Two New Members Elected to Prevent Blindness Board of Directors
Dr. Carole Kenner and J. David Pierson Join Board at Spring Meeting
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CHICAGO (March 9, 2015) – Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has announced that Carole Kenner, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and professor at the School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey, and J. David Pierson, founder of J. David Optical Consultancy, have been elected to the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors. The vote was held on March 7 at the 2015 Spring board meeting held in St. Petersburg, Fla.
At The College of New Jersey, Dr. Kenner is responsible for the academic oversight of nursing, health, and exercise science programs. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati, and a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing and Higher Education from Indiana University. In addition to her work with Prevent Blindness, Dr. Kenner also serves as a Board Member and CEO of Council of International Neonatal Nurses, Inc., an organization she founded and is Secretary of Building Health Academic Communities-a group focused on health and wellness on our nation’s campuses. Her clinical work has focused on neonates and their families, including infants with visual impairments. She has received numerous awards and honors such as Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, Fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and the Audrey Hepburn Award for International Work for Children’s Welfare.
Pierson has been a long-time volunteer for Prevent Blindness and helped establish the Cleveland chapter of Prevent Blindness Ohio. He served as the chair of the Chapter Executive Council and as a member of the Prevent Blindness Ohio state board of directors. Pierson was presented with the Prevent Blindness America 2006 Visionary Award for his dedication and service to the organization and was elected to the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors in 2009. He has also served on various Prevent Blindness committees, including serving on the 2015 Person of Vision committee and as Chair of the annual Prevent Blindness Swing Fore Sight golf event.
In addition to Pierson’s work with Prevent Blindness, he has also served as past president of the National Association of Optometrists and Opticians, and on the Board of Directors, Greater St. Louis United Way. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education from Gettysburg College.
“First, I want to welcome Ms. Kenner to our Prevent Blindness family. We are looking forward to working with her and gaining her invaluable insight as a medical professional as well as experience working with students and patients as to the best strategies to educate the public on vision and eye health,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “And, I’d like to welcome Mr. Pierson back to our Board. His dedication to our organization over the years is truly remarkable, and we thank him for his continued service.”
For more information about the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors or general eye health information, please call (800) 331-2020.
Download a copy of the new Prevent Blindness board member press release.