Adrian Vecchio

  • Adrian Vecchio is the owner of The Eye Collective in South East Melbourne, a practice renowned for its knowledge in children's vision, vision therapy, contact lenses, and dry eye.  Leading a team of four optometrists, Adrian has spent years developing his skills in paediatric and behavioural optometry, with a recent focus on neuro-optometric care.

    As a former clinical supervisor at the University of Melbourne and a mentor to placement students has a long-standing commitment to nurturing the next generation of optometrists.

    Adrian has also served as an ambassador for Vivid Vision VR software and is currently contributing to the development of the Ooptify software platform, and a member of Provision's professional services committee.

    His FOMO in Optometry means he is always looking for innovative techniques to improve patient care and practice operations.

Adam Spencer

  • Laugh and learn with one of Australia’s most dynamic and engaging minds, Adam Spencer is the iconic star of radio and television and now a leading conference MC and keynote speaker on artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, the future of work, and the Chat GPT revolution. Adam has hosted award-winning breakfast radio shows in Australia’s toughest markets and live current affairs TV. He has won improvised theatre competitions and once interviewed John Travolta in front of 75,000 people. Adam has interviewed prime ministers, Hollywood stars, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel Prize-winning scientists and Australians of the Year… and he was also the first person in the world to ever interview our legendary Thai cave rescuers.

Brendan Dowd

  • Brendan heads up the ANZ sales and customer success teams and has over 20 years experience with NIQ GfK.

    Brendan has experience working with industry bodies, large global clients and retailers.

    Brendan is passionate about providing answers to client questions and strives for excellence in support and insight generation.

Carli Phillips

  • Carli is a Wellbeing Keynote Speaker and CEO of Corporate Wellbeing Hub.

    Carli had a successful career at Johnson & Johnson supporting Optometrists in the contact lens portfolio.

    She then went on the lead Wellbeing at J & J, winning the “Best Health & Wellbeing Program 2020.”

    With a degree in Health Science and a Masters in Business, Carli’s research uncovered key success criteria needed to build successful corporate

    Wellbeing programs. Carli is a Nutritionist, Mental Health First Aider and Lead Researcher for government wellbeing research projects across

    Australia.

    Coming out of an intense phobia of public speaking and making a deliberate and huge life mistake,

    Carli will inspire you to uplift your wellbeing.

Alison Abdullah

  • Alison Abdullah graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science (hons) and a Bachelor of Optometry.

    Since graduation, Alison has worked in Manhattan, New York, alongside Ophthalmologists on the Upper East Side, specializing in contact lens fittings, binocular vision disorders, refractive and cataract surgery, oculoplastic assessments, glaucoma treatment & management, and diabetic eye disease management, in addition to general optometry.

    Alison brings her optometric expertise, as well as New York eyewear fashion inspirations to her own independent practice, Lens Avenue.

Grant Hannaford

  • Practising in optics with a career spanning three decades and working with optometrists, opticians, optical dispensers and students as well as industry, Grant is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia and internationally after being named the 2022 Silmo IOA International Optician of the Year. He is the co-founder and director of the Academy of Advanced Ophthalmic Optics and co-owns a private independent optometry practice Hannaford Eyewear which was awarded the 2022 Australian Small Business Champion.

    Grant is a physicist, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. Grant holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie and is the first and currently the only qualified spectacle lens designer in Australia. He has an interest in research, ocular biometry, and photonics.

    Grant is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. He is also a lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science UNSW. He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice dispensing models. He has been awarded as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and is formally recognised by the Australian government for his charitable works in Mongolia and Nepal, and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers.

    Grant  has recently completed Doctoral studies at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England researching emmetropisation and ocular biometric development in children.

Emma Gillies

  • Emma Gillies is well known as an optometrist for her expertise in contact lenses, and has spoken extensively both locally and internationally in her role as professional Affairs Manager with Johnson & Johnson.

    She is passionate about human dynamics and established Purple Key Consulting in 2018 through which she provides business coaching, corporate training and sales and leadership coaching.

    Emma is an accredited NLP practitioner and she works with people and teams to build strong communication skills, help individuals understand their own thinking and behavioural patterns and use this to better understand customers in the optometry practice. 

Heidi Hunter

  • Heidi is a principal optometrist and owner of Custom Eyecare, an independent full scope practice in Newcastle. Prior to becoming a business owner, she worked with a corneal ophthalmologist, and in a refractive surgery clinic, was a clinical supervisor at UNSW, a guest lecturer at Newcastle University, a writer for Mivision and OA Contact Lenses, an optometric speaker on ABC radio, has lectured around Australia and internationally, and a mentor to optometry students on clinical placements. She still does as much of this as she can manage! She is the current President of Optometry NSW/ACT and the current NSW President for the Cornea and Contact Lens Society (CCLSA).

Laura Davies Flannagan

  • Laura Davies Flannagan has been supporting ProVision's NSW members for nearly three years, bringing a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by local, independent practices. With over 20 years of experience in the optical industry, spanning retail and business development, Laura offers invaluable expertise. Her energetic and engaging facilitation style ensures participants gain practical insights and strategies tailored to their needs. Laura is dedicated to continuously finding innovative ways to support and empower independent practices.

Luke Arundel

  • Luke graduated with Honours in Optometry from QUT in 1998 and has worked extensively in Australia and Ireland.  He currently holds fellowships with the BCLA, CCLSA and IACLE and became an Adj.Ass Prof. of the University of Missouri, St Louis, USA in 2008. 

    His professional interests include keratoconus, post-graft and scleral lens fitting, dry eye, ortho-k and paediatric CL. He has worked in specialty contact lens practices in Brisbane and Melbourne and in the CL manufacturing field along with time in the public health and education sectors.

    He has been a guest lecturer at state and international CL conferences and at the UNSW, UME, Deakin and QUT Schools of Optometry. He is currently employed as Chief Clinical Officer for Optometry Australia and provides professional services assistance to members in audits, investigations and medico-legal matters along with leading development of resources and special projects.

Leanne Jackson

  • A passionate collaborative HR professional focused on fostering team engagement initiatives that drive performance and retention. With specialist experience in Retail Management, Industrial and Commercial Recruitment, and Senior HR Leadership, Leanne can provide insights and knowledge in regard to addressing HR challenges, and creating solutions that align with business goals and legislative compliance. Adept at building strong stakeholder relationships and maintaining a compliant, high-performance culture.

Michael Nassar

  • Michael Nasser is the Director of Opticare Pty Ltd, a full-service RX laboratory that provides exceptional support to independent optometry practitioners through high-quality optical lenses, tools, equipment, software, and other business support services like marketing and coaching. With over 13 years of experience in the optical industry, Michael combines his skills as an optical dispenser with a strong background in law and business. This unique blend of expertise gives him a valuable perspective on managing and growing optical businesses across Australia.

    Michael also oversees Optipro Australia Ltd, a buying and marketing group dedicated to empowering independent optical professionals. He enhances their competitive position through innovative marketing strategies and tailored business solutions. Leveraging his skills in business strategy, new business development, and marketing, Michael consistently creates value for clients, partners, and stakeholders. His mission is to elevate the perception and performance of independent optometry in Australia, where clarity meets purpose.

    In addition to his roles at Opticare and Optipro, Michael is the Creator and Host of The Focused View, a podcast that simplifies complex optical and business concepts into engaging narratives. Through this platform, he amplifies the voice of the optical industry, fosters meaningful connections, and inspires innovation. With deep expertise in product marketing and key account management, Michael brings fresh insights to the industry while driving impactful conversations that inspire change.

Lynette Edmonds

  • With a career spanning decades of experience across the recruitment, HR, and PR industries; Lynnette’s whole career has been centered on human capital. She understands the technical aspects of creating ironclad opportunities for talent and how to convey people’s unique stories — plus the strategies required to attract, retain, and progress talent.

    Lynnette was previously Head of People, Australia, at a global PR firm where she oversaw all aspects of the employee experience cycle. This included talent acquisition and followed a successful co-ownership of a boutique recruitment company focusing on talent across PR, marketing, and communications. Before that Lynnette was a PR Consultant leading teams on large consumer brands.

    Lynnette is a regular speaker and contributor at various industry events speaking on issues such as employee engagement, talent acquisition strategies, mentoring, and staff retention. She personally mentors a range of people and loves helping them build and advance their careers.

Myles Hume

  • Myles Hume is the Editor of Insight, Australia's longest-standing ophthalmic magazine since 1975. Myles has a 10-year media career, with the last six of those on Insight. He and his team cover the professional lives and issues affecting Australian ophthalmic practitioners daily, giving him a unique bird's eye view of the whole eyecare ecosystem, including the individuals that make it tick. Insight is today part of Prime Creative Media, Australia's largest B2B publisher, with the platform available in its flagship print format, online and a weekly e-newsletter. 

Chris Savage

  • Chris is an optical dispenser, designer & craftsman, with a background designing and making unique pieces of eyewear using traditional artisan techniques in his Sydney studio. His also the host of ODA's Make Your Own Eyewear Workshops'. Chris is the founder of Circular Eyewear, an Australian company pioneering closed-loop recycling in the eyewear industry. Chris launched Circular Eyewear to promote sustainability adn innovation through the SpexCycle recycling initiative and the Ojekt Eyewear brand. His mission is to reduce eyewar waste by transforming discarded frames into new, stylish products using sustainable materials and practices.

Chedy Kalach

  • Chedy began his optical life over twenty years ago, when he first qualified as an Orthoptist in 2001, and soon after moved into the retail and spectacle sphere of Optical Dispensing. Working with both corporate chains and independent practices, Chedy's passion for learning and growth led him to begin his teaching career in 2009. This path has seen Chedy teach across a variety of institutes in both Australia and New Zealand. Chedy is passionate about the Optical Dispensing profession and loves seeing trainee dispensers achieve in the profession. This passion has culminated with Chedy, in partnership with James Gibbins, founding Australasia’s largest school of optical dispensing – The Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD), enrolling students throughout Australia and New Zealand, and seeing the Optical Dispensing industry grow and thrive.

Paul Vessey

  • Paul Vessey has over 30 years experience in the optical industry in Australia and the United Kingdom.

    He has held sales, marketing, business development, and key account roles with major lens manufacturers and leading frame distributors. He has also worked within the luxury brand sector both in eyewear distribution and luxury retail.

    Paul has diverse commercial and business development skills, with established optical industry networks and relationships and enjoys bringing the voice of both the consumer and eyecare professional to his commercial dealings.

    Paul is currently engaged as Project Manager with ODMA Eyetalk and enjoying working with the team there as they gather supplier and practice feedback on Eyetalk publications, online communications and interface with the various Practice Management Systems. This will lead to the implementation of improvements and new tools to ensure Eyetalk maintains its role as an essential business partner for both suppliers and independent optical retail.

Paul Clarke

  • Paul began his career in optics as an apprentice optical mechanic with OPSM in Adelaide in 1976. In 1984 he relocated to Perth to work for an independent optometrist. In 1991 he bought the business from his employer. Since that time Paul has served on state, national and international optical dispensing associations. He was the inaugural President of ADOA and served a term as the President of the International Opticians Association (IOA). He is now serving as the Chairperson on the Optical Dispensers Australia (ODA) Advisory Board. On Australia Day 2017 Paul received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to international humanitarian health programs, and to the optical profession. Paul has recently retired from Vision West Optometrists in the Perth suburb of Karrinyup where he was a co-owner and is now teaching optical dispensing at the University of Western Australia.

Philip Rose

  • Philip Rose, Eyecare Plus General Manager, has already in his previous role as National BDM been responsible for the Eyecare Plus succession planning activities for the last five years. A previous business owner and vendor himself, Philip understands the in and outs of structuring a purchase and sales process. Having worked internationally, owned and operated his own businesses and over 14 years of experience in the optical industry, Philip has provided a wealth of business knowledge and experience to the many Eyecare Plus practices owners he has helped realise their practice succession and acquisition plans.

Laura Moore

  • Laura Moore is a dynamic leader and strategist in the luxury industry, dedicated to fostering community, driving innovative marketing strategies, and empowering independent businesses. With a deep understanding of the luxury sector, she has built multiple businesses focused on enhancing industry networks, delivering educational resources, and equipping professionals with the tools to thrive in an evolving marketplace.

    As a passionate advocate for collaboration and industry growth, Laura has played a pivotal role in creating platforms that bring together brands, suppliers, and retailers, strengthening the connections that drive success. Her expertise spans community-building, strategic marketing, and business development, with a particular focus on luxury sectors.

Mark Corduff

  • Mark Corduff, Business Services Manager at ProVision, has helped countless independent practices organise their succession plans. With extensive experience in the planning process, practice sale process as well as property leasing and valuation guidance, Mark has successfully facilitated the full sale or part sale of a large list of ProVision members.

Simon Hanna

  • Established in 2019, iCare Consulting was founded by Director Simon Hanna, an optometrist with two decades of rich experience. Simon's journey spans from frontline public health practice to stewardship of a private optometry practice. His tenure includes esteemed roles such as tertiary educator at the University of Melbourne and nearly a decade dedicated to policy and education initiatives at Optometry Australia. Presently, Simon channels his expertise within the corporate pharmaceutical realm at Bausch & Lomb.

    Passionate about compliance and regulatory affairs, Simon actively contributes to various government committees and consultative endeavours. Notably, he serves as a member of the Professional Services Review panel with Medicare Australia and a Board Director of Optometry Victoria/South Australia.

    Simon's extensive experience has uniquely positioned him to grasp the intricate challenges entwined with Medicare billing and compliance. Through years of immersion in the field, he comprehends the nuanced risks accompanying non-compliance and the imperative of aligning with regulatory standards.

    Simon is renowned for his exceptional presentation skills and adeptness in captivating audiences of diverse sizes. His ability to deliver compelling content and facilitate workshops leaves attendees empowered and inspired to enact meaningful change.

Steve Daras

  • Steven Daras has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a national low vision clinic and assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments division for the same company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years. In that time, he worked closely with ophthalmologists working in their practices as a clinical assistant as well as being the assistant in surgery on many cataract operations.

    Steve has been teaching optics for many years having previously taught the Diploma in Optical Dispensing at the Guild of Dispensing Opticians from 1978 until its closure. He then taught and developed resources for the Certificate IV Optical Dispensing at TAFE NSW since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE Digital. He is the only teacher who currently teaches either directly or indirectly every optical dispensing student in Australia, New Zealand, and in the United Kingdom.

    He has written and/or reviewed every major optical dispensing resource in NSW since the 1984 and in 2014 co-authored the textbooks Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edition) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen. These textbooks are used by every optical dispensing course in the countries previously mentioned. These textbooks are also recommended reading in many optometry courses.

    Steve is currently a member of Standards Australia’s SF-006 Eye and Face Protection Committee.

Ulli Hentschel

  • Ulli Hentschel is the Training and Development manager for Hoya Lens Australia. 

    Mr Hentschel manages professional services as well as being the product manager for MiyoSmart. He has led the introduction of MiyoSmart into the Australian and New Zealand markets and has been working closely with global and local key opinion leaders in myopia management as well as other industry leaders to drive the topic of myopia management 

Viv Forbes

  • Vivienne is an expert in relationship building, and her passion for clients’ businesses makes her thrive in any environment. She is adept in copywriting, communications, marketing, social media, and advertising. She also possesses consummate sales and business development skills, all acquired from over 30 years of experience in radio, magazines (digital and print), news media agencies, leading newspapers, outdoor advertising, direct mail, event management, and training.

    Social Ties was established in 2014 when Vivienne realised that some businesses found having an in-house communications and marketing person too expensive, that using online marketing and social media for their business was daunting, or that they could not dedicate the time and resources to it.

    Vivienne is passionate and determined to assist others to grow their business through all media and marketing techniques.