Richard Lindstrom, MD
Leadership Richard Lindstrom, MD Founder & Chairman Dr. Richard Lindstrom is a founder, director and has been an attending surgeon at Minnesota Eye Consultants P.A., a provider of eye care services, since 1989. Dr. Lindstrom has served as a researcher, teacher, inventor, writer, lecturer and highly acclaimed physician and surgeon in the ophthalmology field. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of TearLab Corporation since 2010 and Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. since 2012. Dr. Lindstrom has also served as associate director of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank since 1987 and he is a medical advisor for several medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers and serves on the boards of several other privately-held life sciences companies. Dr. Lindstrom previously served as president of the International Society of Refractive Surgery from 1993 to 1994, the International Intraocular Implant Society from 2002 to 2004, the International Refractive Surgery Club from 2002 to 2004, and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery from 2007 to 2008. Dr. Lindstrom currently serves on the ASCRS Executive Committee and is a board member of the ASCRS Foundation. From 1980 to 1989, he served as a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota, where he is currently an adjunct professor emeritus. Dr. Lindstrom is also a board member of the University of Minnesota Foundation, chairing the Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences Division. Dr. Lindstrom holds a B.A. degree in Pre-Medical Studies, a B.S. degree in Medicine and an M.D. degree from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Lindstrom brings to the Board over 30 years of ophthalmology industry experience, as well extensive experience serving as a director of other companies. Back to Leadership Page
Charlotte Baenziger
Leadership Charlotte Baenziger Vice President, Clinical Operations Charlotte Baenziger is the Vice President, Clinical Operations at Surface Ophthalmics, a position she has held since January 2021. Her clinical operations and project management leadership experience spans over two decades and includes strategy and execution of national and international clinical programs, early and late stage, in ophthalmology, oncology, infectious diseases, and other indications; extensive vendor management; process development and optimization; as well as organizational management and leadership. Prior to joining Surface Ophthalmics, Ms. Baenziger led pivotal Phase 3 programs at InSite Vision, Onyx Pharmaceuticals/Amgen, Kosan Biosciences, Hana Biosciences, and Intarcia Therapeutics. Overall, she spent over three decades in Clinical Operations, starting her career at Chiron where she served in the roles of Clinical Study Administrator and Clinical Research Associate, then moving to Sugen/Pharmacia where she progressed to managing clinical study teams. Back to Leadership Page
Lyle Bowman
Leadership Lyle Bowman Product Formulation and Manufacturing Lyle is a veteran of the ophthalmic industry, with 46 years of experience spanning major companies like Syntex Ophthalmics, InSite Vision, and Surface Ophthalmics. After receiving his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Utah in 1976, Lyle has dedicated his career to advancing research, development and manufacturing of innovative vision care products including contact lenses, solutions, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, and drug delivery systems. He has lent his expertise in process chemistry and scale-up to help bring novel ophthalmic treatments from lab to market. Currently, Lyle continues to make key contributions by leading development and manufacturing of new ophthalmic pharmaceutical products. Back to Leadership Page
Scott Cooper
Leadership Scott Cooper Chief Financial Advisor Scott Cooper has spent nearly his entire career in financial and accounting positions at high technology and life science companies in Silicon Valley and Orange County, California and has worked at ophthalmic medical device and pharmaceutical companies for most of that time. He currently operates his own part-time Chief Financial Officer and Business Development consulting business, Oso Creek Consulting. In 2015, Scott joined Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Business Development and helped Allegro complete an option purchase transaction with Bausch Health in 2020. Scott joined WaveTec Vision Systems, Inc. in 2007 prior to the company’s commercialization of its product and helped guide the company through the development and commercialization stages that ultimately led to the sale of WaveTec to Alcon, a division of Novartis, in 2014. Prior to joining WaveTec, he was Corporate Controller at IntraLase Corp. during a period of rapid growth from a private company through IPO to the ultimate sale of the company to Advanced Medical Optics (now Johnson and Johnson). Scott has held several other financial management positions and began his career in public accounting at KPMG. He is a Certified Public Accountant, holds a BS degree (Business Administration) from Cal Poly and has an MBA from the University of Michigan. Back to Leadership Page
Vartan Ghazarossian, PhD
Leadership Vartan Ghazarossian, PhD Strategic Advisor Vartan Ghazarossian, Ph.D., is a biomedical scientist with over three decades of experience in the healthcare technology sector. His areas of expertise encompass the research, development, and commercialization of therapeutic and diagnostic technologies, as well as medical devices. He has concentrated his efforts in the medical specialties, including cardiology, nephrology, hematology, and recently, ophthalmology. Dr. Ghazarossian is currently the founder and CEO of StepWise Medical, LLC, a Silicon Valley-based accelerator he established in 2017. StepWise is focused on driving forward technological breakthroughs in eyecare. Notably, the company has been instrumental in launching various startups, delving into medical devices, AI-based ophthalmology software, and state-of-the-art contact lenses. A significant achievement is Visant Medical, Inc., a venture that successfully developed an innovative canalicular filler, which received FDA clearance, and was subsequently acquired by Nordic Pharma. Dr. Ghazarossian has co-authored close to fifty scientific publications and abstracts and has a portfolio of over 30 patents. Back to Leadership Page
Yari L. Mitchell
Leadership Yari L. Mitchell Strategic Advisor Yari L. Mitchell is an experienced executive leader with a career spanning nearly 25 years in the ophthalmic medical device industry. Serving significant roles in both small and large companies, she has demonstrated expertise in market development, strategic business planning, commercialization, KOL engagement, and venture capital fundraising. To help innovators to catalyze their businesses she founded Y Factor Consulting, Inc, a firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs to build data-driven strategies for their emerging technology companies. Prior to founding Y Factor Consulting, Inc, Yari served as Chief Business Development Officer for AcuFocus, a privately held medical device company based in Southern California. With responsibilities for both global commercialization strategy and corporate business development, Yari played a central role both in fundraising for and the ultimate acquisition of AcuFocus by Bausch + Lomb. Yari is also an award-winning storyteller and public speaker presenting at conferences globally, hosting events such as the OCTANE Ophthalmology Tech Forum, and contributing as a featured guest on industry podcasts and ophthalmic trade media video perspectives. Yari is also a proud champion member and past-president of the Ophthalmic World Leaders (OWL) organization and committee member for the American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS). Back to Leadership Page
Dennis Saadeh
Leadership Dennis Saadeh Manufacturing Operations Dennis Saadeh currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer for Harrow, an ophthalmic-focused pharmaceutical company. A pharmacist by education and training, he has 30 years of relevant drug development experience, and 10 years in ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. His current responsibilities include oversight of Harrow’s Medical and Clinical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, CMC, and Pharmacy Operations. Dr. Saadeh also contributes and collaborates with the intellectual property teams, analytical development group, active pharmaceutical ingredient suppliers and contract manufacturers to execute company initiatives. Prior to Harrow, from 1996 to 2015, Dr. Saadeh owned and operated a specialty pharmacy business focused on developing and dispensing customized compounded sterile preparations. He has his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California and obtained his Fellowship in the American College of Apothecaries in 2005.