Skip to main content

Announcement New Chair WAEH

2023-10-18 19:05:38

The World Association of Eye Hospitals (WAEH) is delighted to announce the appointment of Brendon Gardner, CEO of The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, as the new Chair of the organization. He officially assumes this leadership role, succeeding the outgoing Chair, Cathy Kowalewski of Wilmer Eye Johns Hopkins, who commendably served in this capacity for the past two years. Brendon Gardner’s new position was formally announced during the 17th Annual Meeting of the WAEH.

During her tenure Cathy Kowalewski made significant contributions to the WAEH, elevating its mission of fostering collaboration and excellence in eye healthcare worldwide. Her dedication and leadership have been instrumental in strengthening the organization’s global presence and influence. Brendon Gardner expressed his profound gratitude to Cathy for her tireless efforts and stewardship in furthering the vision of the WAEH.

“It is an immense honor to take on the role of Chair within the WAEH,” said Brendon Gardner. “I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Cathy Kowalewski for her exceptional leadership during her term. Her dedication and achievements have set a high standard, and I am eager to continue building on the foundation she has established.”

The 17th Annual Meeting of the WAEH provided an ideal platform for this significant transition, with members from around the world coming together to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments and chart a course for the future of eye healthcare. The event marked the beginning of Brendon Gardner’s two-year tenure, during which he aims to steer the WAEH towards even greater successes and international cooperation in the field of ophthalmology.

Under Brendon Gardner’s guidance, the WAEH will continue its mission of fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and promoting knowledge exchange among its member hospitals. The organization looks forward to his leadership and the innovative initiatives that will further enhance the quality of eye healthcare globally.

The World Association of Eye Hospitals extends its heartfelt congratulations to Brendon Gardner and expresses deep gratitude to Cathy Kowalewski for her remarkable contributions to the organization. The future of eye healthcare holds great promise under their combined stewardship.

More news

Dr Jalali from LVPEI delivers the P Namperumalsamy Lecture 2026 at AIOC

News from our full member LV Prasad Eye Institute The P Namperumalsamy Lecture is a prestigious oration delivered at the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) annual conferences, honoring Dr P Namperumalsamy’s pioneering contributions to ophthalmology, particularly in vitreoretinal surgery, diabetic retinopathy screening, and scalable rural eye care models. The 2026 edition of this lecture was […]

Ex-Moorfields volunteer now saving people’s sight

News from our full member Moorfields Eye Hospital Recently, we featured a study published by our hypotony service, which showed remarkable results, giving Nicki and others their sight back. Dr. Karla Orsine Murta Dias, uveitis fellow, is one of the team, having joined Moorfields in 2020, but her journey here actually started in 2018: “When […]

Progress update on Sunderland’s New Eye Hospital as opening nears

News from our full member South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Construction of Sunderland’s new Eye Hospital continues at pace with the landmark facility on track to open in summer 2026. In recent weeks, the project has reached several major milestones. External hoardings have now been removed, offering the public their first full view […]

Join our Community of Practice on Human Resources!

The Human Resources Community of practice meets to discuss topics such as Handholding – From Volunteer to Career, Employment model(s) in ophthalmology, Task differentiation and Burn out prevention. The group will share best practices and learn from each other. This group is led by Jos Hubers, HR manager from The Rotterdam Eye Hospital (Rotterdam, The […]

Newsletter WAEH | March 2026

Join our Community of Practice – Human Resources The Human Resources Community of practice meets to discuss topics such as Handholding – From Volunteer to Career, Employment model(s) in ophthalmology, Task differentiation and Burn out prevention. The group will share best practices and learn from each other. This group is led by Jos Hubers, HR […]