Leadership

When she is not advocating for her patients in Washington D.C., Dr. Lisa Nijm works as a board-certified ophthalmologist and corneal specialist at Warrenville EyeCare & LASIK in Warrenville, IL and teaches part time at the renowned University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago, IL. After graduating from Benedictine University, Dr. Nijm went on to pursue a post-graduate education that uniquely combined her interests in patient care and health care policy advocacy. She pursued a 6 year dual M.D., J.D. degree at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and School of Law, a program was designed to train physicians who believe a legal education will augment their primary career goals in medicine. In medical school, Dr. Nijm decided to become an ophthalmologist, to be able to help patients however she could to improve their vision. She often quoted her father, Dr. William Nijm, a long-time internist in Warrenville, that she “will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of curing disease and alleviating pain.”

After completing residency at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary and a top ranked corneal fellowship at the University of California at Davis, Dr. Nijm worked in underserved regions of central Illinois. She started a subspeciality clinic to serve corneal patients in Lincoln, IL and became the first surgeon in Central Illinois to perform Intralase (all laser) LASIK surgery, bringing state-of-the art care to patients in this underserved area. Dr. Nijm then decided to open her own practice in the Warrenville, to provide compassionate, expert eye care to patients in her hometown. At a time when patients are constantly being rushed through the health care system, Dr. Nijm was determined to devote the time and resources necessary to address each patient’s concerns.

Given the changing environment of health care, Dr. Nijm also pursued opportunities to help her patients out of the office, by devoting a substantial amount of time to advocate for her patients through organized medicine on a state and national level. With her unique background as an attorney as well, Dr. Nijm wished to utilize her knowledge and experience to help legislators shape health care policies that would be beneficial to patients and preserve the physician-patient relationship. In recognition of her work, she was nominated to serve as a member on the OPHTHPAC committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has served as a representative from the Academy to the American Medical Association for the past several years. Locally, Dr. Nijm is the president of the Women Ophthalmologists of the Windy City, to further advance the delivery of quality eye care through professional education and networking for female ophthalmologists in the Chicago area.

Dr. Nijm has been an invited lecturer and instructor at several national ophthalmology meetings on many topics since 2006. She is a recognized expert on panels for treatment of dry eyes, risk management and instruction in performing LASIK surgery. She is also a published author in both medicine and law, having received awards for her writing in the past, several articles in peer reviewed medical and legal journals as well as several book chapters in cornea. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital 50th Anniversary Heroes in Medicine.

Having a deep appreciation for the dedicated professors that helped to educate her, Dr. Nijm also holds a strong commitment to teaching. She currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology on the faculty of the renowned Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, Chicago, IL. Her primary duties include teaching ophthalmology residents and staffing the comprehensive eye clinic.

Further, Dr. Nijm is one of the directors of the Osler Ophthalmology Board Review course, a national board review course that helps ophthalmologists prepare for written and oral board examinations. She is the most frequent instructor requested for the course and serves as a lecturer, examiner and private tutor for students in all subjects of ophthalmology in preparation to take their boards.

In her free time, Dr. Nijm enjoys volunteering in her local community, keeping physically fit and travelling. She has volunteered at many local Catholic Church events, charitable fundraisers as well as working for the American Cancer Society at their annual Skyline Soiree.

Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA is Professor of Ophthalmology and the Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery Fellowship Program Director at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She has a faculty appointment at the Level 1 trauma center, Ben Taub General Hospital. Dr. Weng was a prior recipient of the Dan B. Jones Teaching Award.
Dr. Weng graduated cum laude from Northwestern University and then went on to medical school at the University of Michigan where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Society. While in Ann Arbor, she pursued an MBA degree from the University of Michigan-Ross School of Business and graduated with high distinction. Dr. Weng completed her ophthalmology residency at the Wilmer Eye Institute-Johns Hopkins University and surgical retina fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute-University of Miami.

Dr. Weng is involved with multiple clinical trials; these include the DRCR Retina Network trials and the AGTC Phase 1/2 intravitreal gene therapy study for X-linked retinoschisis. She also leads numerous research studies in her areas of interest: clinical/surgical outcomes, medical economics, healthcare quality metrics, and telemedicine.  She is the Co-Editor of the book “Women in Ophthalmology: A Comprehensive Guide for Career and Life”.

Dr. Grace Sun is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She graduated from Stanford University, with Honors. She later received her MD from Weill Medical College of Cornell University and completed her residency in ophthalmology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Sun strong interest medical education.  After serving as the Residency Program Director for 10 years at Cornell, she is currently the associate Designated Institutional Official of New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell overseeing the clinical learning environment of over 65 training programs across all medical subspecialities.  Additionally, she is passionate about global health. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua and currently leads Cornell’s efforts in global ophthalmology in Tanzania. She also volunteers with ORBIS International, teaching cataract surgery in China and Peru. Dr. Sun is also involved in advocacy and served president of the New York State Ophthalmological Society (NYSOS).

Dr. Patel is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology. She joined the Ophthalmology Section of the VA Medical Center in 2010. She is a board certified in ophthalmology and specializes in medical retina and comprehensive ophthalmology. Dr. Patel is skilled in the treatment of medical retinal disease such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, inherited retinal diseases, and uveitis as well as modern cataract surgery. Dr. Patel has a special interest in teaching Emory University ophthalmology residents in the management of medical retinal disease and cataract surgery. She is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Women in Ophthalmology, and the American Medical Association. In 2014, Dr. Patel was elected to participate in the Medical Association of Georgia Physician Leadership Academy. She also organized a four-hour program for local ophthalmologist, “Strategies in Effective Communication,” through the Georgia Society of Ophthalmology to teach effective communication with peers and patients.

Kimberly Mei Winges, MD, is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology at the Casey Eye Institute/Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. She is also the first female Assistant Chief of Surgery at the adjacent Veterans Administration Hospital, where she practices comprehensive and neuro-ophthalmology. She mentors physicians in all stages of training.

Born in San Francisco, she earned her undergraduate degree at Stanford University, studying astrobiology. Before graduating AOA from medical school at New York Medical College, she spent a year conducting multiple sclerosis (MS) translational research with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and now serves with the MS Center of Excellence West for the VA. She completed ophthalmology residency at University of California Davis and neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the University of Iowa. Her research interests range from ocular imaging in MS and neuro-ophthalmic disease, to giant cell arteritis, to telemedicine.

Dr. Winges is dedicated to the promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and inspiration among future leaders in ophthalmology. She was Chair of the Women in Neuro-Ophthalmology (WIN) Committee for the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS) for 4 years and continues to be an active fellow on committees for NANOS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). She also volunteers with the Association of VA Ophthalmologists (AVAO) and the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). In 2018, she received the inaugural NANOS-sponsored Pilot Leadership Development Grant, allowing her to attend and speak at her first WIO meeting. She helped make this grant a self-perpetuating award for the promotion of equity and leadership within NANOS. She then co-founded the Oregon Chapter of WIO, where she serves as Vice President. Among recent honors, she was featured on the 2020 “VA Women Employees Making a Difference” Poster for the Federal Employee Women’s Special Emphasis Program, she has been named twice to Portland Monthly Magazine’s Top Doctors, and she was honored in 2020 with the NANOS Merit Award for exemplary service.

Dr. Danylkova is a comprehensive ophthalmologist and a Division Chair at Mankato Clinic, MN. After receiving her medical degree and finishing an ophthalmology residency from Ternopil Medical Academy, Ukraine, she completed an ophthalmology residency at Northwestern University, Chicago. She is the President elect of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology. She serves as a Medical Director and a Board Chair of the Mankato Surgery Center. She is passionate about providing ophthalmic surgery and eye care to an underserved population of remote areas in Africa. She dedicates her free time to international ophthalmic mission trips to Kenya with the humanitarian organization KenyaRelief.org.

 Lejla Vajzovic, MD is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and the Vitreoretinal Surgical Retina Fellowship Director at the Duke Eye Center, Durham, NC. She has established an international reputation as a leader in vitreoretinal surgery, research, and teaching. She is an ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon with expertise in adult and pediatric retinal diseases and surgery. She is interested in cutting edge technologies and recovery of vision in hereditary retinal diseases with retinal implants and stem cell technology. She is a co-director of the Duke Pediatric Retina and Optic Nerve Center, and she directs the Duke Center for Artificial and Regenerative Vision, where she implants the Argus II “bionic eye” to restore vision to individuals with total blindness. An influential educator, she organizes and directs several highly successful national and international courses, including the first-of-its-kind Advances in Pediatric Retina Course at Duke and the international Duke Fellows Advances in Vitreous Surgery Course. She is director of Duke Eye Center’s Continuing Medical Education program. She has received numerous prestigious honors and awards for excellence in clinical care, research, leadership and education the field of ophthalmology: the Duke Medical Alumni Association’s Emerging Leader Award, the Women in Ophthalmology Emerging Leader Award, the Retina Society Fellowship Research Award, the Heed Ophthalmic Fellowship Award and the Society of Heed Fellows Award, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Career Starter Research Award, the PDC’s Enhanced Academics in a Basic Laboratory Environment (ENABLE) Career Development Program Award, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, the American Society of Retinal Specialists Senior Honor Award and the Film Festival: Rhett Buckler Award.

Usiwoma Abugo, M.D. is an ophthalmic, plastic and facial cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Abugo received her medical degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill. She then completed her residency in ophthalmology at Howard University Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and a transitional year residency at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, N.Y. After her residencies, Dr. Abugo completed a sub-specialty fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology and facial plastic and orbital surgery at Central Valley Eye Medical Group in Stockton California. She currently is on faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School and practices at Virginia Eye Consultants.

Throughout her career, Dr. Abugo has been an avid researcher starting her career in high school doing research with the National Institutes of Health. Since then, she has published many scientific works and presented at national and international conferences. Her research and academic excellence lead her to being nominated and accepted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society as a senior ophthalmology resident.

Mentoring and diversity in Ophthalmology are her main passions. Through her journey to this point in her career she has never been able to forget the influence of her mentors. Because of this, Dr. Abugo has created an active social media mentoring platform under where she mentors many healthcare professionals @MentorMeMD. Dr. Abugo has mentored many high school/medical school/residents who have dreams for excellence in medicine. Her social media efforts led her to be nominated and selected to join the Communications Secretariat/Public Advisory Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Her ideas for innovation in science and research have led her to be a past Women in Ophthalmology Ambassador for the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit. Her devotion to mentorship lead her to be nominated and selected for the American Academy of Ophthalmology/Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Minority Mentorship Program and the invited keynote speaker for the MiMentor Program.

Dr. Abugo also advocates for diversity. In the past year, Dr. Abugo led symposiums on diversity featuring leaders in the Ophthalmology community at the annual NMA, WIO, and AAO meetings. Dr. Abugo currently serves on various program committees for WIO, NMA, and AAO. In addition to this has served as the co-chair for WIO 2021 and chair for the WIO 2022 Summer Symposium with record breaking attendance.

Her efforts in promoting community and perspective during the COVID pandemic on the Communications Secretariat led her to being awarded the Secretariat Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2022.  In the past year she has been an invited chair, moderator, or speaker at AAO, ASCRS, NMA, and WIO. Finally, her passion for teaching and commitment to excellence has led her to be nominated and selected to be an Oral Board examiner for 2022 by the American Board of Ophthalmology. She also serves on various advisory boards for industry.

During her free time, she enjoys watching futbol and football. She can always be found rooting for the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!), the Baltimore Ravens, Portuguese futbol, reading and writing poetry, creative writing and enjoying music.

Sophie J. Bakri, MD, MBA is Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN and holds the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Professorship in Ophthalmology in Honor of Robert R. Waller, M.D.

Dr. Bakri completed a vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and ophthalmology residency at Albany Medical College, New York. She graduated from the University of Nottingham Medical School, England.  She holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers and 30 book chapters. She is a principal investigator on numerous multicenter clinical trials on novel drugs for retinal disease. She serves on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Retina, Seminars in Ophthalmology and OSLI Retina. She has served on committees at the Macula Society, Retina Society and AAO, and as a Board Member of the American Society of Retinal Specialists and on the Board of Trustees of the AUPO.

She has received numerous awards, including the Ophthalmologist Top 40 under 40 award, a Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a Senior Honor Award from the American Society of Retina Specialists and inducted into the Retina Hall of Fame. She has also been honored with receiving the Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Retina Specialists.

Dr. Enyedi is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at Duke University, where she completed her undergraduate education, residency, and fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. A North Carolina native, she graduated from the University of NC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill with Distinction and with AOA Honors. Dr. Enyedi is a clinician educator, has been honored as a “Best Doctor,” and trained over 150 residents and over 50 clinical fellows. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles on pediatric eye disease, including as a member of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. She serves numerous roles in the AAO in addition to WIO Councilor including the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus editor for the AAO’s ONE Network, the editorial board of the AAO’s EYENET, and clinical spokesperson for the AAO. She has been awarded multiple achievement awards from AAPOS, WIO, and the AAO, including two AAO Secretariat Awards. She has previously served on the WIO board of directors, has chaired the WIO membership committee, served as the 2019 Summer Symposium chair, and was awarded the WIO Mentorship award in 2019. Dr. Enyedi has 3 adult children and enjoys spending time on the NC coast with her husband, gardening, home improvement projects, and crafting.

Andrea Lora Kossler, MD, FACS, is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of the Oculofacial Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Orbital Oncology Service at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford. Andrea specializes in aesthetic oculofacial surgery, thyroid eye disease and orbital oncology. Dr. Kossler is Co-Director of the Stanford Multidisciplinary Thyroid Eye Disease Center and Director of the Stanford Aesthetic Eye Surgery Center. Dr. Kossler’s research interests include the proteomic evaluation of ocular surface and orbital inflammation, modulation of neural reflexes via neurotization and neurostimulation, evaluating targeted therapies for cutaneous and orbital malignancy, and advancing therapies for thyroid eye disease.

Dr. Kossler has authored over 100 publications, abstracts and book chapters and is a national and international speaker on oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery. She graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian from the Georgetown School of Medicine and completed her ophthalmology residency and oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Kossler was awarded the ASOPRS Marvin Quickert Thesis Award in 2013 and the ASOPRS Annual Research Award in 2015 for her work on neurostimulation for enhanced tear production. Andrea received the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) 2017 Mentorship Award, the 2020 ASOPRS Outstanding Contribution Award and the 2022 WIO Emerging Leader Award. Dr. Kossler has received numerous Castle Connolly Top Doctors Awards.  She is the director for the WIO Mentorship Program, she is the Program Chair for the North American Society of Academic Orbital Surgeons (NASAOS), and on the Executive Board for the LATINOUS Society. Dr. Kossler enjoys training the next generation of oculoplastic specialists and spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, and dog Roxy.

After serving 35 years, Dr. Bradford is retired professor of ophthalmology of the department of ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.  In 2022 became clinical faculty at Dean McGee Eye Institute continuing practice of comprehensive ophthalmology.  A native of Texas, she received her undergraduate training at Texas A&M University (magna cum laude) and medical degree with high honors from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She moved to Oklahoma and completed her ophthalmology training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Bradford has been active in teaching medical students and primary care residents throughout her career. She has authored modules and books to teach ophthalmology to medical students and primary care physicians. She was the executive editor of two editions of the American Academy of Ophthalmology text, Basic Ophthalmology, which was been translated into Spanish, Chinese and Russian languages. She was a member of the AAO Section 11 Basic and Clinical Science Committee responsible for the teaching text on cataract and lens. For over 30 years, she has taught University of Oklahoma ophthalmology residents to perform cataract surgery.

Dr. Bradford’s husband, Reagan, is a retinal surgeon and they live in Edmond with their third german shepard, Lexi. They have three married sons and 6 grandchildren, who live in the Oklahoma City area.

Other Activities

• 2017 president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
• AAO Senior Secretary for Advocacy
• AAO Secretary for State Affairs
• Faculty of AAO Leadership Development Program
• Associate examiner of the American Board of Ophthalmology
• Member of the ABO CREW committee
• Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee for Medicare
• Past board member of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
• Prior President of the Oklahoma Academy of Ophthalmology

Clinical Trials

• Implantable Miniature Telescope for age-related macular degeneration

Honors and Awards

• Alpha Lambda Delta
• Phi Kappa Phi
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
• 1992 Edward and Thelma Gaylord Faculty Honor Award for Teaching Excellence
• 2001 Veteran’s Hospital Excellence in Attending Award
• Best Doctors in America
• AAO Life Achievement Honor Award
• AAO Guest of Honor Award
• AAO Secretariat Award from the Secretary for Quality Care
• AAO Secretariat for State Affairs 2022 Hall of Fame Award

Sophia M. Chung, MD, is Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology after awarded sabbatical as the Helen C. Levitt Endowed Annual Visiting Professor.  Previously, she held the Walter and Sharon Ryan Davisson Endowed Professorship of Ophthalmology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, MO having served for 30 years.  She attended Duke University for both undergraduate and medical school.  She completed her residency in ophthalmology and fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine.  Dr. Chung is an Emeritus Board Director of the American Board of Ophthalmology, past Vice-Chair for the ACGME RRC for Ophthalmology, and Fellow of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society having served on its’ board and numerous committees.  She was awarded the NANOS Merit Award for her contributions in 2021.  She has served as PI of three NEI multi-center trials.  Dr. Chung considers her greatest contribution to the field of ophthalmology to be the education of residents, medical students, and fellows.  She has won 5 teaching awards and was amongst the inaugural group of awardees of the Distinguished Teacher Award at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Dr. Lorraine (Lori) M. Provencher, M.D. is a board-certified ophthalmologist, cataract surgeon, and glaucoma specialist. Dr. Provencher graduated summa cum laude from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She then went on to receive a Medical Doctorate from the Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed ophthalmology residency at the top-ranked University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics followed by a glaucoma and complex anterior segment fellowship at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. She is in private practice at Vance Thompson Vision in Omaha, NE.

Dr. Provencher is passionate about peer education and mentorship. She is on the editorial board of Ophthalmology as the Senior Social Media Editor and directs and hosts the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Journal Podcast. This service earned her the 2022 AAO Secretariat Award. She is also on the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) membership committee, the EyeWorld editorial board, and is a founding co-chair of Women in Glaucoma (WinG), a subset of the American Glaucoma Society. She enjoys volunteering for Orbis, Cybersight.org, the Ophthalmology Foundation, and the AAO Minority Ophthalmology Mentorship program. Dr. Provencher has published many peer-reviewed journal articles and is a busy speaker and author.