World Council of Optometry (WCO) Announces 2025 Election Results and New Leadership Appointments
- LOUIS, December 3, 2025— The World Council of Optometry (WCO) is pleased to announce the results of the November 2025 Geographic Representative Elections and several key leadership appointments that will guide the organization into its next chapter of global advocacy and collaboration.
Geographic Representative Election Results
WCO congratulates the following individuals elected or re-elected to represent their regions on the Board of Directors:
- Asia Pacific – Dr. Man Pan (Bruce) Chin, Hong Kong
Dr. Chin serves as President of the Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists and the Eye Foundation. He is an educator and clinician at both the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Shantou University Medical College. Prior to his election, Dr. Chin was a member of the WCO Legislation, Registration, & Standards (LRS) Committee. - Eastern Mediterranean – Mr. Ameer Abou Adela, Lebanon
Re-elected for a second term, Mr. Abou Adela is the former President of the Vision Care Association in Lebanon (2017–2025) and currently serves as a Board Director at VOSH International. He is also Chair of the Public Health Committee of the Eastern Mediterranean Council of Optometry (EMCO). - Latin America – Dr. Niall Farnon, Trinidad and Tobago
Dr. Farnon is the past president of the Trinidad and Tobago Optometrist Association (2013–2017) and the Caribbean Optometrist Association (2015–2017). Since 2017, he has served as Secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Opticians Regional Council and was a member of the WCO Education Committee prior to his election.
The incumbent Geographic Representatives for Africa, North America, and Europe were each acclaimed for their positions after running unopposed.
- Africa – Mr. Patrick Mawila, South Africa
Mr. Patrick Mawila is a private practice optometrist in South Africa. He was the South African Optometric Association (SAOA) President from 2014-2016 and African Council of Optometry (AFCO) President from 2017-2019.
- Europe – Mr. Peter Gumpelmayer, Austria
Mr. Peter Gumpelmayer earned his Bachelor of Optometry from the University of Durban-Westville (South Africa) and has been practicing as an optometrist and hearing aid practitioner for over 22 years. He has been serving as Treasurer for the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) since 2020 and is the current President of the Austrian Optometric Association.
- North America – Dr. Michael Nelson, Canada
Dr. Micheal Nelson is a private practice optometrist in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He has served as President of the Manitoba Association of Optometrists from 2000-2003 and President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) from 2021-2022. Dr. Nelson also enjoys educating the public on all topics related to the eye on his YouTube channel “Good Optometry Morning.”
New Officers and Committee Leadership
During WCO’s 2025 Virtual General Assembly on September 30, Dr. Cindy Tromans (United Kingdom) was formally installed as WCO President, marking the transition from her term as President-Elect. The General Assembly also celebrated the election of Dr. Rajeev Prasad (India) as President-Elect for the 2025–2027 term. Dr. Sandra Block (United States) will continue to serve on the Board for the next two years as Immediate Past President.
In addition, WCO is proud to announce Ms. Ntombikayise Zitha (South Africa) as the newly elected Chair of the WCO Public Health Committee. Ms. Zitha brings extensive public health experience from her service on the South African Optometric Association Public Health Committee since 2018 and the WCO Public Health Committee since 2023.
Dr. Karoline Munson (United States) will continue in her role as In-Kind Association Representative, and Mr. Armin Duddek (Switzerland) will continue as World Optometry Foundation (WOF) President.
Looking Ahead
With the new Board of Directors in place, WCO looks forward to advancing its mission to advance and promote optometry, global eye health and vision care through collaboration, education, and advocacy. We extend our appreciation to all members of the Board— past and present— for their dedication, leadership, and commitment to strengthening the profession globally.
