What you are able to do in your practice, how you get reimbursed and how optometry will be utilized in the future all depend on the decisions made by state and federal lawmakers. COA’s and AOA’s political action committees (PACs) give the optometric profession the ability to identify and help elect lawmakers who will understand, value, and fight to protect the optometric profession. Making contributions to COA and AOA PACs is a way to ensure that your voice is heard in electing optometry-friendly lawmakers.
The PACs were formed to allow individual optometrists to pool their resources in order to make a stronger impact on candidate campaigns. Contribution decisions are made by independent boards of politically savvy optometrists with assistance from expert political advisors. Your political team at COA interviews candidates, educates potential elected officials about optometric issues and makes targeted contributions in support of pro-optometry candidates.
COA has two PACs that can accept donations:
California Optometric Political Action Committee (Cal-OPAC) was formed to support candidates, ballot measures, and circulate petition drives in the State of California for the advancement, promotion, and protection of optometry.
Local Societies of the California Optometric Association (LSCOA-PAC) was formed to help COA local societies support aspiring and existing California elected officials who are optometry friendly.
Cal-OPAC & LSCOA contributions can be added to your monthly dues statement.
COA Champion Supporters:
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Chief Strategy Officer
Dr. Lance Anderson is the Chief Strategy Officer at PECAA, where he is engaged in all aspects of company strategy. He co-founded PECAA in 2007 and helped lead the organization as it grew from a small local Portland study group to a national alliance of independently owned eye care practices. He served as a board member of Rev-360 from 2015 – 2021 and helped oversee the management and successful sale of Revolution EHR, Visionary Partners, and eventually PECAA.
He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University in 1991. He started his own optometry practice in 1993 in Hillsboro, OR, and was able to grow the practice into a busy three-doctor clinic. He retired from clinical care in 2021 and then moved to New York City where he was tasked with helping to integrate PECAA with the HEA buying group. He recently moved to Nashville, TN where he will continue to be actively involved in creating the future vision for PECAA as it is integrated into the VSP family of businesses.
Chief Member Experience Officer
Dr. Justin Manning is the Chief Member Experience Officer at PECAA, where he leads the member experience team, encompassing member education, the Member Business Advisory services, Events, and the Cold Start program. He is the founder and host of the Practice Advantage podcast. Prior to joining PECAA, he founded The Keratoconus and Scleral Lens Institute at Bettner Vision in Colorado Springs, and eyeLeader, a consulting company focused on leadership development, technology in eyecare, and population health.
He has contributed to Review of Optometric Business and has lectured nationally and internationally on specialty contact lenses, design thinking, population health, and the patient experience. He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from The Ohio State University and completed a residency in Geriatric Optometry at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Tacoma, WA, a Master of Public Health degree at Salus University, and a graduate certificate in Customer Experience from the CU Boulder Leeds School of Business. He is driven to help all independent eye care professionals grow their businesses and enjoy their practices every single day.
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