08/27/2025

Announcement of Foster for AOA Trustee 

OOA Past President and current iSee Ohio President Dr. Shane Foster recently announced his candidacy for the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees. The OOA is proud to support Dr. Foster as he campaigns over the next few months. His election will be held during Optometry’s Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, June 17-20, 2026. 

“It is with great pleasure that I formally announce my candidacy for election to the AOA Board of Trustees in 2026,” said Dr. Foster. “For the past few years, I have thoughtfully considered a run for the AOA Board, and I must admit I was humbled and encouraged by the numerous colleagues and friends that voiced their support for me during Optometry’s Meeting in Minneapolis. Their belief in my potential, their confidence in my leadership, and the support and blessing of my family and my practice have inspired me to take this step forward now.” 

Dr. Foster is a private practice owner with three unique locations ranging from rural Appalachian Ohio to the metropolitan city center of Columbus. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Practice at the Ohio State University College of Optometry and an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine where he precepts both optometry and medical students. 

Dr. Foster’s service to the AOA is exemplary. He currently serves on the State Government Relations Committee and previously served on the New Technology Committee. He has long been an AOA Federal Key Person, representing our profession to numerous members of Congress including former Senator Sherrod Brown. He is a Change Agent for the AOA Myopia Collective as well as an InfantSEE provider. He is both an AOA-PAC Visionary Contributor and OOA PAC Diamond Contributor. 

At the affiliate level, Dr. Foster has held a variety of leadership positions, including multiple committee roles and service on the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2023. He served as OOA President in 2021. His legislative advocacy has contributed to significant policy achievements in Ohio, including the 2018 vision benefit reform legislation and the successful repeal of sales tax on optical goods. Dr. Foster also played a critical role in laying the groundwork for Ohio’s scope of practice legislation, SB36, which is currently pending in the Ohio Senate. As a longstanding Ohio Keyperson, he has cultivated strong relationships with legislators and key policymakers, including Governor Mike DeWine and officials within the Ohio Department of Health.  

He currently serves as President of iSee Ohio, the charitable arm of the OOA, a role he has held since 2017. Under his leadership, iSee Ohio has expanded mobile, school-based eye care services for children in underserved communities. He was instrumental in securing public funding through Results Ohio and direct appropriations from the state budget, helping to create a public-private partnership that provides comprehensive eye exams and glasses at no cost to students who fail school vision screenings. This initiative led to the establishment of the Governor’s Children’s Vision Strike Force and a $10 million appropriation in the 2025–2027 Ohio budget to expand services to K–3 students statewide.  

“Over the past 17 years, I have been an active member of the AOA and the Ohio Optometric Association, and I believe I can best continue my service to this profession as a member of the AOA Board. In my nine years on the OOA Board of Trustees, I gained great insight into the responsibilities and demands that come with being a leader in organized optometry. In Ohio, I have been directly involved in legislative advocacy, government collaborations, public awareness campaigns, and membership development efforts. I have been fortunate to build on that experience at the national level as a member of the AOA State Government Relations Committee and a former member of the New Technology Committee. 

These leadership roles have helped shape my understanding of the diverse needs of our profession. I have had the privilege of working with colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and practice modalities, each one with unique viewpoints, interests, and priorities. I believe it is the role of our professional association to speak for all optometrists, and I welcome the opportunity to continue listening, learning, and working on behalf of my colleagues all across the country,” said Dr. Foster. 

“I enthusiastically support Dr. Shane Foster’s candidacy for the AOA Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Timothy Fries, OD, MBA, MPH, FAAO and President of the Ohio Optometric Association. “He is a dedicated leader who will work tirelessly to advance the profession of optometry and improve access to care for patients nationwide.”