Vision Policy Across the Lifespan

Leela Baggett, Esq.
Coordinator
Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition

Leela Baggett is a Principal at Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, where she advises healthcare providers, practitioners, and device manufacturers on a wide range of regulatory, litigation, and legislative matters. She also serves as Coordinator of the ITEM Coalition’s Low Vision Subgroup, a national consumer- and clinician-led coalition focused on improving access to and Medicare coverage of assistive technologies for individuals with blindness and low vision.

Josie Cooper
Executive Director
Alliance for Patient Access

Josie Cooper is executive director of the Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA), where she has spent the past six years leading the organization’s efforts to advance timely, affordable access to care. Under her leadership, AfPA has significantly expanded its footprint, growing a national network of clinician working groups and advocacy coalitions that span more than a dozen disease areas and engage stakeholders at both the state and federal level.

Ms. Cooper oversees AfPA’s advocacy on policies that impact patient access to care, from utilization management reform and insurance cost-sharing practices to policies shaping the future of medical innovation. Additionally, Ms. Cooper serves as an advisor to the Vision Health Advocacy Coalition, which advocates for patient-centered vision health policy.

Prior to leading AfPA, Ms. Cooper worked in grassroots mobilization and public affairs at the state and national level, including on presidential, Senate, and congressional campaigns. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband Sam and their son Ford.

Scott Haber, MPA
Director, Public Health Advocacy
American Academy of Ophthalmology

Scott Haber is the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Director of Public Health Advocacy. He leads the development of Academy policy positions on issues relating to public health and implements federal legislative and regulatory strategies to advance Academy priorities. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University and a Master of Public Administration from American University.

Sara Everett Brown, MPA
Senior Director of Government Affairs
Prevent Blindness

Sara Everett Brown is the Senior Director of Government Affairs at Prevent Blindness. Since joining Prevent Blindness in 2017, Sara has grown the organization’s presence on Capitol Hill, with the Administration, and amongst stakeholder groups in pursuit of Prevent Blindness’s policy goals, including the bipartisan Early Detection of Vision Impairments (EDVI) for Children Act, strengthening federal investments in vision and eye health programs, and improving access and coverage policies for eye health patients. Sara has nearly two decades of policy experience in Washington, having begun her career as a legislative and staff aide with the U.S. Senate. A Nebraska native, she holds degrees in English and Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and a master’s degree in public administration from Walden University.

M. Araba Otoo, OD, MPH, FAAO
Chair, American Public Health Association Vision Care Section
CEO, Cherish Eyesight & Vision Inc.

Dr. Araba Otoo is an optometrist and public health professional dedicated to advancing health equity through vision care. She has experience working across the VA system, private practice, and Indian Health Services, bringing a community-centered approach to improving access to eye care.

Dr. Otoo earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from The Ohio State University College of Optometry and holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her work focuses on integrating public health principles into optometric practice to improve visual health literacy and expand access to care.

She is the founder and CEO of Cherish Eyesight and Vision Inc., a nonprofit organization committed to reducing disparities in vision care through education and community engagement. Through this work, she has collaborated with organizations such as the National Keratoconus Foundation, the World Council of Optometry, and Seva to advance local and global eye health initiatives. Dr. Otoo currently serves as Chair of the American Public Health Association Vision Care Section, where she leads efforts to elevate the role of vision care within the broader public health agenda.