Career Symposium

Dr. Gui Albieri is the Vice President for Student Affairs at SUNY College of Optometry. Prior to this role, he was the Senior Director of Admissions and Marketing at SUNY Optometry. His research interests include the areas of wisdom and self-control as well as inclusion, branding, cross-cultural communications, sustainable communities, and social innovations in isolated communities. Dr. Albieri has written a book chapter and published in the area of sustainable tourism development. He has won awards for public speaking, including the Jeff Gibb award for the “Best Presentation of the Year” from the Organizational Development Institute.

Prior to joining SUNY Optometry, Dr. Albieri has worked as a human resource consultant for a major American chemical company in Brazil and was directly involved with HR interventions in more than 11 countries in Latin America. He is also a small business owner in Brazil. Dr. Albieri holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems, and MS degrees in Human and Organizational Development and in Organizational Change.

Dr. Deborah Wang grew up in Oregon before moving to New York City to pursue her optometry degree at the SUNY College of Optometry. After earning her degree, she began her career at an ophthalmology practice in Brooklyn, NY, where she served as the first hired doctor and played a key role in helping to grow the practice.

In 2024, she transitioned from clinical care to academia, becoming the Director of Career Development and CSTEP Project Director at the SUNY College of Optometry. Through her connection with CSTEP, she serves as the Social Media Committee Co-Chair for the Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP (APACS).

Dr. Wang is also deeply engaged in professional service and leadership, currently serving as secretary and past president of the Optometric Society of the City of New York (OSCONY). Within the New York State Optometric Association (NYSOA), she holds several leadership roles, including co-chair of the Young Advocates Committee for the NYC/LI region, manager of the CE Pass Program, Metropolitan Regional Trustee, and she is also an active member of both the Brand, Communications & Outreach Committee and the Annual Innovation Vision Conference planning team. Additionally, Dr. Wang serves as an American Optometric Association (AOA) Federal Keyperson, representing the NYSOA in legislative advocacy, and was named the 2025 Young Optometrist of the Year by the NYSOA.

Outside of her professional roles, she enjoys reviewing adoption applications for Korean K9 Rescue, gaming and exploring New York City’s vibrant food scene, and has been a member of the Yelp Elite community for the past nine years.

Allyns Melendez brings over 25 years of expertise in human resources and business management. She holds an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and is certified in multiple workplace behavior systems, as well as having certification in leadership and flow coaching. Allyns has also completed leadership courses at Cornell’s ILR School, Harvard Business School, and MIT. She is the Founder and CEO of HR Transformed, serves on the Professional Advisor Committee at SUNY College of Optometry, serves on the CCNY Ad/PR’s Building Bridges Advisory Board, and is the Board Secretary for the East Fishkill Soccer Club. Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, she enjoys cycling, dance fitness, rock climbing, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Amy Lam graduated from SUNY Optometry with Beta Sigma Kappa honors. She completed a SUNY residency at the Northport VA Medical Center in Low Vision/Rehabilitation/Primary Care. She is currently the Director of Low Vision Services at the Institute of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at University Hospital, the teaching hospital for Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She splits her time between low vision and non-surgical ophthalmology care for an underserved population in a tertiary clinical setting. She teaches ophthalmology residents and medical students clinically and didcatically and has established partnerships with local nonprofits dedicated to helping those who are visually impaired. Her complex disease management experiences have led her to presenting at the state and national level. Dr. Lam is passionate about organized optometry and is currently an NJSOP board member. She is involved in state and federal advocacy efforts. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, paddleboarding, hiking and being a foodie.

Dr. Caroline Hao graduated from SUNY Optometry in 2020. After one year at a private practice, she has been working for Warby Parker since the summer of 2021 at various locations. She currently resides in Queens, NY with her husband and two young children.

Dr. Caryn Nearnberg earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry in 2015. Since then, she has been practicing in private practice on the Upper East Side, where she specializes in contact lens fitting and the management of dry eye disease. Dr. Nearnberg currently serves as President of the Optometric Society of the City of New York (OSCONY).

Dr. Jing Huang is an optometrist who works alongside corneal specialists at Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital. Originally from California, she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from UC Berkeley and completed a Primary Care Residency at SUNY College of Optometry.

Driven by her passion for flexible work and better work–life balance in optometry, she and her husband co-founded Peared — a fill-in platform that connects optometrists and practices, streamlining the entire process from search to and payment.

Joy Harewood, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO is the Chief Diversity Officer at State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry, where she also holds the title of Associate Clinical Professor. She is a graduate of Trinity College at the University of Toronto and received her Doctorate of Optometry at the University of California at Berkeley School of Optometry (Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science).  Dr Harewood completed a residency in ocular disease at the SUNY College of Optometry and a Masters in Public Health at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. She achieved her Fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry and is a Diplomate in the American Board of Optometry. Dr Harewood spent almost a decade working in hospital-based academic medical centers in medically underserved areas of New York City prior to transitioning into academia.

Dr. Harewood’s research interests include ocular manifestations of systemic disease and access to eye care. She was a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) Task Force on Disparities in Eye Care and won the AAO Secretariat Award for her contributions. She was recognized as the “Optometrist of the Year” by the National Optometric Association in 2024. She also was awarded the President’s Merit Award in Excellence in 2022 for her significant contribution to the SUNY Optometry community. Dr Harewood lectures nationally and internationally on a wide range of topics including the ocular manifestations of systemic disease and access to eye care. She has published and been quoted in numerous articles and is a leading voice in the push for health equity in eye care.

Dr. Maciel Cruz is a New York–based optometric physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital. She is a graduate of MCPHS University College of Optometry and completed an ocular disease and primary care residency at the Orlando VA Medical Center. Dr. Cruz has extensive experience in glaucoma management, ocular disease, and hospital-based eye care. She is actively involved in community outreach through vision screenings with the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and serves as Chair of the ¡Salud! Latinx/Hispanic/Chicanx Special Interest Group of the American Academy of Optometry, where she advocates for health equity and culturally competent care. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, her dog Juno and reading.

Dr. Meg Macmillan is a Senior Medical Science Liaison (“MSL”) in Medical Affairs for Sun Pharmaceuticals, based in Princeton, New Jersey. Meg is a board-certified optometrist, residency trained in ocular disease. She moved into industry a few years ago and brings over 20 years of clinical experience to the pharmaceutical industry, including being the Regional Medical Director for a large, multispecialty co-management center in New Jersey and Manhattan. Dr. Macmillan received the Medical Affairs Rookie of the Year Award in 2022 and MSL of the Year Award in 2023. She is an active member of the American Optometric Association, American Academy of Optometry, and the New Jersey Society of Optometric Physicians and has served as adjunct faculty for both the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and the SUNY College of Optometry. Over the years, she has lectured students, interns, residents, and colleagues as well as published research on glaucoma in collaboration with the renowned Bascom Palmer Institute. Megan currently lives in Bernardsville, New Jersey with her husband and 12-year-old boy/girl twins.

Dr. Roheena Mariam Malik is an optometrist who works as a public health advocate and a systems-change leader to improve vision equity and increase access to care in communities. Dr. Malik has completed a challenging Ocular Disease/Refractive and Ocular Surgery Residency at Omni Eye Services. Dr. Malik has extensive knowledge in many areas of care, including glaucoma and cataract co-management, retinal diseases, corneal disorders, perioperative care, and multidisciplinary decision-making.

Dr. Malik is currently serving as Clinical Outreach Director for The Richard J. Favreau, OD Health Foundation and as Lead Clinical Director for Special Olympics Opening Eyes – New Jersey. She oversees statewide screenings, volunteer training, and the development of quality vision pathways for athletes with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Dr. Malik is also active in organizations such as the New Jersey Society of Optometric Physicians and the New Jersey Public Health Association, where she contributes to statewide clinical standards, advocacy priorities, and health equity initiatives.

Dr. Malik believes that health is a fundamental human right; she consistently seeks to offer more than just eye care during exams. Dr. Malik has engaged in numerous national and international leadership programs, including the World Council of Optometry’s Advocacy and Leadership Program, the VSP Future Leaders Academy, the AOA Leadership Institute, the Wasafiri Systemcraft Essentials, the IAPB Advocacy to Action, the Prevent Blindness ASPECT, and the Global Health Corps Fellowship. These programs focus on the overlap of advocacy, public health, optometry, and leadership.

When Dr. Malik is not involved in her professional work, she expresses her creativity through various mediums like painting or building detailed LEGO structures. She appreciates all forms of creativity, whether it’s visual arts (museums), music, or film, and enjoys immersive storytelling. Dr. Malik finds inspiration in the cinematic storytelling of Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, and A24 Studios, as well as from the Star Wars and Marvel universes and any story that includes Batman. To strengthen her mind-body connection, she practices meditation, yoga, biking, and mindfulness. Besides her physical activities, Dr. Malik reads memoirs, psychology books, philosophical works, and narrative nonfiction. As an avid gamer, she loves video games that combine strategic thinking with complex stories. She also is a devoted sports fan, cheering for Real Madrid, the Philadelphia Eagles, and professional tennis players.

Ultimately, Dr. Malik aims to change how healthcare systems view eye care as a vital part of overall health, rather than as a separate entity that merely provides the means to achieve health, opportunities, and dignity. She wants to develop accessible models of care that enable greater access, more equitable treatment, and a sense of belonging for populations that have traditionally been excluded from the healthcare system.

Dr. Shelby Kruse earned her Doctorate of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry before completing a residency in Primary Eye Care and Ocular Disease at BronxCare Health System. Following her residency, she practiced in a comprehensive ophthalmology clinic in Athens, Georgia, before returning to New York City to join a private practice specializing in glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology.

Dr. Kruse currently practices at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Irving Medical Center. She is a past president of the Optometric Society of the City of New York (OSCONY) and remains actively engaged in the profession through attending conferences and presenting continuing education lectures.

Dr. Taylor Greaves is a NYC-based optometrist and mentor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University at Albany and her Doctor of Optometry degree from the SUNY College of Optometry.

Dr. Greaves previously served as the National Vice President of the National Optometric Student Association, where she helped advance diversity, mentorship, and leadership within the profession. She is also a strong advocate for bridging the gap between quality eye care and underserved populations. Dr. Greaves is currently completing a residency in ocular disease at SUNY College of Optometry and Woodhull Hospital.