Speaker Bios
Dr. Bovenzi, a native of Rochester, NY, is currently the Chief of Advanced Care of the University Eye Center (UEC) and an Associate Clinical Professor at the SUNY College of Optometry in New York City, where he is a clinical instructor in both glaucoma and primary care clinics and teaches in various courses at the College. A 2014 graduate of SUNY, he completed a residency in ocular disease & family practice optometry at the East NY Diagnostic & Treatment Center and was nationally recognized as the 2015 recipient of the American Optometric Foundation's Douglas W. Hopkins Primary Care Residency award. Prior to optometry school, he served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy after receiving bachelor's degrees in both biological sciences and music from Cornell University, where he attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship. A seasoned lecturer, Dr. Bovenzi is frequently called upon for continuing education and instruction on local, national, and international levels. In 2016, he taught anterior segment ocular disease in South Africa as part of an ocular therapeutics certification program for scope expansion for South African optometrists, and again (virtually) in 2021. He was also selected as New York State's Optometric Educator of the Year in 2021. Dr. Bovenzi has a history of optometric leadership and service; he regularly serves as an attending on annual medical mission trips abroad through Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH), he serves on the data collection committee for VOSH-International, and he has created a novel, searchable database program to streamline cataloging and dispensing of donated eyeglasses for mission trips. He is a fellow and active member of the American Academy of Optometry as well as the American and New York State Optometric Associations (AOA and NYSOA), currently serving as the treasurer of the Optometric Society of the City of New York (OSCONY). Dr. Bovenzi is board certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Optometry (ABO).
Dr. Evan Canellos is Chief of Optometry at the Department of Veterans Affairs VA New Harbor Healthcare System Brooklyn, St. Albans, and Staten Island, NY. Prior to this position, Dr. Canellos served as Director of the Optometric Residency and Externship Programs at the same institution for over 20 years. He is Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor at the State University of New York College of Optometry. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Canellos is involved in clinical research and has authored several academic articles on topics in ocular disease in the anterior and posterior segment and has lectured nationally.
Dr. Harriette Canellos has been an Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY Optometry since 1993. She serves as both the director of the University Eye Center’s Referral Service and the Instructor Record for the fourth-year internship program. Dr. Canellos received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry in 1992 and completed her residency at the Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center in 1993. She supervisors students and residents in the Advanced Care clinics. She has spoken and researched widely about anterior segment diseases. Dr. Canellos is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, member of the American and NY State Optometric Associate and a Diplomate of the American Board for Optometry. She received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2004.
Dr. Sweta Das currently serves as a clinical assistant professor at SUNY College of Optometry committed to providing premier care to patients and remaining at the forefront of advancements in eye care technology. She completed a Primary Care residency at the Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry in 2022 and is currently pursuing her Fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry. Having graduated with Honors earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Ophthalmic Medical Technology at the University of Ottawa in 2012 and completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2017, she remains a lifelong learner. Dr. Das has worked in various OD/OMD and private optometry practices. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband, Brian, hiking, biking, canoeing and cross-country skiing.
Dr. Han specializes in neuro-optometric rehabilitation with a clinical interest in the evaluation and management of Visual Snow Syndrome. Serving as a full-time Associate Clinical Professor and the Residency Program Supervisor for the Vision Rehabilitation (Brain Injury Emphasis) Residency, she is involved in both the didactic and clinical training of optometric students, externs, and residents within the Vision Rehabilitation Service as well as seeing patients.
Dr. Han is well-published, having co-authored poster presentations, several peer-reviewed articles, and book chapters related to vision therapy, pediatrics, and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. She has lectured domestically and internationally in China and Italy in the areas of acquired brain injury and vision therapy. She has been invited to speak about “Vision Deficits and Acquired Brain Injury” to interdisciplinary rehabilitation specialists at the North Shore-LIJ (now Northwell) Transitions of Long Island Annual Symposium, Burke Rehabilitation Center in Westchester, and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Dr. Han received her Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University in 1995. An alumna of SUNY College of Optometry, she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree in 2001 and subsequently completed her Residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation at in 2002. Dr. Han attained her fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) in 2005 and in the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) in 2011. Dr. Han attained her diplomate with the American Board of Optometry (ABO) in 2013. Dr. Han was a member of the COVD International Exam and Certification Board (IECB) from 2014-2021 and a board member for the Eastern States Optometric Congress (ESOC) from 2013-2020.
Dr. Laul has been clinical faculty at SUNY since 2016. Prior to SUNY, he served as clinical faculty at Johns Hopkins, School of Medicine and the Ohio State University, College of Optometry where he was the Chief of the Ocular Disease Service. He graduated from the Michigan College of Optometry, followed by a residency in Ocular Disease at the Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston/New England College of Optometry. He is an attending in the Primary Eye Care Service and the Glaucoma Service and also teaches ocular disease clinical procedures labs. He is the instructor of record of the Ophthalmic Lasers and In-Office Surgical Procedures course and The Role of the Optometrist in Surgical Care elective.
He is a member of the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, the Optometric Glaucoma Society and is board certified by the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Laul is also the Chair of the Environmental Safety and Infection Control Committee and runs the Glaucoma Micro-Credential Program at the College.
I am a motivational speaker, an integrative family physician, and an author with a passion for leading people toward improved wellness, self-care, and peace in life. I have written for local magazines; taught end-of-life care to physicians, families, and caregivers; and worked in rural, suburban, and urban settings. I believe that overall wellness is a primary means of disease prevention. Originally born in India, I moved to Rochester, New York, as a child and eventually earned my biology degree, with minors in philosophy and literature, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I also attended St. George’s University School of Medicine.
Travis Pfeifer is a clinical instructor at the SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Pfeifer graduated from SUNY College of Optometry before going on to complete a cornea and contact lens residency, also at SUNY. He is an active member of the NYSOA. He is a fellow of both the American Academy of Optometry and the Contact Lens Society of America. He is a frequent contributor to Review of Cornea and Contact Lens and Eyewitness.
Dr. Matthew T. Vaughn is an associate clinical professor at SUNY College of Optometry and the University Eye Center, where he supervises students and residents in the Primary Care Pediatrics, Children with Special Needs, Infant Vision Care, and Pediatric Ocular Disease clinics. Dr. Vaughn also serves as the Instructor of Record for the Pediatric Optometry and Vision Development third year course and laboratory, as well as co-IOR of the Advanced Topics in Pediatric Ocular Disease elective, and is the externship supervisor for the in-house Pediatric Externship. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from The College of New Jersey in Ewing, New Jersey, and his Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY College of Optometry. He completed a residency in Pediatric and Infant Vision Optometry at SUNY Optometry, where he received advanced training in pediatrics, children with special needs, infant vision care, learning-related vision problems, and vision therapy. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. His hobbies include performing with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.
