CANTON, N.Y.—The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation has announced three newly appointed commissioners. They include: Doug Nunes and Jeffrey Rohlf, both appointed by the Opticians Association of America (OAA), and Jonathan Parrelli, appointed by the National Academy of Opticianry (NAO).

According to the organization, the OAA appointed Doug Nunes to replace commissioner Donna Hatch and complete the term ending June 30, 2013. Nunes (who owns and operates Alluring Eyewear in New Bedford, Mass.) is the former assistant director of the Opticianry Program at Mt. Ida College in Newton Centre, Mass., where he received his associates degree. Nunes is also certified by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) as well as being licensed in the State of Massachusetts where he is an accredited speaker and lecturer for both organizations. A former Board of Directors member of the Massachusetts Board of Registered Dispensing Opticians, Nunes is an Honored Fellow of the OAA, member of the National Academy of Opticianry (NAO) and the Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA).

The OAA has also appointed Jeffrey Rohlf to replace commissioner Jayne Weinberger, who has served for the past six years. Rohlf’s term will begin July 1, 2011 and continue through June 30, 2014. A licensed optician with over 28 year of experience, Rohlf has worked in private/independent practices, retail and is currently at Ohio State University College of Optometry, where he supervises a team of instructional opticians. Rolhf also completed a book review in 2007 for the “System For Ophthalmic Dispensing” and is part of an outreach committee which visits homebound people in need of directly delivered eyecare. Rohlf served in various capacities with the Opticians Association of Ohio and is currently Secretary/Treasurer.

Additionally, the NAO appointed Jonathan Parrelli to replace commissioner Danne Ventura, who served for the past six years. Parrelli’s term will begin on July 1, 2011 and continue through June 30, 2014. Parrelli earned an associate’s degree in opticianry from Middlesex Community-Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in Health Science from Merrimack College. He is a licensed optician, certified refracting optician and contact lens fitter, specializing in cosmetic and therapeutic gas permeable contact lenses. He is a member of the Opticians Association of Massachusetts, a fellow of the CLSA as well as a fellow and current board member of the NAO. Parrelli teaches advanced courses as an adjunct professor at Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston and is a clinical advisor for several manufacturers, actively involved in the development of new contact lens designs.

Currently, there are 12 commissioners in COA. Aside from two public members, all are appointed by the NAO, OAA and the National Federation of Opticianry Schools.

For more information, visit http://COAccreditation.com or contact Debra White [email protected].