Message from the Chair
Chair of the Board
Jim Quirk, CEBT
As we reflect on the past year, I want to review our collective achievements and the remarkable strides we’ve made together. It has been a year of transformation, growth, and deepening impact on the lives of so many individuals.
One of the most significant initiatives that has shaped our work this year has been Dr. Jennifer Li’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative. Dr. Li’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in fostering an environment that not only welcomes but actively seeks to amplify under-represented voices and perspectives. Through this initiative, we have implemented crucial programs ensuring everyone has access to the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive within our organization.
In addition to our commitment to inclusion, we have undertaken a comprehensive restructuring of our dues system. This adjustment allows us to better serve our community by making membership more accessible and equitable. The new structure reflects our commitment to fairness, ensuring that all members can contribute to and benefit from our shared goals. With these changes, we proudly welcome a broader and more diverse membership base, which only enhances the depth and richness of our work.
As part of this expanded membership, we introduced new membership categories allowing individuals and organizations from all backgrounds and experiences to engage with us in meaningful ways. By opening these doors, we are inviting even more people to join our shared mission to restore sight worldwide and help drive our critical work.
Above all, I want to underscore that none of our progress is possible without the selfless generosity of those who choose to become donors. Life-changing transplants are only made possible by the altruistic individuals who give the gift of sight. Their kindness and sacrifice are the very foundation upon which our mission rests. We honor them, and we are eternally grateful for their contributions.
As we look to the future, let us continue to build on these accomplishments, united by our shared vision and purpose. Together, we continue to make a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and their families. Thank you for your dedication, your passion, and your unwavering support.

President’s Address
President & CEO
Kevin Corcoran, CAE
Welcome to another issue of EBAA’s Year in Review—an annual publication as old as EBAA itself.
When you consider the events and activities included in this year’s edition, you’ll notice that many are similar to previous reports; advances in technologies and techniques, advocacy before regulatory agencies, revisions to Medical Standards and other governance documents, and meetings, events, and educational programs – all topics that you’ve seen before.
So, if EBAA is such a great organization, why haven’t any of these issues been put to bed?
At first glance, it’s not unreasonable to ask why we’re working on the same issues year after year. But when you dig a little deeper, you realize that the purpose of an association is not to “solve” the profession it represents, but to strive for constant improvement leading to better outcomes and responding to its constantly evolving environment.
For example, while it’s true that the Medical Advisory Board updates our Medical Standards each time it meets, those revisions build on each other to yield a document that’s vastly different than ten years ago, not to mention the first Medical Standards written in 1980. Similarly, bylaws amendments passed this year expanding our membership qualifications reflect the fact that the ocular therapies being developed today were beyond the imagination of our founding members. This compelled us to reconsider the types of organizations that should be invited into membership.
So, while it’s great to hit a grand slam, and we’ll never turn down the opportunity to make a transformative impact on our profession, a grand slam isn’t possible if three other batters haven’t already gotten on base.
This is the work that we do every day, and that we present to you in this issue of Year in Review; initiatives that build on our past successes and lay the foundation for a long and successful future for EBAA, our partners, and the countless cornea recipients and donor family members we serve each year.
Thank you for your contribution to our efforts!

Report from the Board
Speaker of the House
Shannon Schweitzer, CEBT
2024 was an eventful year for the EBAA Board of Directors. A primary goal we wanted to emphasize this year was board outreach and member engagement. We began with unfinished business from 2023 to determine a dues structure that would work for all of our members – both big and small. In making these changes, the Board reached out to leaders of each eye bank to gain feedback about the proposed changes to be voted on at House of Delegates in June of 2024.
During these conversations, a consistent point of feedback was the desire for the accreditation process to be reviewed for improvement. Considerations for changes centered around making the inspection more encompassing of operations and allowing less room for opportunities that could cause a conflict of interest. This feedback resulted in the Accreditation Modernization project.
Additionally, the Board worked with a consulting company to propose a membership expansion effort to broaden our base of members and diversify revenue for the association. Discussions ensued about affiliate membership and in June at the House of Delegates, members voted to allow for-profit entities that do not perform eye banking functions to be admitted as an affiliate member. This vote opened the doors for a new era of membership within the EBAA. No changes were made to the non-member accreditation process and therefore, those entities that are not eligible for membership, are still eligible for accreditation.
Both the Accreditation Modernization project and the expansion of this new membership category will continue to be developed in 2025. I look forward to another year of collaboration and engagement with the membership.
