MEDIA RELEASE
Vision 2020 Australia’s Board today announced that longstanding CEO Jennifer Gersbeck will be leaving the organisation on 13 May.
Ms Gersbeck is leaving the organisation to take up a role within the sector at The Fred Hollows Foundation.
During her eleven years at the helm of Vision 2020 Australia, Ms Gersbeck has been instrumental in growing the organisation’s reach and influence in the eye health and vision care sector, and also with parliamentarians, key NGOs and the private sector.
Much of her success can been attributable to her ability to bring diverse partners and stakeholders together to collaborate to achieve a common goal.
Vision 2020 Australia Chair, The Hon Amanda Vanstone, says: “Jennifer has been instrumental in so many of the organisation’s successes over the last decade, from her advocacy role that led to the Australian Government’s establishment of the Avoidable Blindness Initiative in 2008 to successfully securing the funding for the completion of the National Eye Health Survey this year.
“Over the past eleven years the efforts of Jennifer and her team have seen the reputation of Vision 2020 Australia grow exponentially, enabling the organisation to move ever closer towards its ultimate goal of eliminating avoidable blindness and vision loss by 2020. On a personal note I will be very sorry to see her go, and wish her well in her new role at The Fred Hollows Foundation, says Ms Vanstone.
Outgoing CEO, Jennifer Gersbeck, says: “The last eleven years have been exciting and rewarding on many different levels. I have been inspired by so many of the people I have worked with while at Vision 2020 Australia, and have been proud to lead a team of such passionate and committed individuals.
“I’m proud of what has been achieved through the hard work and commitment of all those involved in the in the eye health and vision care sector. I’m also very thankful to the dedicated Board and staff who have made Vision 2020 Australia the successful, well-respected and highly effective organisation it is today.”
Ms Gersbeck will be joining The Fred Hollows Foundation as Director of Global Partnerships and Advocacy.
ENDS
For more information:Louise Rudzkiat Vision 2020 Australia
03 9656 2020, 0414 784 359 or lrudzki@vision2020australia.org.au