(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK, NY — Alumni from across the country will come together for a weekend in New York City to celebrate with former classmates and honor distinguished colleagues in a tradition of leadership and advocacy that has been the hallmark of SUNY College of Optometry for more than 50 years. This year’s honorees include four distinguished Alumni who will be honored at the annual Alumni Awards Celebration on Saturday, September 14, 2024. The Awards Celebration will begin at 7pm at The Empire Ballroom at 230 Fifth Avenue in New York City. This year’s honorees include: Dr. Constadina Manettas, ’20, (Rising Star); Dr. Anna Marie Fernandez, ‘85 (Alumna of the Year); Dr. Eric C. Rubinfeld, ‘87 (Alumni Mentor of the Year); and Dr. Tanya L. Carter, ’87, R’88 (Distinguished Resident Alumna of the Year).
Dr. Constadina Manettas, ’20, is the 2024 Rising Star of the Year. Dr. Manettas is originally from Canton, Michigan and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Manettas, in 2020, graduated from SUNY College of Optometry. She is currently working as a solo optometrist at Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Brooklyn, and performs comprehensive eye exams with clients at the Bowery Mission shelters in Manhattan. While at SUNY Optometry, Dr. Manettas was the President of the Public Health Club (Student Chapter of American Public Health Association) and travelled to Jamaica to volunteer with the Eye Health Institute along with other members of the SUNY Optometry community.
Dr. Anna Marie Fernandez, ‘85, is the 2024 Alumna of the Year. Dr. Fernandez is a second-generation Hispanic woman and the first in her family to graduate from college. She is also the first to pursue a professional degree, graduating in 1985 from SUNY College of Optometry.
In 1988, Dr. Fernandez opened her own franchise after having worked in several different practices. She sold the practice in 2016 but continued to see patients as a part-time optometrist across a few practices, increasing her time to support the future of optometry. Throughout her optometry career, Dr. Fernandez felt it was important to give back to the profession. She has served as a mentor to students, including those attending SUNY College of Optometry; acted as an ambassador for the profession sharing her experiences and having students shadow her; and performed eye exams for elementary school children. She is an active SUNY Optometry Alumni Association Board Member and past president, a member of the SUNY College of Optometry Foundation Development Committee, and a committed donor to the College. Dr. Fernandez was featured in Women in Optometry in 2013, received the Mentor of the Year Award from SUNY Optometry in 2017, and was recognized with a Theia Award for mentoring in 2021.
Dr. Eric C. Rubinfeld, ‘87, is the 2024 Alumni Mentor of the Year. With 36 years of experience to his credit, Dr. Rubinfeld is the owner and president of Westchester Eyes since 2018. He treats patients with eyelid, eyelash, and ocular surface diseases and conducts research and development to identify and develop optimal homeopathic treatments, pharmaceuticals, supplements, technology, and other products for patients. The grandson and nephew of active military veterans, Dr. Rubinfeld has a particular interest and focuses attention on military veterans and their unique needs, working with veteran and first responder organizations like the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. In addition, he supervises and provides training for four optometrists and technicians within his practice and mentors students at SUNY Optometry.
Dr. Rubinfeld worked at Cohen’s Fashion Optical as an optometrist from 1991 to 2001, and later as medical director and chief strategy officer from 2012 to 2014 and chief strategy officer from 2017 to 2018. He served as president of Precisions Optical Products from 1998 to 2003. He established himself as owner of Wal-Mart Optical in Shenzhen, China, from 2004 to 2005.
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Dr. Rubinfeld garnered a stellar reputation as president of Boss Optical Lens Company from 2004 to 2018. At Cadillac Lenses/Boss Optical of Shenzhen, China, Tainan City, Taiwan, and Miami, Florida, he found success as chief executive officer from 2008 to 2018. He was active as president of Bristol Medical from 2012 to 2019 and at White Plains Eye Care since 2019.
Before embarking on his professional path, Dr. Rubinfeld pursued an education at Adelphi University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in biology. He continued his academic efforts at SUNY Optometry and concluded his studies at the University of Hong Kong, graduating with a Master of Business Administration in 2011.
Dr. Tanya L. Carter, ‘87, R’88, is the 2023 Distinguished Alumna Resident of the Year. Dr. Carter is a Professor Emerita at SUNY Optometry. She has served in various positions over 30 years including as associate clinical professor for 3rd and 4th year interns, instructor of record for the geriatrics course, and ocular disease residency supervisor at Coler Memorial Hospital. Dr. Carter earned her Doctor of Optometry at SUNY Optometry in 1987 and completed a residency at St. Albans Veterans Administration Hospital. Dr. Carter received her BS degree from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Today, Dr. Carter is in private practice in Montclair, NJ, where she serves as Chief Operating Officer of BNC Eyecare Group. Dr. Carter has served in several capacities on the board of the National Optometric Association (NOA) and has mentored numerous pre-optometry and NOSA students along their optometric journey.
In recognition of her commitment to serving her community, Dr. Carter has received various honors such as NOA’s Optometrist of the Year, the Community Service Award from Service United Inc/Juror Entrepreneurs, Ambassador of the 35th Annual Parade and Festival of Montclair, African American Heritage Foundation Inc., and The Township of Montclair, NJ proclamation recognizing BNC Eyecare Group for outstanding service to the community of Montclair.
This year’s Alumni celebration has been extended to a weekend of events centered around the Awards Ceremony and All Alumni Cocktail Reception on Saturday, September 14.
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To purchase a ticket to the All Alumni Cocktail Reception on Saturday, September 14 and more information on events throughout the Alumni Reunion Weekend, please see the link.
