Gregory L. Skuta, MD
Chair, Foundation Advisory Board
News From the Chair
Spring 2024
Join the Parke Center Campaign and Transform the Future of Eye Care. The Parke Center will be a multi–conference room facility located on the ground floor of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s landmark San Francisco headquarters. The Parke Center is named for David W. Parke II, MD, the Academy’s CEO from 2009 to 2022, in honor of his leadership at the Academy and throughout his career, and for his deep commitment to ophthalmology.
This state-of-the-art center will be a hub for ophthalmic collaborators and partners, who will use the space for teaching and conferences. In person, hybrid, and remote conferences will accelerate learning across the globe through cutting-edge technology.
The Parke Center will feature three large conference rooms, a mid-size conference room, fully configurable lounge, and catering kitchen and is adjacent to a landscaped courtyard. A beautiful digital donor wall will recognize those who support this investment in our future and in the Academy’s mission to protect sight and empower lives. Groundbreaking is set for May 2024 with a grand opening in fall 2024.
We invite you to support this exciting center with a donation of any size. For those who give $1000 or more, we will recognize you on the digital donor wall. You may also wish to create a lasting tribute with our “in memory of” or “in honor of” naming options. Collaborate with colleagues, friends, or practice partners to name an area of your choice.
All donors who name an area will receive signage, digital donor wall recognition in the Parke Center lobby, inclusion on the Foundation’s website, and acknowledgment in the Foundation’s annual report.
For information on any of these unique opportunities, contact Tina McGovern at
tmcgovern@aao.org or 415.561.8508
Announcing the new 2024–2025 Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye® special exhibition, Hoodwinked: 19th Century Quack Medicine. Journey into the unregulated days before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and discover some of the wildest practitioners of unproven, or “quack,” medicine in the 1800s.
Hoodwinked will feature bogus sight restorers, untested electrical cures, and mysterious eye tonics and salves. This special exhibition opens on Friday, May 24, and will be on display through spring 2025. Check this page for updates on the exhibit and associated craft programs.
Your Legacy Is Essential. The 1896 Legacy Society, named for the year the Academy was founded, is a special group of donors who have included the Foundation in their estate plans through cash gifts, bequests, or other planned gifts. 1896 Legacy Society members are integral to the Academy's mission and are regularly informed of our achievements, challenges, and future plans.
Our website provides important updates, tax-saving tips, and other ways to give back. For more information, visit 1896 Legacy Society and choose “Other Smart Ways to Give.”
We acknowledge all members who have made the Academy Foundation a part of their estate plan. I am proud to welcome and thank our newest members who have informed us of their planned gifts in the past year:
George B. Bartley, MD
Linda L. Burk, MD
Herbert J. Ingraham, MD
John D. Sheppard, MD
John A. Wolfe, MD
You can view the complete list of 1896 Legacy Members on our website. Joining is quick and easy; all we ask is that you notify us of your gift intention. Contact Todd Lyckberg, Director of Development, for more information at tlyckberg@aao.org.
New at AAO 2024 Chicago: Saturday Night Celebration. On Saturday night, Oct. 19, the Academy will host the must-attend social event of the annual meeting, The Academy Party. Details coming soon. Save the Date!
Thank you again for your continued support of the Academy Foundation. Contact me any time at gskuta@aao.org.
Warmest regards,
Gregory L. Skuta, MD
Chair, Foundation Advisory Board
Questions for the Foundation? Contact Tina McGovern, Executive Director, at tmcgovern@aao.org or +1 415.561.8508.