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Dr. Spitellie has practiced on both side of the

ether screen and has worked in academic and

private practice. He attended the University of

Washington School of Medicine and

subsequently completed his anesthesia

residency also at the University of Washington.

After several years in private practice, he

returned to academics at the University of

Washington as an assistant professor in

anesthesia at a level 1 trauma center. He then

went back and did an ophthalmology residency

at the University of Washington, followed by an

oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery

fellowship at the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Effie Z. Rahman is a board-certified surgical

and medical retina specialist with Retina

Consultants of Texas. She grew up in Katy, TX

and completed her undergraduate training at

Rice University and medical school training at

Baylor College of Medicine . She received a

certification of Medical Ethics at Baylor College

of Medicine. Dr. Rahman completed her

internship at Brackenridge/Dell Seton Medical

Center in Austin, TX and completed her

ophthalmology residency at University of Texas

Health San Antonio. She completed her surgical

vitreoretinal fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist

Hospital.

Dr. Rahman specializes in vitreoretinal surgery

and medical retina. Dr. Rahman’s surgical

interests include complex and uveitic retinal

detachments, macular holes, epiretinal

membranes, diabetic hemorrhages and tractional

detachments, secondary intraocular lens

implantations, retisert implantations and

intraocular foreign body removals.

She is a classical cellist who has won numerous

state-level competitions and has performed at

Carnegie Hall. She continues to play cello in the

Texas Medical Center Orchestra. In her free

time, Dr. Rahman likes to do CrossFit and spend

time with her family, dogs, and friends

George Williams, MD, FASA, FCCM, FCCP is Professor of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine and Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston- McGovern Medical School where he serves as the Vice Chair for Critical Care Medicine. In his practice, he serves as the Medical Co-Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, Medical Director of the Donor Specialty Care Unit at Memorial Hermann Hospital, and a general anesthesiologist in the operating rooms. Dr. Williams also previously staffed the shock trauma and neurosurgical ICUs at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center where he served as co-director in both units. Dr. Williams has authored two textbooks, has held numerous leadership roles in medical education and conducts research in the domains of ARDS, perioperative nutrition and clinical outcomes. He is the immediate Past-President of the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists and serves as the Alternate Director for Texas on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Maggie Jeffries received her anesthesia training at Johns Hopkins University and following graduation, became an Assistant Professor at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  During that time, she was an active contributor to diverse areas of research and is a published author in several national journals.  In private practice since 2010, Dr. Jeffries specializes in ophthalmic anesthesia in outpatient centers performing over 12,000 procedures/year.  Her breadth of experience encompasses ophthalmic blocks as well as anesthetic techniques for cataract, vitreoretinal, strabismus, glaucoma, and oculoplastic surgeries.  Dr. Jeffries has presented her research on the MKO (Midazolam/Ketamine/Ondansetron) Melt at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and frequently lectures on the topic of sedation and blocks for ophthalmic surgery. 

               Active Shooter Defense for Civilians:

                               11 years in program

                               Trained 87,000 + citizens

                               Conducted 2,090 + trainings

                               Five known survivors

                               Trained LAPD staff (train the trainer)

               Conduct Security Surveys

1975 A.S. - Fingerlakes Community College, Canandaigua, N.Y.

1977 B.S. - Clarkson University, Potsdam, N.Y.; Chemical Engineering major

1983 M.D. - University of Toledo, College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, MD

1990 Ph.D. - in Physiology, Mentor – B.R. Duling, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center

2009 M.B.A. - Business of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

2013 Physician Builder for Epic

2014 Anesthesia Physician Builder for Epic

2015 Severing Leadership Training Program

2016 Analytics Physician Builder for Epic

2019 Clinical Research Training – Johns Hopkins University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Rochester, New York, July 1990 - June 2002

Johns Hopkins University, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore Maryland, Associate Professor, January 2002 – present

Wilmer Ophthalamological Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore Maryland, Chief of Anesthesia, March 2002 - 2019

Dr Singh was born in India and graduated from Gujarat University, following which he did his residency in Internal Medicine in India. He subsequently trained in Anesthesiology and Critical care from the prestigious Cambridge University in England, obtaining his fellowships in Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Internal Medicine (FRCA, FFICM, MRCP). He moved to the United States in 2013 practicing Anesthesiology and Critical care at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He has more than ten years of clinical experience in critical care, with special interest in Neuro-critical care and Ophthalmic anesthesia that he practiced at Callahan Eye Foundation, one of the largest tertiary centers for ophthalmic surgeries in the south. He practices at the Veterans Affairs Hospital at Birmingham, Alabama continuing his interest in Surgical ICU and Ophthalmic anesthesia.

Along with other societies related to Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Dr Singh is also a board member of the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society, is board certified in Internal Medicine and currently pursuing board certification through alternate pathway in Anesthesiology. He resides in Vestavia, AL with his wife, her parents and two high schoolers!

George A. Dumas, MD is currently an Associate

Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology

and Perioperative Medicine at the University of

Alabama at Birmingham. He has served as the

Chief of Anesthesia at the UAB Callahan Eye

Hospital since 2017. He has served on ASA

committees and is current past president of the

Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society. Some of his

academic interests include ophthalmic

anesthesia, geriatric anesthesia, and ambulatory

anesthesia. He has published multiple book

chapters and several peer reviewed journal

articles in these areas.

Dr. Markoff received an undergraduate degree  in Chemistry from Southern Adventist University.  He attended medical school and did his Ophthalmology residency at Loma Linda University.  Upon completion of his residency he joined Mountain Eye Associates in Clyde, NC where he has practiced for the last 33 years and currently serves as senior partner.

Dr. Markoff  has served as chief of staff at Haywood regional medical center and as president of the North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons and the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society.  He has also served as a co-instructor for the phacoemulsification, MSICS, and LRI wet labs at the annual ASCRS meeting.

He met his wife Tricia in Loma Linda where she received a doctorate in Public Health.  They have 3 children, and enjoy spending time hiking and water and snow skiing together.  Dr. Markoff has participated in over 30 medical and surgical eyecare trips to the developing world and has a special interest in Bolivia, which he has been visiting since 1996.

Over eighteen years of professional career in Sankara Nethralaya as an exclusive Ophthalmic Anaesthesiologist, I have been exposed to a multitude of cases ranging from Preterm babies coming for retinopathy of prematurity surgery to a huge load of paediatric cases presenting with congenital cataract and squints through to geriatric cases presenting for eye surgery with a host of multiple systemic problems

I am an member of AIOA( All India Ophthalmic Anaesthesia ), previously known as OFISA ( Ophthalmic forum of India Society of Naesthesiologists) I have been part of the scientific Committee of the first Ophthalmic Forum of Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists Conference(OFISACON).The aim of establishing this forum is to provide a platform for anaesthesiologists,ophthalmologists and clinicians practicing ophthalmic anaesthesia to share their experiences to promote a high standard of patient care and to hold continuing medical education programs and conference once in two years. I was also invited as a faculty for the second OFISACON.I have Authored : Systemic and Orbital Complications of Regional Anaesthesia
Co: Authored : Anaesthesia for Strabismus Surgery for
TEXT BOOK OF OPHTHALMIC ANAESTHESIA
TITLE: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF OPHTHALMIC ANAESTHESIA

Neil Masters is a pediatric anesthesiologist at the

University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye

Institute. He obtained his bachelor’s and medical

degrees at the University of Miami. Afterwards,

he completed anesthesia residency and

fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at

Columbia University Medical Center / New York

Presbyterian Hospital. His interests include

pediatric ophthalmic anesthesia and international

medicine. His most recent paper is on

contemporary anesthesia perspectives for

ophthalmic surgery.

Melanie Rubinsky has been a Shareholder with Sprott Newsom Quattlebaum Messenger since 2019, focused on representing those in the healthcare industry. She has worked in the legal industry for over 40 years, more than 24 of which as an attorney. She has extensive experience representing physicians, chiropractors, dentists, pharmacists, counselors, physical therapists, nurses, and other medical professionals both in litigation, as well as before their respective licensing boards, including actions brought before the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings. She was involved in one of the largest cases ever brought by the Texas Medical Board against an individual physician before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

Her healthcare practice includes representation of healthcare institutions, physicians, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, licensed professional counselors, and physician assistants in matters involving medical negligence, peer review, licensure, risk management, business disputes, contractual issues, regulatory compliance, government, and private reimbursement issues,  Federal Whistleblower litigation, Stark and Anti-Kickback matters, Department of Justice Investigations, HIPAA, and employment-related issues including medical staffing disputes. She has extensive experience working with healthcare industry clients to establish medical and dental practices, online counseling practices, integrated medical practices, draft buy/sell agreements, non-compete agreements, establishing MSOs, and writing both medical and nursing policies and procedures for private practices, hospitals and long-term care facilities. In addition, Melanie represents clients in a Multi-District Litigation, In re: Fraudulent Lien Litigation, as the defense liaison counsel. Melanie also has experience with product liability including pharmaceutical and medical devices, as well as personal injury, premises liability, and employment-related cases, including cases brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Dorothy, a third-year medical student at the

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,

hails from Portland, Oregon. She earned degrees

in Biology and Chemistry from Whitworth

University in 2019. Post-medical school, she

aspires to pursue ophthalmology residency. Her

clinical interests center on addressing barriers to

optical and ophthalmic surgical care, particularly

in underserved populations. With an overarching

goal of helping to alleviate the global burden of

eye disease, Dorothy is driven by a passion for

making a positive impact. Outside the medical

realm, she finds joy in mountaineering,

backpacking, running, and creating music with

friends.

Kayla Schneeweiss-Keene BSN, RN, CASC is a hardworking, focus-driven professional who enjoys preparing others for success. Thriving in team atmospheres, Kayla is driven to spearhead individual projects. In addition, she enjoys finding solutions to challenges and is always looking to improve herself and be more efficient.

A part of the Mann Eye Institute family since 2009, Kayla oversees ASC operations for Mann’s Surgery Centers in Houston’s Museum District, Humble, and Sugar Land locations as well as Mann’s office based surgery suite in Austin, Tx. Furthermore, she is Mann Eye’s lead in ASC development.

Lured by the warm weather of Texas, Dr. Zaman gladly discarded his snow shovel after graduating medical school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He attended ophthalmology residency at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and continued his ophthalmology training by serving his fellowship in Glaucoma and Anterior Segment Diseases at Houston Eye Associates under the direction of Robert H. Stewart, M.D.

Dr. Zaman performs cutting-edge surgical methods for the treatment of glaucoma, cataracts, and LASIK. His glaucoma expertise includes traditional filtering surgeries (trabeculectomy and tube shunt), and newer minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries including Xen, Hydrus Micro Stent, iStent, goniotomy, and canaloplasty. His non-invasive glaucoma laser procedures include selective laser trabeculoplasty, peripheral iridotomy, and cyclophotocoagulation with Micropulse P3 laser .

Dr. Zaman's expertise in cataract surgery includes implantation of premium intraocular lenses and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery which can reduce your dependency on glasses.

Dr. Zaman is also involved in clinical trials helping bring new methods of treatments for patients. Dr. Zaman is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is currently a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology as well as the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Stacy V. Smith, MD completed medical school at

The University of Texas Health Sciences Center

McGovern Medical School followed by residency

and fellowships at Houston Methodist Hospital

and The University of Texas Southwestern

Medical School. Dr. Smith currently practices as

a Neuro-Ophthalmologist and Headache

Medicine specialist at Houston Methodist

Neurosciences Center in The Woodlands, Texas.

She has been a Neurology Consultant for the

NASCAR-AMR Motorsports Safety Team since

2017.

Dr. Lucy Bailey is a fellowship-trained, boardcertified

ophthalmologist who specializes in

oculoplastics and cataract surgery. She grew up

in Houston before leaving the Bayou City to

graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Music from

Stanford University. Dr. Bailey then earned a

Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard

T.H. Chan School of Public Health and her

Medical Doctorate from the Columbia University

College of Physicians & Surgeons. She moved

back to Houston to complete her residency in

ophthalmology at the University of Texas Health

Science Center at Houston. She completed an

oculoplastics fellowship in California at the

Central Valley Eye Group. After practicing for a

year at UT Health in San Antonio, she has been

working at Houston Eye Associates since 2022.

Dr Adrian Kwa is an anaesthetist from Nottingham, United Kingdom, with special interest in Ophthalmic Anaesthesia. Qualified in 2003, he has been working as an anaesthetist since 2007. He was the Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Lead until recently, and was appointed as Head of Service for Ophthalmology for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts since November 2023. Adrian is also a Council Member of the British Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Society (BOAS) and served as Honorary Secretary since 2022.

Adrian has recently Healthcare Finance Management Association Clinician of the Year Award for his work on the Nottingham Faster Turnover Pathway. This pathway has transformed Nottingham into one of the centres of excellence for theatre efficiency and has generated over £528k (~USD$660k) extra income per year for the Trust.

Adrian has been running ophthalmic blocks workshop at BOAS Annual Scientific Meetings since 2019 and presented at numerous meetings and chaired study days on ophthalmic anaesthesia.

In his spare time, he enjoys target shooting, woodworking, and photography

Dr. Howard Palte completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. After an internship in medicine, surgery, and obstetrics he worked as a medical officer at a large mine hospital on the gold belt of South Africa. Here he assumed responsibility for anesthesia services, instituting more widespread application of regional techniques for eye and orthopedic procedures.

Thereafter, Dr. Palte completed a four-year anesthesia residency at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He was awarded the national gold medal for the most accomplished candidate in the final Board Examination. His fellowship training was succeeded by a 14-year spell in private practice in Johannesburg. During this period, he retained a part-time academic appointment and was actively involved in resident education.

Dr. Palte is currently a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Miami. He works exclusively at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where he is the Director of Regional Anesthesia. He has lectured extensively at regional, national, and international meetings and hosted needle, cannula and ultrasound eye block workshops. In addition, he is widely published on ophthalmic anesthesia-related topics.

Sarah Laqua has been a CRNA for 13 years and

is currently caring for patients at Mann Eye

Center. She was previously a faculty CRNA and

CRNA Director at Texas Children’s Hospital.

She’s cared for patients across the life-span and

has presented locally and nationally on

pharmacology, physiology, and pediatric

anesthesia. She has a passion for doing medical

missions and spends most of her time chasing

around her rambunctious twin sons.

EDUCATION

University of Texas Medical Branch, Residency, Anesthesiology, 1999-2003

University of Texas Medical Branch, M.D. 1999

University of Texas at Austin, B.A. 1994

Diplomate of The American Board of Anesthesiology April 15^th, 2005 exp Dec. 2025

WORK HISTORY

   Avanti Anesthesia, P.A.  5/1/2020  - start

   IV Services of Houston PLLC 12/11/2019 start

   3820 Browning St.

   Houston, TX 77005

   Principle Anesthesia, PLLC. 4/10/2017- 4/30/2020

   Greater Houston Anesthesiology, PA (now U.S.A.P. of Texas), 10/1/2012 thru 4/7/2017 

Affiliated Anesthesia Association, 2009 - 2012

Gramercy Outpatient Surgical Center

Harris County Anesthesiologists, 2008 - 2009

Association Anesthesiologists, 2006 - 2008

Bayshore Anesthesiology Group (now called Beltway Anesthesiology Group), 2003 – 2006

 Mr. Rains currently serve as the manager of surgical services and lead of anesthesia for Center for Sight in Sarasota, Florida.  He relocated to this area from South Dakota in 2017 and has enjoyed taking on greater responsibilities and specializing in anesthesia for ophthalmologic procedures.  He is currently entering his 18th year of practice after graduating from Mount Marty College with a degree in Nurse Anesthesia in 2005.  A colleague introduced him to OAS in 2018 and he was instantly impressed with the unique nature of the discussions and the opportunity to speak to a wide variety of practitioners at the meeting.   

Dr Adrian Kwa is an anaesthetist from Nottingham, United Kingdom, with special interest in Ophthalmic Anaesthesia. Qualified in 2003, he has been working as an anaesthetist since 2007. He was the Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Lead until recently, and was appointed as Head of Service for Ophthalmology for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts since November 2023. Adrian is also a Council Member of the British Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Society (BOAS) and served as Honorary Secretary since 2022.

Adrian has recently Healthcare Finance Management Association Clinician of the Year Award for his work on the Nottingham Faster Turnover Pathway. This pathway has transformed Nottingham into one of the centres of excellence for theatre efficiency and has generated over £528k (~USD$660k) extra income per year for the Trust.

Adrian has been running ophthalmic blocks workshop at BOAS Annual Scientific Meetings since 2019 and presented at numerous meetings and chaired study days on ophthalmic anaesthesia.

In his spare time, he enjoys target shooting, woodworking, and photography

My name is Iosifina Giannakikou and I was born and raised in Greece. I did my medical school training at Guy’s and St Thomas’ medical school, King’s College London, UK. Then i completed both my Anaesthesia residency and Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. I worked at Johns Hopkins as a part time clinical associate for 10 years before returning full time back home to Greece. I currently work at Hygeia

Hospital, which is a large private hospital in Athens, Greece. My fields of interest are anesthesia for Head and Neck, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, GI surgery and difficult airway cases. I am married to a gynecologist and we have 2 kids. 

Over eighteen years of professional career in Sankara Nethralaya as an exclusive Ophthalmic Anaesthesiologist, I have been exposed to a multitude of cases ranging from Preterm babies coming for retinopathy of prematurity surgery to a huge load of paediatric cases presenting with congenital cataract and squints through to geriatric cases presenting for eye surgery with a host of multiple systemic problems

I am an member of AIOA( All India Ophthalmic Anaesthesia ), previously known as OFISA ( Ophthalmic forum of India Society of Naesthesiologists) I have been part of the scientific Committee of the first Ophthalmic Forum of Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists Conference(OFISACON).The aim of establishing this forum is to provide a platform for anaesthesiologists,ophthalmologists and clinicians practicing ophthalmic anaesthesia to share their experiences to promote a high standard of patient care and to hold continuing medical education programs and conference once in two years. I was also invited as a faculty for the second OFISACON.I have Authored : Systemic and Orbital Complications of Regional Anaesthesia
Co: Authored : Anaesthesia for Strabismus Surgery for
TEXT BOOK OF OPHTHALMIC ANAESTHESIA
TITLE: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF OPHTHALMIC ANAESTHESIA

Mr. Harvey is a founding member

of the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society and has

since served the OAS in multiple board positions,

including lectures and workshops at the annual

meetings. He has been lecturing on Ophthalmic

Anesthesia since1986. Mr. Harvey developed an

orbital eye simulator and with NWAS developed

an Ophthalmic Block Workshop which ran

continuously from 1991-2019. In 2008 he

presented a poster presentation at the OAS

Annual Meeting titled, “A Geometrical Method

Applied to an Orbital Block”. 

Mr. Harvey coproduced

a video based on the Geometrical

technique which was accepted by the American

Academy of Ophthalmology Network One in

2013. In 2020, he launched an accredited on-line

Ophthalmic Block Training Program, utilizing a 3-

D orbital eye model. Mr. Harvey authored the

original chapter on Ophthalmic Anesthesia in

1997 for the textbook “Nurse Anesthesia” and

multiple chapters since, including the 7th edition,

published in 2022. He was the recipient of the

AANA’s Outstanding Clinical Practitioner Award

in 2016, for his work in Ophthalmic Anesthesia

and inducted as a Fellow of the AANA in 2022.

Mr. Harvey is a founding member

of the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society and has

since served the OAS in multiple board positions,

including lectures and workshops at the annual

meetings. He has been lecturing on Ophthalmic

Anesthesia since1986. Mr. Harvey developed an

orbital eye simulator and with NWAS developed

an Ophthalmic Block Workshop which ran

continuously from 1991-2019. In 2008 he

presented a poster presentation at the OAS

Annual Meeting titled, “A Geometrical Method

Applied to an Orbital Block”. 

Mr. Harvey coproduced

a video based on the Geometrical

technique which was accepted by the American

Academy of Ophthalmology Network One in

2013. In 2020, he launched an accredited on-line

Ophthalmic Block Training Program, utilizing a 3-

D orbital eye model. Mr. Harvey authored the

original chapter on Ophthalmic Anesthesia in

1997 for the textbook “Nurse Anesthesia” and

multiple chapters since, including the 7th edition,

published in 2022. He was the recipient of the

AANA’s Outstanding Clinical Practitioner Award

in 2016, for his work in Ophthalmic Anesthesia

and inducted as a Fellow of the AANA in 2022.

Dr Adrian Kwa is an anaesthetist from Nottingham, United Kingdom, with special interest in Ophthalmic Anaesthesia. Qualified in 2003, he has been working as an anaesthetist since 2007. He was the Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Lead until recently, and was appointed as Head of Service for Ophthalmology for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts since November 2023. Adrian is also a Council Member of the British Ophthalmic Anaesthesia Society (BOAS) and served as Honorary Secretary since 2022.

Adrian has recently Healthcare Finance Management Association Clinician of the Year Award for his work on the Nottingham Faster Turnover Pathway. This pathway has transformed Nottingham into one of the centres of excellence for theatre efficiency and has generated over £528k (~USD$660k) extra income per year for the Trust.

Adrian has been running ophthalmic blocks workshop at BOAS Annual Scientific Meetings since 2019 and presented at numerous meetings and chaired study days on ophthalmic anaesthesia.

In his spare time, he enjoys target shooting, woodworking, and photography