ST. LOUIS—The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) has announced its 2024 board of directors, including a new board chair, and reinforces its commitment to raising awareness and promoting a greater understanding of, and action to deal with, childhood myopia as a treatable disease. The newly elected GMAC board chair is Olga Prenat, head of medical and professional affairs, global and EMEA, at EssilorLuxottica. The immediate past chair is Lisa McAlister, current head of regional strategy and marketing, EMEA, at Johnson & Johnson Vision.

Additional 2024 GMAC board members include:

● Enzu Jeon, senior director, global strategic marketing, Pediatric Eye Health Stronghold, Johnson & Johnson Vision

 
 Olga Prenat.
● François Couillard, CEO, Canadian Association of Optometrists

● Jennifer Lambert, senior director, Global Myopia Management, CooperVision

● Matt Geller, OD, co-founder and CEO, Eyes On Eyecare

● Nitin Jain, president (Americas), Euclid Vision Group

● Bill Scott, president, Jobson Healthcare Information

● Lori Archer, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Vision

● Sandra Block, OD, MED, MPH, president, World Council of Optometry

As an industry-led coalition, GMAC was founded with a mission to promote public awareness of childhood myopia as a treatable disease through direct-to-consumer channels and awareness with governments, NGOs, and other health care associations. GMAC does not advocate for specific clinical approaches. Instead, it is designed to stimulate public interest and prompt parental conversations with eyecare practitioners.

Prenat said, “I am proud to serve as GMAC board chair on behalf of EssilorLuxottica and look forward to continuing building new awareness programs in 2024. Awareness of myopia has been increasing among the general public and eyecare professionals, but it still has different levels of maturity across geographies. As a coalition, we need to continue our collective efforts to create impact, especially in increasing parental awareness as they play an essential role in influencing children’s attitudes and lifestyles.”