Mary Blankenship Pointer and Dr. Cynthia Owsley Join National Organization to Help Save Sight
CHICAGO (Aug. 3, 2011) – Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has announced that Mary Blankenship Pointer, senior vice president of UMB Bank, and Cynthia Owsley, PhD., Nathan E. Miles chair of ophthalmology, professor, and vice chair for clinical research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, have been elected to the Prevent Blindness America Board of Directors. The vote was held on July 30 at the 2011 PBA Summer Board Meeting in Chicago.
Mary Blankenship Pointer has more than 30 years of experience working in the banking and finance industry. In addition, she has devoted countless hours to various philanthropic efforts. She has served on the Board of Directors of Prevent Blindness Oklahoma for eight years, including serving two terms as Board Chair. She was also recently chairperson of the “Taste of Sight” event for Prevent Blindness Oklahoma. Blankenship Pointer will continue to provide the Prevent Blindness America organization with her leadership in finance, fundraising and public health.
In addition to her work as the vice chair of ophthalmology at UAB, Cynthia Owsley is an award winning researcher, published author and consultant on vision health issues. With more than 25 years experience in clinical eye and vision research, her focus as a PBA Board member is to facilitate a scientific evidence-based approach in the development of eye care policies. Owsley recently served on Prevent Blindness America’s Research Review Committee at the past ARVO (Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) meeting and is the incoming chair of the Prevent Blindness America Scientific Advisory Committee.
“We are so fortunate to have Ms. Blankenship Pointer and Dr. Owsley join our Board of Directors and bring their many talents and insights to help us to continue to move our organization forward in the coming years,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “We thank them for their continued dedication to help save the gift of sight.”
For more information about Prevent Blindness America or general eye health information, please call (800) 331-2020.
Download the board of directors press release
