Young Advocate Committee
The New York State Optometric Association is proud to have a geographically diverse and active Young Advocates Program to help any recent graduate of optometry school living or moving to the state of New York in connecting with other optometrists in their communities. This program is designed to reach and engage the newest members of our profession and future generations of leaders, including students and residents. One of the most important aspects of this campaign is peer-to-peer personal outreach.
The NYSOA’s Young Advocate Committee is co-chaired by Drs. Victoria McEwan (Downstate Region), Carrie Joseph (Upstate Region) and Deborah Wang (NYC/LI Region).
We invite you to get to know the members of the Young Advocate Committee and help us make connections between these up-and-coming leaders and the young optometrists in your own community. Please check out our Events page to view the Committee's upcoming social events. You can also visit aoa.org/united to access our national resources when you become a member with your local society and NYSOA.
NYSOA Young Advocates
Western New York
 Name: Carrie Joseph, OD
Local Society: Western New York Society of Optometrists (WNYSO)
Graduation Year: 2014
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Warsaw, Batavia
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Our backyard
Hobbies: Spending time with my family, gardening, hiking
Words to live by: Tomorrow is no place to place your better days. - Dave Matthews
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Alyssa Fortuna, OD
Local Society: WNYSOA
Graduation Year: 2020
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Buffalo, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Beaches and the Buffalo waterfront
Hobbies: Walking my dog, working out, spending time with friends
Words to live by: One step at a time is all it takes to get you there - Emily Dickinson
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Joshua Rogers, OD, FAAO
Local Society: WNYSOA Graduation Year: 2016
School: Illinois College of Optometry
City where you work: Buffalo, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Finger Lakes area
Hobbies: Spending time with my wife and daughters, house remodeling, and working out.
Words to live by: "What's coming will come, and we'll meet it when it does
Contact: [email protected]
Southern Tier
 Name: Alyssa Putman, OD
Local Society: Southern Tier
Graduation Year: 2012
School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
City where you work: Corning
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Waneta and Seneca Lakes of the Finger Lakes
Hobbies: Exercise, hanging with family and friends, and cooking.
Words to live by: Be Kind, Work Hard, Stay Humble, Smile Often, Stay Loyal, Be Honest, Travel When possible, Never Stop Learning, Love Always
Contact: [email protected]
Capital District
 Name: Gina Ciarmiello, OD
Local Society: Eastern
Graduation Year: 2014
School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
City where you work: East Greenbush and Delmar
Favorite place to unwind in NY: My home in Rotterdam, NY.
Hobbies: Hanging out with my family, baking, boating on Lake George.
Words to live by: Everything happens for a reason.
Contact: [email protected]
 Name: Jennifer Tribley–Grill, OD
Local Society: Eastern
Graduation Year: 2013
School: New England College of Optometry
Residency: Ocular Disease at VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System
City where you work: Albany
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Schroon Lake
Hobbies: Cooking, snowmobiling, yoga.
Words to live by: Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. – Mark Twain
Contact: [email protected]
Hudson Valley & Westchester
Name: Victoria McEwan, OD
Local Society: Hudson Valley Optometric Society
Graduation Year: 2016
School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
Residency: Ocular Disease/Primary Care at VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System
City where you work: Hudson
Favorite place to unwind in NY: any quiet waterfront
Hobbies: Spending time with loved ones, traveling, traveling, exercising.
Words to live by: Live each day like it’s your last.
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Brandon Harnos, O.D
Local Society: Hudson Valley
 Graduation Year: 2019
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: New Paltz
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Lake Minnewaska
Hobbies: Running, playing the trumpet, traveling
Words to live by: The road to success is always under construction
Contact: [email protected]
WRPO: Vacant
Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering for this position.
New York City
 Name: Sagar Dhandia, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2019
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: New York City
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Gantry Plaza State Park
Hobbies: Weightlifting, basketball
Words to live by: You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. – Michael Scott
Contact: sagardhandia93@gmail.
Name: Rebecca Aquije, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2020
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Queens, Manhattan
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Local cafes and parks
Hobbies: Drawing, video games, exploring the outdoors with friends
Words to live by: This too shall pass.
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Grace To, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2020
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Queens, Manhattan
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Local cafes and parks
Hobbies: Salsa dancing, enjoying a good book outdoors, hiking with my pup
Words to live by: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - LZ
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Emily Topi, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2015
School: University of Missouri-St. Louis
City where you work: NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Devocion coffee in Williamsburg and Central Park
Hobbies: being outside with family, watching baseball, piano
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Deborah Wang, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2020
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Brooklyn, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: At home :)
Hobbies: Eating and watching TV
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Travis Pfeifer, OD
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2023
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: New York, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Astoria
Hobbies: Swing dancing, video games, hiking
Word to live by: You don't have to be fearless, just don't let fear stop you.
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Maya Mekawy
Local Society: OSCONY
Graduation Year: 2025
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: New York City
Favorite place to unwind in NY: Chelsea Piers
Hobbies: Running and group fitness classes
Words to live by: The wise man knows he knows nothing.
Contact: [email protected]
Long Island
 Name: Alison Schmidt, OD
Local Society: Suffolk/Nassau
Graduation Year: 2015
School: SUNY College of Optometry
City where you work: Commack and Greenvale
Favorite place to unwind in NY: The beach in Montauk.
Hobbies: Hiking, paddle boarding, traveling.
Words to live by: You’re not going to master the rest of your life in one day. Just relax. Master the day. Then just keep doing that every single day.
Contact: [email protected]
Name: Timothy Yuan, OD
Local Society: OSCONY/Nassau
Graduation Year: 2022
School: SUNY Optometry
City where you work: Flushing, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: The Piers
Hobbies: Singing/Piano and Fitness
Words to live by: "Live life to the fullest, make a difference along the way"
Contact: [email protected]
Rochester
Name: Katelyn E. Vilasi, OD
Local Society: Rochester Optometric Society
Graduation Year: 2017
School: New England College of Optometry
City where you work: Rochester, NY
Favorite place to unwind in NY: At home with my west highland white terrier
Hobbies: Spending time with friends, making wreaths, watching movies
Words to live by: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched
– they must be felt with the heart." Helen Keller
Contact: Email: [email protected] Ph: 585-360-6858 |
