LOUISVILLE, Ky.–Leadership of the National Association of Specialty Health Organizations (NASHO) and the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), two specialty health organizations, have recently transitioned.

Aspasia Shappet, president and CEO of MESVision, accepted a two-year chairmanship of the NAVCP at the group’s recent board meeting. In that role, she will succeed Richard Sanchez, president of Advantica, “who helped facilitate NAVCP’s merger with NASHO in 2011 and has helped shape today’s NAVCP,” a statement said.

Shappet has been involved in the vision industry for more than 20 years. Her background includes extensive experience in financial auditing and planning and she has served on and chaired numerous boards. In 2008, she chaired the Employers Group Board and currently serves on the board of directors for The Foundation for Eye Health Awareness.

Shappet responded to her induction saying, “I look forward to working with my fellow board members – leaders in the vision care benefit industry – to ensure the managed care vision industry continues to add value to the healthcare model and to the members we serve.”

In May, during the 2013 NASHO/NAVCP Annual Specialty Health Summit in San Diego, as reported by VMail, Andrew Alcorn, CEO of Block Vision, assumed the chairmanship role at NASHO from immediate past chairman Mark Zygaj, executive vice president and COO of Palladian Health. In addition to his more than two decades at Block Vision, Alcorn previously served as NASHO’s treasurer, and as a member of NAVCP, he played a pivotal role in the 2011 merger between the NASHO and NAVCP groups.

“I’m honored to have been nominated and selected to lead an organization that works tirelessly to advocate for specialty health, which plays a valuable but often overlooked role in the lives of millions of Americans,” remarked Alcorn.

NASHO and NAVCP Executive Director Julian Roberts added, “Both of these individuals have demonstrated exceptional commitment to our organizations; coupled with their extensive professional experience, I have no doubt they will provide visionary leadership that guides us through this turbulent period in health care as more provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect.”

NASHO is a subsidiary association of the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations (AAPPO), founded to advance and evolve specialty healthcare delivery in the U.S. Its mission is to enhance and promote the value proposition of specialty health organizations.

NAVCP is the trade association for the managed vision care industry and promotes the value and importance of vision care and vision benefits to both consumers and employers. Its 18 primary member companies manage extensive networks of vision care providers and include vision benefit coverage to tens of millions of Americans. The NAVCP also has 19 allied members, who have an interest in the vision care industry.