NONPROFIT
Beyond Blindness, an Orange County-based nonprofit that empowers children with visual impairments and other disabilities to achieve their fullest potential, announces nine appointments to its Board of Directors and Ophthalmic Advisory Board. The expansion is part of Beyond Blindness’ ambitious, fast- paced growth trajectory to serve 2,680 individuals by 2027.
“We are pleased to welcome this new slate of board and advisory board members, whose visionary leadership and wealth of expertise in diverse fields will help accelerate connection, partnerships and awareness for Beyond Blindness during a pivotal time of growth,” says Angie Rowe, President and CEO. “As we embark on year two of our strategic plan, these high-quality appointments will not only elevate the stature of the board but also bring us closer to our goal of becoming the go-to provider for blind and visually impaired children and their families in the greater Orange County area.”
Board of Directors Appointees:
Michele Allegretto is the senior vice president of human resources at Glaukos, a leader in the delivery of novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases. Her 20-year career includes nearly a decade at Abbott Medical Optics, as well as leadership roles at companies in the entertainment, consumer products and retail industries. She has a master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
Named one of the “Top 40 Under 40 Political Consultants,” Yvette Lavery has 19 years of experience in strategic communications, crisis communications and organizational management. Her academic research has been published by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Harvard Medical School Bioethics Journal, and she serves as a commissioner with First 5 Orange County. Lavery holds a Master of Science from Harvard Medical School, a Master of Public Affairs from Sciences Po-Paris and a bachelor’s degree from USC.
Kristin McKay is the executive director of Project Alive, which supports research and advocacy for Hunter Syndrome. Her project management and operations experience spans industries including commercial real estate, property maintenance and electrical services. McKay has a Bachelor of Science from Saint Mary’s College of California as well as a Bachelor of Engineering from Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University.
Hemant Mistry is the global head of identity and risk management at Capital Group, where he also serves as the chair of the Nonprofit Leadership Committee. His 30-year career includes tenure at financial institutions such as Citigroup, Barclays and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Mistry has a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) from Middlesex Business School in London and a diploma in export management (MIEx) from the Institute of Export & International Trade in London.
As a senior director, strategic alliances at Experian Mortgage, Adelaine Sin is engaged in the development and expansion of key strategic partnerships and leads the commercial due diligence for investment and acquisition opportunities within the mortgage business unit. She has held numerous roles at Experian spanning product/program management and vertical market development for business information and credit services. Sin has an MBA and bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton.
Ophthalmic Advisory Board Appointees:
Rex Chandler is vice president of global strategic marketing at STAAR Surgical. In addition to 25-plus years of global medical device experience, he is also the inventor and holder of 10 U.S. patents focusing on ophthalmic innovations to enhance surgical outcomes and protect the health of the eye. Chandler has an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a master’s degree from Florida State University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida.
Eric Garner serves as the chief commercial officer for OSRX®, Inc., a national ophthalmic compounding pharmacy that is an affiliate of Southern California-based Ocular Science®. Previously, he led communications strategy for one of the country’s largest preventive health agencies and managed public relations and marketing for Ford, TrueCar, Yokohama Tires and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Garner has a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University.
Melissa Moncrief, the region head of customer experience at Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, has 28 years of experience specializing in contract negotiations, sales operations and customer service. Her expertise in the eye care industry includes more than two decades working at Bausch & Lomb, where she served as vice president of sales operations. She has a bachelor’s degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
As chief human resources officer at Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Dianne Whitfield drives a differentiated culture, engagement and business results. She previously served as director of global human resources at Allergan and was recently named a “Distinguished Leader in Human Resources” by the OCBJ. She has a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Irvine, and a master’s in social work from California State University, Long Beach.
A complete list of board members is available at www.beyondblindness.org.
