(PRESS RELEASE) The Vision Council and Reed Exhibitions, organizers of Vision Expo, have shared details on the panels, discussions and education courses dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion planned for Vision Expo East- 2021, taking place June 2-5 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.
To register for Vision Expo East, click here.
Several of the panels taking place at The Seen, a new main stage destination at Vision Expo East, will be dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, including two EYE2EYE Series panels. The schedule of DEI panels and education at Vision Expo East 2021 includes:
Thursday, June 3
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cultural Competence: The Opportunities of Serving the Needs of Hispanic Patients
Vision Expo is offering two education courses focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. On Thursday, June 3 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Hector Santiago, OD, PhD, FAAO, will lead Competence: The Opportunities of Serving the Needs of Hispanic Patients, which will provide recommendations on how to improve the access of eyecare services to Hispanics, the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States.
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12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. EYE2EYE Series: Building a More Inclusive Work Environment
Moderated by Dr. Danielle Richardson, West Coast Director of Clinical Care for Zak, panelists will discuss how to engage team members from different backgrounds to build a more equitable agenda in a place of business. Attendees will learn about diversity, equity and inclusion principles that can be utilized by any team – regardless of the size of the organization. Panelists include: Marvin Davenport, Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer at VSP Global; Cristina Lopez, Head of Talent, Inclusion & Diversity at Essilor Group; and Jacqueline Grove, Senior Vice President, Training, Culture, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Philanthropy at National Vision, Inc.
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EYE2EYE Series: Removing Barriers Between You and Your Multi-Cultural Patients
Dr. Diana Canto-Sims, Co-Founder at Buena Vista Optical and Designer at La Vida Eyewear, will moderate a panel titled “Removing Barriers Between You and Your Multi-Cultural Patients,” that will explore cultural competence in eyecare as a foundational element of providing high-quality care and a bedrock for meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse population of patients. The discussion will highlight the need for eyecare providers to systematically consider how to integrate cultural competencies into their approach in patient interactions to deliver the best quality of care. Panelists include: Dr. Lina Arango, Co-founder of Clear Eyes Clear Mind; and Arlene Segovia, Marketing Manager, Trade Communications for Transitions Optical.
Friday, June 4
2:30-4:30 p.m. Opening Your Eyes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Review of The Vision Council’s DE&I Initiatives and 2020 Survey Results.
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Moderated by Derrick Artis, OD, who also serves on The Vision Council’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, the panel will take a closer look at the results of The Vision Council’s 2020 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey report, which provides an in-depth analysis of the custom survey The Vision Council fielded to the vision care community in November 2020. Panelists include: Dr. Howard Purcell, President and CEO at New England College of Optometry; Dr. Millicent Knight, Senior Vice President, Customer Development Group at Essilor; Phernell Walker, Director of Optometric Relations at VSP Ventures; and Dr. Diana Canto-Sims, Co-Founder at Buena Vista Optical and Designer at La Vida Eyewear.
Additionally, the National Optometric Association (NOA) an organization dedicated to “advancing the visual health of minority populations” through the delivery of effective and efficient eye and vision care services to the minority community, will host a Regional Meeting on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5.
Due to COVID-19, the NOA National convention will be a virtual event and this in-person regional meeting will serve as an opportunity for NOA doctors and National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) students to connect and learn together safely. As part of the regional meeting, NOA will offer six hours of education exclusive to their members on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5.
