Founder & Chief Visionary Officer

Suresh Chandra, MD founded Combat Blindness Foundation in 1984. He has authored more than 165 publications and ten book chapters. He is also a Council Member of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight, a global joint initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

Chairman & Chief Medical Officer

Peter Holm, MD is a general ophthalmologist and the retired senior member of the Chippewa Valley Eye Clinic, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He practiced Ophthalmology in Northern Wisconsin for 38 years. Peter has been involved in surgical missions in India and the Philippines with CBI, and St. Lucia. Peter joined the CBI Board of Directors in 2013, was named Vice Chairman and Chief Medical Officer in 2019, and became Chairman in 2024.

Vice Chairman

Amy Murray is director of sales-Midwest at Glaukos Corporation, an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company. Her prior experience includes sales management positions at Abbott Medical Optics and Allergan Inc. Amy joined Combat Blindness International’s Board of Directors in 2020, and was named Vice Chairman in 2024.

President (ex officio) & Executive Director

Reena Chandra is a public health practitioner and seasoned development professional with 20+ years of experience in strategic planning, development, grant making and management for charitable organizations, higher education and international NGOs. Reena joined the CBI Board of Directors as President (ex-officio) in 2013 and became Executive Director in 2019.

Treasurer

As vice president of Qualified Plan Services at The Capital Group, Andrew Thompson works primarily with employer-sponsored retirement plans, group benefit plans, and personal wealth management clients. Andrew is passionate about serving those in need, having volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and Team Rubicon, a veterans’ organization that responds to disasters and humanitarian crises. He also served for eight years in the U.S. Army. Andrew joined Combat Blindness International in 2021.

Please see LinkedIn bio for important disclosures. CRN-6789978-071224

Secretary

Sean Lynch is a versatile individual with skills and experience across a variety of areas. He currently manages the client loyalty program for BMO Commercial Bank, U.S. His background includes overseeing major fundraising strategies and donor relationships as director of development at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association and strategic partnership officer at the Wisconsin Historical Foundation. Prior to that, he was a litigation attorney at Pines Bach LLP in Madison, Wisconsin, specializing in criminal defense, civil rights, and employment law. Sean joined CBI’s Board of Directors in 2020 after attending a World Sight Day event and learning about the incredible mission being carried out by CBI.

Chairman Emeritus

Gordon Derzon served as the CEO of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics for 25 years. He is currently an emeritus clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin. Gordon joined the CBI Board of Directors in 2002. Gordon served as the Chairman until 2024.

CBI Board Member

Michael Altaweel completed medical school in Canada and came to the University of Wisconsin in 1998 to complete a two-year fellowship in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous. He then joined the UW Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences as an assistant professor. Mike joined the CBI Board of Directors in 2002.

CBI Board Member

Yasmin Bradfield, MD is a faculty member and professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As co-chair of the Department’s International Ophthalmology Initiatives, she has led international ophthalmology faculty and resident exchanges supported by CBI. Yasmin has nationally recognized expertise in pediatric glaucoma, and has served in leadership roles for the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She joined CBI’s Board of Directors in 2021.

CBI Board Member

Heidi Lucarelli is a long time supporter of CBI and has over 25 years of nursing experience. As a nurse in the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), she plays a key role in the Vision and Hearing Screening Team and CBI’s school screening program. Heidi has also been instrumental in spearheading the Mobile Vision Van initiative. Heidi joined the Board of Directors in 2024.