2022 PGC Faculty Bios


Cornea | Mark J. Mannis, MD, FACS


Mark Mannis MD

Dr. Mark J. Mannis is the Fosse Endowed Chair in Vision Science Research, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, UC Davis Eye Center at the University of California, Davis. He also serves as Medical Director of Sierra Donor Services in Sacramento, California. He completed his ophthalmology residency training at Washington University in St. Louis and a fellowship in Cornea and External disease at the University of Iowa.

His primary research includes studies in the development of new anti-infective agents, corneal transplantation, visual rehabilitation of patients with corneal disease, and the management of oculodermal disease and diseases of the ocular surface. Clinically, he specializes in corneal surgery and diseases of the external eye. Dr. Mannis is editor/ author of six books: Cornea –published by Elsevier–a two volume comprehensive text on the cornea and external eye co-edited with Jay Krachmer and Edward Holland, and cited as one of the 100 most important texts in ophthalmology of the 20th century, currently in its 5th Edition; Eye and Skin Disease – a text for both ophthalmologists and dermatologists on skin diseases with ocular manifestations, co-edited with Marian Macsai and Arthur Huntley; Corneal Transplantation: A History in Profiles – co-authored and co-edited with Avi Mannis; Ocular Surface Disease, co-authored with Edward Holland; Ocular Surface Disease: Cornea, Conjunctiva and Tear Film, co-authored with Edward Holland and W. Barry Lee, and Contact Lenses in Ophthalmic Practice, a manual on contact lenses, translated and edited by Dr. Mannis. Dr. Mannis was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Cornea and founding editor of Vision Pan-America: The Pan-American Journal of Ophthalmology.  He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals with over 200 published papers and is a reviewer for the Archives of Ophthalmology, Cornea, the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, and Cornea and Contact Lenses.

Dr. Mannis is a recipient of the R. Townley Paton Award in eye banking from the Eye Bank Association of America and was a recipient of the Lew Wasserman Award in research from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. for his work in the development of antimicrobial peptides in ophthalmology. He has received the Moacyr Alvaro Gold Medal from the Federal University of Sao Paulo for contributions to ophthalmic education in Latin America and has received an honorary doctorate from the University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru. He was the 2014 recipient of the Castroviejo Medal for his lifetime contributions to the subspecialty of cornea and both the Claes Dohlman Award from the Cornea Society and  the EnergEyes award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology for his mentorship and teaching accomplishments.

He has served as one of the Directors of the American Board of Ophthalmology and is President Emeritus of the Cornea Society as well as the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology.  He conducts a busy referral practice in diseases of the cornea and external eye based at the University of California, Davis.


Glaucoma | Tosin Smith, MD


Tosin Smith MD

Tosin Smith, MD completed a residency in Ophthalmology at Howard University Hospital Washington, DC and went on to the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, PA where she did a fellowship in Glaucoma. She is currently a partner clinician and surgeon at the Glaucoma Associates of Texas in Dallas and Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the UTSW Medical College, Dallas, Texas. She is actively involved in clinical research, has numerous publications, serves on many advisory boards and is an active volunteer of many professional societies including the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Glaucoma Society. She is involved with various aspects of global education and outreach.


Oculoplastics | Jeremiah Tao, MD, FACS


Jeremiah Tao, MD, FACS is professor and chief of oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He is the program director for the oculofacial plastic surgery fellowship. He previously served as ophthalmology residency program director for 12 years.

His national positions have included meetings program chair for the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS). He was also the oculofacial plastic surgery subspecialty liaison to the American Board of Ophthalmology for which he is also an examiner and a member of the Oculoplastics Exam Development Committee. For the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), he is a member of the Ophthalmic Technology Assessments Committee.

He has trained many surgeons not only in the U.S. but also several international fellows who practice around the world. He has written over 100 peer reviewed papers and book chapters in various aspects of orbit, eyelid, lacrimal, and facial cosmetic surgery and he has been the keynote or featured speakers at multiple national and international meetings. In particular, he was the AAO Ruedemann Lecturer. Other distinctions include the ASOPRS Research Award and the ASOPRS Outstanding Achievement Award. Lastly, he was recently inducted into the American Ophthalmological Society.

Dr. Tao earned his bachelor’s degree at Duke University where he also played varsity soccer. He completed medical school and his residency at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. His oculofacial plastic surgery fellowship was at Indiana University School of Medicine.


Neuro-Ophthalmology | Michael S. Lee, MD


Michael S Lee MD

Michael S. Lee, MD completed his bachelor’s degree at Johns Hopkins University followed by his medical degree and ophthalmology residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He then completed a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School where he received a Distinguished Teaching and Service Award. He has received the Best Teaching Faculty Award from the residents in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Minnesota four times since 2009. He has served on the board of directors of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society and the editorial boards of Eye, Survey of Ophthalmology, Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Frontiers in Neuro-Ophthalmology and the Asian Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology He has authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications, 14 book chapters, and recently published his first book, A Case-based Guide to Eye Pain: Perspectives from Ophthalmology and Neurology.

Dr. Lee is a Professor with tenure in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota and serves as the Residency Program Director in Ophthalmology where he holds the Mackall-Scheie Research Chair. He also serves as director of the neuro-ophthalmology service and co-director of the Center for Thyroid Eye Disease.  


Cultural Competency


April D. Lewis, BA, MS | Figure 8 Consulting LLC
April has more than 20 years of experience in cultural competency, diversity and intercultural organizational development. Her dynamic and charismatic style engages audiences with her knowledge, skills, sense of humor and her passion for combining fun with learning.      

Carol D. French, BA, MA | Figure 8 Consulting LLC
Carol’s background is in education, where she served as a counselor, teacher and diversity trainer. Carol has had decades of experience in curriculum development and her interactive training style was developed and refined in classrooms and on ropes courses where she operated with humor, fun and the philosophy that learning is best when it is experiential and involves the whole person.