Celebrating Aotearoa’s new DOs

February 2, 2024 Staff reporters

A highlight of the annual ADONZ conference is celebrating the latest cohort of dispensing opticians who have completed the Australasian College of Dispensing (ACOD) and OptiBlocks Cert IV in Optical Dispensing.

 

The 2023 meeting was no exception, with top student awards going to Laura Thompson (first in course), Antonia Kohler (second) and Hannah Spencer (third).

 

This year’s graduation went like clockwork and the enthusiastic students made it truly memorable, said ACOD director Chedy Kalach. “Getting back to regular face-to-face workshops meant we had a large cohort of students progressing through the course together. They were all supporting each other and happy about their fellow students’ successes.” There was a real buzz in the air as this new community of certified DOs officially joined the profession, he said.

 

ACOD director James Gibbins agreed, saying he was particularly pleased to see Fiji-based graduate Sylvester Prasad at the graduation, accompanied by his wife Kitty. Prasad’s attendance was made possible thanks to a generous sponsorship from Specsavers, said Gibbins. “The fact that Sylvester was able to complete the course and attend all the workshops in person in the first place was also achieved thanks to support from Australian optometrist Mark Hansen and ACOD.” Looking ahead, discussions are already underway for an Optical Dispensers Australia Fiji outreach programme led by Prasad, he added.

 

Sylvester Prasad and his wife Kitty at ADONZ' Gala dinner

 

Class of 2023

 

Chelsea Atkinson

Tyler Booty

Ailish Cain

Adalee Forbes

Ramandeep Gill

Gloria Hazeldine

Antonia Kohler

Tim Moseley

Peter O'Conner

Mahafrin Palsetia

Serena Pamment (Harrison)

Rhiannon Pearce

Sylvester Prasad

Emma Rattray

Elizabeth Robson-Clark

Chetan Sharma

Tong Youn Shin

Hannah Spencer

Keziah Taeiloa-McCornick

Rheannon Teao

Laura Thompson

Lucy Walsh

Jaimie Williams

Jill Wilson-Wihongi