Dr Heather Mack Photo: Fiora Sacco

Dr Heather Mack will become the first female president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) at the RANZCO Congress in Adelaide, in November.

A senior, Melbourne-based consultant with a focus on visual electrophysiology and medical retinal disorders, Dr Mack headed RANZCO’s CPD committee from 2004 to 2011 and was the College’s first female treasurer – a role she continues to hold until her election as president.

As RANZCO’s next president, Dr Mack will usher in RANZCO’s 50th year, aptly designed to celebrate diversity, achievement and leadership, and focus on sustainability, both in environmental terms and with regard to the future of ophthalmology, ensuring the College can meet the challenges and opportunities on the horizon while further developing RANZCO’s leadership role in the region, said RANZCO in a statement.

“Now more than ever, sustainability is something we need to embrace in healthcare, as well as more broadly,” said Dr Mack. “Ensuring that future generations have access to the best possible eye health care means ensuring that trainees get the best possible education, that research is supported and properly funded and that government policy ensures access to the care that people need, when and where they need it. RANZCO has an essential role to play in delivering this vision and in leading with a collaborative approach to eye care that places patient outcomes at the centre of everything we do.”

Welcoming Dr Mack’s appointment, outgoing RANZCO President Associate Professor Mark Daniell said, “Dr Mack is a dedicated supporter of the College and has brought a determination and professionalism to each of the many roles she has held, contributing greatly to the progress that the College has made over the years. Dr Mack strives for excellence in everything she does, and I am certain that she will achieve this yet again as RANZCO president.”