Board of Directors

Optometry Victoria South Australia is managed by a Board of Directors elected from our membership base. The key function of the Board is to ensure good governance of the organisation. While undertaking this important work the Board considers the broad trends affecting the membership and the profession.

Our Directors bring a range of skills and experience to the Board including backgrounds in clinical optometry, business and finance, teaching, research and academia, and public health, while also having wide-ranging experience practising in metropolitan, regional and rural locations.

We truly appreciate the time and consideration given to the organisation by all our Directors and Associate Directors.

To contact any of the Directors please email office.vicsa@optometry.org.au and we will forward it on to the appropriate person.

President

Elise Pocknee-Clem

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Elise is President of OV/SA and has held roles on the Optometry South Australia Board as President and board member.

She is the managing director of three practices in Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Ceduna in SA and is a partner in a fourth practice in Victor Harbor. The practice group provide extensive outreach services across 6 other towns on the Eyre Peninsula.

Elise’s professional interests are eye disease management, children’s vision, ocular therapeutics and rural and community eye care. She spends most of her time managing the practice group and consulting in Port Lincoln.

Vice-President

Dr Anne Weymouth

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Anne is a member of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision, a Credentialed
Optometrist for CASA and a Fellow of the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the
University of Melbourne, the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and the Australian College of
Optometry.

Anne works as a consultant electrophysiologist in private ophthalmology practice and as a sole
practitioner in an independent optometry setting. She has research experience in electrophysiology
and psychophysics, including overseas training in paediatric electrophysiology at the Children’s
Hospital, Harvard, Boston and in Lyon, France. She also consults in occupational assessments of visual
function and supervises postgraduate research in the University of Melbourne’s Department of
Ophthalmology.

Treasurer

Timothy Lo

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Tim is Treasurer of OV/SA and the chair of the OV/SA CPD committee. He completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours), Bachelor of Optometry, and Post Graduate Certificate of Ocular Therapeutics at the University of Melbourne.

Tim is a founding and managing director of three independent practices in Langwarrin, Carrum Downs and Mornington. His role encompasses the operational management and strategic development of the practices

Director

Laura Carson

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Laura was previously involved with ECOV/SA as a committee member and at University was a founder and President of the Deakin Optometry Student Society. She graduated as an Optometrist from Deakin School of Medicine in 2015 after completing a Bachelor’s degree in Vision Science (with Distinction) then a Masters in Optometry.
Laura has previously worked in an ophthalmology clinic and currently works at Canterbury Eyecare, an independent practice in Melbourne. She has an interest in dry eye and ocular surface disease as well as myopia management and orthokeratology for children having completed further study for this through Melbourne University in 2017.

Director

Kristin Guppy

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Kristin is an optometrist and director of Bridge Eye Care, an independent practice located in Murray Bridge in South Australia. She is therapeutically trained and enjoys practicing full-scope optometry. After graduation in 1993, she worked in Tasmania and Victoria in in both corporate and independent optometry practices, before making South Australia home in 1999.
She is passionate about optometry and its place as a primary eyecare profession. She is looking forward to being an advocate for eye care providers, helping ensure all members of our community have access to quality eyecare.

Director

Cassandra Haines

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Prior to joining the Optometry South Australia Board in 2017, Cassandra played a key role in the formation and development of the Early Career Optometrists South Australia group. Alongside Elise Pocknee-Clem and Kurt Larsen Cassie was chosen by her Director peers to transition to the OV/SA Board following the amalgamation.

Cassandra is a Deakin University graduate who now lives in Adelaide. She works with the policy and advocacy team at Optometry Australia; clinically in an ophthalmology practice and is a writer for the education website Myopia Profile. She is also an associate lecturer at Flinders University and undertaking research in children's vision.

Director

Stephanie Callisto

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Stephanie is an Associate Director and was previously been involved with Optometry South Australia as a student observer and Board Member. She has also been a committee member of ECOV/SA as well as Co-President of the Flinders University Optometry Student Association.

Stephanie graduated in 2018 before moving to Port Augusta, SA, to work in an independent optometry practice. Throughout her time there she provided outreach services to most of the northern region of South Australia. Recently moving back to Adelaide, she currently works with ophthalmologists in a range of specialties, including medical retina, paediatrics but majority in vitreoretina, building on her research experience in telehealth and myopia control.

Director

Simon Hanna

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

After graduating from the University of Melbourne in 2003, Simon worked at the Australian College of Optometry, completing the Clinical Residency Program before opening his own private clinic in 2006. He completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Optometry in 2006 and Postgraduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2007, before returning to The University of Melbourne as a Senior Clinical Teaching Instructor in 2011 and completing a Graduate Certificate in University Teaching. From 2014 to 2022, Simon worked with Optometry Australia, representing the profession and all optometrists to the Federal Government on key issues, including Medicare and private health insurance, in his capacity as National Professional Development and Clinical Policy Manager. In 2022, he was appointed the National Professional Services Manager with Bausch & Lomb. Simon has a passion for Medicare billing and compliance and regularly assists optometrists in areas of professional services, helping practitioners with contract, billing, business and clinical queries.

Director

Andrew Anderson

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Andrew Anderson is a qualified optometrist with MSc and PhD degrees from The University of Melbourne, and has held post-doctoral positions at the Devers Eye Institute, Portland, Oregon (2000-2002) and the Department of Physiology, University of Cambridge (2002-2004). In 2005 he commenced a tenured lectureship within the Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne. In 2012 he received a 4-year Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council to investigate vision loss in the eye disease glaucoma.

His research work uses a range of behavioural methods to study how the human visual system processes information, both in healthy and diseased eyes, and how this information is subsequently used to make decisions. He is heavily involved in teaching ophthalmic dispensing to the University’s Doctor of Optometry students, and is the coordinator of the undergraduate subject OPTO20004 "Perception, Illusions, and Art" that provides an introduction to the science of how the human visual system works and how this has been exploited by visual artists.

Since 2013, he has been a member of OV/SA’s Education Committee that advises on continuing education programs. He is also a member of the Accreditation Committee of the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand.

Associate Board Member

Isaac Curkpatrick

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: office.vicsa@optometry.org.au

Isaac is an Associate Board Member. He is also a member of the OV/SA CPD committee. He completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) at Monash University, Doctor of Optometry at the University of Melbourne and a Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Care Ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh.

Isaac spent a year practicing in Adelaide across a network of corporate practices after graduating, and has since worked in regional Victoria in an independent optometry setting. His current role is in Echuca. He is passionate about improving collaborative care for patients and maximising scope of practice within optometry.

Our staff

Our staff are responsible for ensuring the effective and responsible operation of the organisation, while delivering the goals identified in the three-year strategic plan.

Our dedicated and experienced team possess a wide range of skills and experience, ensuring members are provided with the highest level of support, guidance and access to services and events.

CEO

Ilsa Hampton

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Tel: (03) 9652 9100 Email: i.hampton@optometry.org.au

Ilsa is an experienced health sector leader, holding senior executive and leadership roles in aged care and social and community services. Ilsa was most recently CEO at membership organisation Meaningful Ageing Australia, where she grew the organisation significantly, undertook advocacy with government and key stakeholders, and delivered education and evidence-based practical resources for members.

Before this, Ilsa held senior and strategic roles with leading aged care and community service organisation Baptcare, including the role of Acting General Manager.

Ilsa is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Midwifery and Nursing at La Trobe University, Board Director at Palliative Care Australia, and Victorian Executive Committee member of the Australian Association of Gerontology. Ilsa also holds a Master of Public Health and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

EA and Operations Coordinator

Mel Andrews

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Tel: (03) 9652 9102 Email: m.andrews@optometry.org.au

Mel has been working as an Executive Assistant for the past 13 years within a variety of professional industries.

Mel joined Optometry Victoria South Australia at the start of February 2019 as Pete Haydon’s (CEO) Personal Assistant and Governance Liaison to the Board of Optometry Victoria.
Mel's role has recently changed and will provide direct support to the Optometry Victoria South Australia board and provide administrative and finance support to the business.

Member Events Coordinator

Lisa Busuttil

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Tel: (03) 9652 9101 Email: l.busuttil@optometry.org.au

Lisa has just recently joined the team at Optometry Victoria South Australia bringing with her over 15 years of events management experience in the not for profit sector.

She is responsible for the delivery of the associations continuing profession development events and conferences for our members.

Lisa has a Bachelor of Business qualification in Business Management.

Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

Lyn Hsieh

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Tel: (03) 9652 9104 Email: l.hsieh@optometry.org.au

Since graduating from the University of Melbourne in 2013, Lyn has predominantly worked in Shepparton with OPSM. Lyn is a regular volunteer at school screenings in the Shepparton area, is a speaker at local aged-care facilities and is a graduate of the Greater Shepparton Community Leadership program.

In the final year of her optometry degree Lyn completed a placement in Nepal. This experience was both confronting and enlightening, and highlighted the inequity in access to eye care globally. More recently, volunteer work in remote Queensland highlighted the injustice that this inequity is also the case in parts of Australia. These experiences inspired Lyn to begin a Master in Public Health, which she hopes will ultimately enable her to improve access to eye care services.

As an optometrist working in a regional area, Lyn is hoping that her participation in the committee will allow her to advocate and offer more support to early career optometrists working outside metropolitan areas.

Projects Assistant

Fergus Inder

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Tel: Email: f.inder@optometry.org.au

A recent arrival to Melbourne, Fergus brings a decade of experience working in theatre production and arts administration to OVSA. In the newly created role of Projects Assistant, he will lend his unique blend of writing, design, and end-to-end project management skills to a variety of administrative and policy tasks, such as preparation for the 2023 O=MEGA23/WCO4 conference.

Events Assistant

Rebecca David

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Tel: 03 9652 9103 Email: r.david@optometry.org.au

Bec just recently joined the team at Optometry Victoria South Australia as the Event Assistant.

Bec has been working within the non-profit sector for 8 years. She also has a Bachelor of Business in Marketing and Event Management.

Bec is responsible for assisting and delivering the associations CPD events and conferences for our members.

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Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation Optometry Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.