We Celebrated!

Thanks for Coming!

Thanks to all our alumni, family and friends who attended our weekend of celebrations and continuing education. This year we celebrated alumni from the years 2014, 2009, 2004, 1999, 1994, 1989 1984, 1979, and 1974. The weekend offered OD attendees up to 13 hours of CE presented by Berkeley alumni and faculty members, continuing the tradition established by the Berkeley Optometry Alumni Association. Saturday speakers included the Peters Memorial Lecturer, Dr Jorge Cuadros; Grand Rounds presenters Drs. Wilmer, Yoshiyama, Harpster and Assar, and Dr. Jazzy Junge. We were also treated to a discussion on Demystifying Near Task Specific Lenses For Today’s Work Environment, by Drs. Michelle Hoff and Isabel Kazemi. The Sunday Golden Conference included the spell binding Professor Robert Lustig, THE sugar man, along with Drs. Green Cuadros and McNamara.

Recognizing Our Alums!

In addition to our celebrating and educating, we recognized alums who received well-earned awards. Dr. Darlene Fong (’88) received the Mert Flom Teaching Award, and Drs. Debra Alexander (’89) and Ken Alimento (’91) received the Michael G. Harris Distinguished Service Award. 

The Reunion CE program closed with the 2019 Alumnus of the Year Award, recognizing one graduate’s outstanding professional and personal achievements. Past winners include practitioners from every mode of practice, unforgettable educators like Dean Meredith Morgan, and former presidents of the AAO and AOA. This year, the Alumnus of the Year was awarded posthumously to Dr. Marvin Poston (’39). His daughter, Marlene Poston Bell, accepted the award on his behalf.

Here is a brief excerpt:

For those of us who knew him, he was the soft-spoken man who frequently shared his insights so that, together, each of us could achieve our shared and individual dreams. As a father he was relentless in guiding the success of his children in achieving our goals. He was proud of his accomplishments, but never smug about his gains.

The full version of her moving acceptance speech can be downloaded here.

See More Pics!

Visit our album for more pics from the 2019 celebration!

Past Alumnus of the Year Winners

Past Mert Flom Teaching Award Winners

Mert Flom
Mort Sarver
Karen Walker-Brandreth
Anthony Adams
Karen Walker-Brandreth
A. Lee Scaief
Karla Zadnik
Robert Dister
Edward Revelli
Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy
Michael G. Harris
Lorie Gong
Ian Bailey
Bob DiMartino

Past Michael G. Harris Distinguished Service Award Winners

Pamela P. Fong
Deanna Alexander