Brien Holden is Professor of Optometry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), founder and Director of the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit at the UNSW School of Optometry, and Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology. He graduated Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Melbourne in 1964 and gained his PhD from City University ( London) in 1971. He was a co-founder of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (1979), Vice-Chairman (1979-1991), President (1991-1999); Founding President-elect, President (1982-1984), and Executive Member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research. Awards include: Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Science by the State University of New York 1994, Pennsylvania College of Optometry 1998, City University London 1999; HB Collin Research Medal; Kenneth W Bell Medal; Ruben Gold Medal; Glenn A Fry Award; British Contact Lens Association Medal; Special Recognition Award medal from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology for his outstanding contribution to optometric research and education; and the Medal of the Order of Australia from the Australian Government for contributions to eyecare research and education in 1997.


Associate Professor Deborah Sweeney BOptom PhD, ICEE Board Member: Deborah Sweeney is Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology, and the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit of the School of Optometry at the University of New South Wales. She has been Secretary (1991-2000), Treasurer (1994-2000), President (2000-present), Secretary, Asia-Pacific Regional Group (1991-present) and Assistant Secretary, European, Africa-Middle East and Latin American Regional Groups (1991-present), International Association of Contact Lens Educators; Councillor (1988-1990), Secretary and Member of the Executive (1990-present), and President Elect of the International Society for Contact Lens Research (2000-present); Treasurer of the Optometric Vision Research Foundation (1984-present); and Secretary of VisionCare New South Wales (1994-present).


Professor Desmond Fonn DipOptom MOptom , ICEE Board Member: Desmond Fonn is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Contact Lens Research at the School of Optometry, University of Waterloo in Canada. He is a graduate of the School of Optometry in Johannesburg, South Africa and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and diplomate of the Cornea and Contact Lens section; Member of the Canadian and Ontario Association of Optometrists, and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; Honorary Member of the Contact Lens Society of South Africa; Council Member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research; founding Member of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators in which he serves as Vice President.

Professor Brian Layland BSc OAM , ICEE Board Member and Director of Aboriginal Programs: Since graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Opt Sc) in 1958, Brian Layland has become an experienced and well respected optometric practitioner active in the scientific and professional communities. He has been a Member of the Council of the Australian Optometrical Association (AOA), NSW Division, since 1955; National President of the AOA (1976-1979), National Vice President (1971-1989) and State President (1971-1972); Vice-President of the International Optometric and Optical League (1978-1979); and was involved in the establishment of Australia’s Independent Optometrists group. He is a visiting lecturer (since 1971) and Advisory Committee Member (since 1957) of the UNSW School of Optometry; a Visiting Professor for the Cooperative Research Centre of Eye Research and Technology; and a Member and Chairman of many professional committees involved with government at State and Commonwealth levels. Awards include: International Optometrist of the Year 1992; Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the profession of optometry 1979; Medal of the Order of Liverpool for services to technical education and the community; Wilfred I Wenborn Award for Conspicuous Service in the Advancement of the Profession of Optometry 1990; Honorary Life Member of the AOA (NSW Division).

Dr Kovin Naidoo BSc BOptomOD MPH, Director ICEE in Africa : A Fulbright Scholar, Dr Naidoo served as the head of the department of Optometry at University of Durban-Westville from 1996 to 1999. He currently serves as a senior lecturer in the department. Dr Naidoo has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and New England College of Optometry in the US and is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Kovin’s areas of teaching are ocular disease and public health and he has lectured and published extensively on these topics. He is co-author of CORE (Comprehensive Optometric Reference), a desk reference for optometrists, now in its third edition. He has also published chapters on Public Health and Sports Vision. He was principal investigator in the African Component of the Refractive Error Study in Children (RESCA), a WHO multi-country study 2002; chairs the Eastern Seabord Association of Tertiary Institutions Public Health Iniatitive (esATI PHI); serves on the Vision 2020 Task Force; member of the Resource Management team of Vision 2020; a participant in the WHO refractive error working group; co-chair for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Africa; serves on the South African National Prevention of Blindness Committee, the medical committee of the National Bureau for the Prevention of blindness and the KwaZulu Natal Eye Care Committee; chair of the board of the Red Cross Air Emergency Services; Chair of the Transformation Committee - Occupational Therapy Professional Board. Dr Naidoo is credited with placing and promoting Public Health Issues on the world Optometric agenda and elevating the profile of our profession, and was pronounced African Optometrist of the Year 2002.

Dr Gullapalli Rao MBBS PhD , ICEE Board Member: Gullapalli Rao is the Founder and Director of the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in India. His international work and standing is epitomised by his appointment as Secretary-General of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (1998-present), and former Chairman of the South-East Region (1994-1999). He is also Executive Officer of the International Contact Lens Society of Ophthalmologists; One of the Chairs of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalist (50 top elected academicians in ophthalmology); President of the Asia Pacific Region and Member of the Board of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (1995-present); Member of the International Advisory Committee of the International Federation of Eye Banks (1995-present); Member of the International Medical Advisory Board of Orbis International (1994-present), and Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Awards include: Ranbaxy Research Award for contributions to medical science 1995; Louis Emile Javal Silver Service Award from the International Contact Lens Council of Ophthalmology 1994; Outstanding Service Award of the Association of Asian Indians in Ophthalmology 1984; Honor Award of the Telugu Association of North America for outstanding accomplishments in medicine; the Honor Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology 1983; and the Padmashri award by the Indian Government for his contribution to medicine and ophthalmology 2002.