CCLS past presidents Roberta McIlraith and Eleisha Dudson with new president Adele Jefferies

After a significant time with the CCLS Council, Roberta Mcllraith leaves the council as immediate past president. The entire CCLS Council has been appreciative of all of Roberta’s efforts to carry CCLS successfully through the Covid-years. Eleisha Dudson also finished her term as president on a high with the 2023 conference, having brought the fun back to in-person conferences. She now becomes the immediate past president and will focus on the integration of the New Zealand Myopia Action Group into CCLS and building our members' myopia management resources, while I have the honour of taking on the role of president.

Having made an enduring impact on CCLS over the last 20-plus years, including the last 10 years as treasurer, Richard Newson has also stood down from the council. His organisation, enthusiasm and humour are going to be missed! But I’m delighted to welcome optometrist Martina Fellmann from Canon Street Optometrists who’s agreed to take on the treasurer role.

Due to professional commitments, Dr James McKelvie has relinquished his role on the council, while Andrew Kim and Dr Alex Crawford have joined us. Andrew is a therapeutically qualified optometrist working at Curtis Vision in Christchurch with a special interest in contact lenses. He also recently joined the Corneal Lens Corporation as a consultant working with Eyespace lenses. Alex, a consultant ophthalmologist at Greenlane Clinical Centre in Auckland, completed her fellowship training at the University of Auckland, specialising in cornea and anterior segment. She was the recipient of the Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Corneal Research Fellowship in 2011, and the CCLS Young Researcher Award in 2013.