Speakers
Trudi Charest
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Trudi has spent her career trying to help eye care business owners run a better business. From her early days working in retail optical as an Optician & Corporate Trainer to an award-winning sales rep for Bausch and Lomb, Trudi carried her passion for the industry through to Eye Recommend; one of Canada’s most progressive Optometry buying groups. As VP of Training & Marketing, she helped build training and marketing programs to help members grow their practices. Finally, Trudi exercised her entrepreneurial spirit and launched Canada’s first online job board for eye care professionals, Jobs4ecps. The success of that venture (and meeting Kevin) led her to expand their services to include a marketing agency, an online training site, event planning & organization and a payment processing division. Trudi speaks all over North America and writes for several industry publications. |
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Amy Chow
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Amy Chow is an eye care professional with degrees in both science and broadcast journalism. Having been immersed in the eye care industry for more than a decade, she is adept in her field as a licensed dispensing optician and contact lens fitter. She is particularly interested in specialty contact lenses, specifically RGP, Orthokeratology and Scleral Lens fittings, as well as ocular health and nutrition. She is also an expert consultant and has held seminars for students from Seneca College and student residents at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. She also frequently lectures at provincial and national conferences for eye care professionals. Amy is a member in good standing with Scleral Lens Education Society. |
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Dr Mark Eltis, OD
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With over fifteen years of experience, Dr. Mark Eltis has practiced Optometry in New York, California and Toronto. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and continues to be a lecturer there. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Eltis has served as an examiner for national licensing assessment in both Canada and the United States (NBEO, CSAO and CACO). He has presented and published internationally and has been sought as an expert on optometric issues for national television and print. In 2013, Dr. Eltis was honored as a member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society (OGS) having “demonstrated excellence in the care of patients with glaucoma through professional education and scientific investigation.” Dr. Eltis is a reviewer for over a dozen publications including Journal of Glaucoma and Canadian Journal of Optometry. In 2017, Dr. Eltis was recognized for his “outstanding contribution in reviewing” by the editors of Journal of Optometry and Elsevier. |
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| Dr. Eltis has been a consultant for academic institutions overseas, contact lens/pharmaceutical companies, law firms, and a subject matter expert for competency evaluations. In 2018, Dr. Eltis was appointed as a member of the College of Optometrists of Ontario’s Discipline Committee (adjudicating allegations of professional misconduct at formal hearings). He also recently completed the full sequence of courses at University of California at Berkeley to achieve California Glaucoma Certification TLG (the highest level of licensure in the state). Most recently he has been writing a monthly column for Primary Care Optometry News to share his perspective on the latest developments in Glaucoma research. | ||
Dr Rob Kloepfer, OD
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Dr. Kloepfer obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2008. He proceeded to work as an optometric assistant to gain a better understanding of the optometry profession. In 2013, Dr. Kloepfer graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry with his Doctor of Optometry degree. Currently, Dr. Kloepfer works in rural and urban private practice clinics in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Kloepfer is a Council member of the Alberta College of Optometrists, Secretary of the Calgary Society of Optometrists, and a member of the Alberta and Canadian Association of Optometrists. He also has a growing social media platform with Instagram (@eyedrkloepfer) focused on eye education. |
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Don Ross
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Don is an engaging and enthusiastic speaker who enjoys providing eye care professionals in Canada with the tools to create positive patient experiences. Don has presented keynote speeches, product seminars, and sessions for optometry buying groups, optician associations, national US optician and optometry groups, as well as at industry supplier events. Don has been in the optical industry for 25 years, working as a dispenser for a national optical retailer, a local optical chain, an independent optometrist, and a nationally recognized independent Optical Boutique. Don has an award-winning background as an account executive for two international frame manufacturers, and prior to his current role with Essilor, was the Western Canadian Territory Manager for Transitions Optical. |
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| Don has a degree in communications, specializing in public relations, and has held various marketing communications roles with federal and provincial government agencies, as well as a technology provider to the hotel and car rental industry. Don’s passion is delivering presentations that assist eye care professionals in their work to provide Canadian patients with the best visual solutions. Don is currently a member of the Essilor Academy Canada team, working as a Training & Development Consultant – Western Provinces. |
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