
As a National Eye Institute and National Institute of Health RO1-funded principal investigator, Dr. Kaiser leads a team involved in the evaluation of vascular biology in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). In addition, Dr Kaiser is actively involved in clinical research having served as Study Chairman for numerous major, multi-center, international clinical trials, and principal investigator in over 60 trials evaluating new treatments for AMD, DR, and other retinal disorders. He is the director of Center for Ocular Research and Evaluation (CORE). He is a major contributor to the medical literature having authored 7 textbooks, 30 book chapters, and more than 400 peer-reviewed manuscripts.
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Beth Marsh
Vice President of North America Sales and Marketing, Ophthalmology, Apellis Pharmaceuticals
Beth Marsh is an experienced commercial marketing and business development executive. She has been a key initial team member in five ophthalmic start-up organizations. And has successfully launched several ophthalmic products.
Beth recently joined Apellis Pharmaceuticals as Vice President of Sales & Marketing - Ophthalmology. Beth is leading the buildout of the US Ophthalmology division in advance of a potential product to treat geographic atrophy. Prior to this, Beth was Global Product Strategy Lead for development-stage programs within the Ophthalmology Franchise at Shire/Takeda. She has also held leadership roles for companies such as J&J, Novartis, Santen and Akorn.
Jason Menzo
Chief Operating Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Jason Menzo serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the world’s leading organization searching for treatments and cures of blinding retinal degenerative diseases. The Foundation has raised over $815M since its inception and is currently funding more than 90 research projects globally. Jason also serves on the management team for the Retinal Degeneration Fund (RD Fund), the venture arm of the Foundation. The RD Fund has nearly $100M under management and has made investments in 10 portfolio companies to date, all aimed at fueling startup companies in the retinal degeneration space.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Jason was a co-founder and Business Unit Head of Sun Ophthalmics. As one of four founding members, he built and led the commercial team, launching the business into the well-known entity it is today.
Adam Ramsey, OD
Owner, Socialite Vision
Adam Ramsey, O.D. is a Florida Board Certified Optometrist and owner of Socialite Vision in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Born in Trinidad and raised in South Florida, Dr. Ramsey gleaned his passion for social and civil camaraderie during his formative years. Professionally, Dr. Ramsey is also a national recognized speaker and advisory board member for Bausch and Lomb, Zeiss, Alcon, Novartis and SeaCoast Bank along with numerous others. In 2019 Dr. Ramsey Headlined a community engagement series entitled “Dinner with The Doctor”.
Dr. Ramsey graduated from Optometry Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN in 2012. One year later, he opened Iconic Eye Care in Lake Park, FL, which he rebranded as Socialite Vision in 2016. In his multi-location practice, Dr. Ramsey specializes in Myopia Control, Dry Eye Care and Advanced Contact Lens Fittings. Dr. Ramsey was the previous Vice President of T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society, and Chairman of the Board for the Palm Beach County Optometric Association. Some of his accolades include the Florida Optometric Association 2020 Local Society Member of the year, the 2018 Small Business of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beaches, and 2018 Business of the Year Award from Legacy Magazine.
Dr. Joseph Tauber, M.D.
Founder, Tauber Eye Center
After receiving his medical training at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Joseph Tauber took his ophthalmology residency at the New England Eye Center in Boston, Massachusetts. He went on to do fellowships in both uveitis and corneal disease and surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. After completing his training in Boston, Dr. Tauber moved to Kansas City, where he is currently in practice. He is Medical Director of Saving Sight, the regional eye bank, one of the largest in the US. He has authored over 60 publications including eight book chapters and one book. Dr. Tauber also maintains a busy private practice, focused on immunologic corneal disease, advanced corneal transplantation, uveitis and ocular surface disease. Dr. Tauber has been an active clinical researcher in over 120 multi-center clinical trials since 1989 and serves on many scientific and medical advisory boards.
After over 30 years in clinical practice, Dr. Tauber’s focus is on developing new medications and treatment strategies for unsolved serious medical challenges.
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