Looking Back
As you are aware, the POA suffered a tragedy on October 2, 2021 with the passing of our executive director, Joseph Ricci, Esquire. Joe was a well-respected professional and friend to many. He served the POA effectively, enthusiastically, and with great integrity for five years and was in the process of planning for five more. Joe was a mentor and role model to many other executive directors and leaders in and outside of optometry throughout the country. He will be sadly missed, but mostly remembered with great affection and esteem.
The moment the extent of Joe’s illness became apparent, POA President Dr. Edward Savarno demonstrated the great leader he is. Even during the grief of losing a friend and colleague, Dr. Savarno quickly assembled POA staff leadership and the POA Board of Directors to firstly take care of immediate business of the POA so we would continue to serve our members and, secondly, consider how we would move forward to best serve the POA now and in the future. With the hard work and dedication of a truly awesome POA staff and supportive POA volunteer structure, we were able to keep the association moving forward in every aspect, including completing our strategic plan, successfully hosting in-person continuing education, Board meeting, and a House of Delegates, initiating a leadership development program, receiving forgiveness of our second PPP loan, and simply maintaining all the other amazing projects our POA staff works on each day.
I also thank all the POA Past-Presidents and volunteers who offered not only condolences, but also time and talent to help us negotiate our transition. Special appreciation is extended to Dr. Charles Stuckey, who is not only an active volunteer member and Past-President, but also served as our long-time Executive Director before Joe. He came out of retirement to return to the POA as our interim executive director, giving us the time to properly search for not a quick solution, but the best solution for the association going forward.
The Process
Under Dr. Savarno’s leadership, and with support from the POA Board of Directors, we embarked on the overwhelming task of finding our next executive director. After consulting with other states who recently went through the same process, we hired Executive Recruitment Services to assist us in advertising the position, gathering and sorting resumes, providing screening phone interviews, and completing appropriate background checks. This involved the input again of the entire POA Board and staff leaders.
Looking Forward
We are so pleased to announce that Jennifer Keeler, CAE, has accepted the position of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association’s Executive Director, effective May 16, 2022! Jennifer is a Chief Executive Officer with over 25 years of experience in association management and specializes in health-related professional associations. As of the time of writing this, she is currently the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and formerly held executive positions for the World Surgical Foundation and the Pennsylvania Medical Society. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Boston College and has received many accolades and awards from the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology. However impressive her resume may be, she secured this position during her interview when she demonstrated her commitment to the people in this association; our members, our staff, and the patients we serve. I was asked, “Is she a lobbyist? Is she a membership person? Is she a third-party expert?” She is none of these things, but she is all of these things. My answer is she is an executive director. She is a leader. She is willing to learn. She is willing to get the job done in a cooperative and positive manner. She will lead the POA forward for a better future for optometry in Pennsylvania.
Here are a few words from previous supervisors, peers, and staff describing Jennifer and her work: intelligent, professional, fair, honest, hardworking, compassionate. She can be trusted, gives and receives respect, believes in collaborative leadership, empowers, mentors, coaches, and strives to grow professionally.
Please, everyone, join me in welcoming Jennifer Keeler to the POA!
Tracy Carpenter Sepich, O.D.
POA President
