ABOUT
History
The Canadian Optometric Education Trust Fund (COETF) was established by the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) in 1977. A registered charitable organization, the COETF supports optometric research, education and professional development through unrestricted cash awards to individuals and institutions. Since 1977, the COETF has awarded over two million dollars in grants and financial support. In 2014, the COETF moved to an independent management structure and is currently managed by the Board of Trustees and various Provincial Fundraising Chairs. The Board of Trustees consists of five members of the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) and the term for each Trustee is three years.
Please click here to review the COETF Bylaws revised in 2025.
Board Of Trustees:
Dr. Joshua Smith
CHAIR
Dr. Joshua Smith has been in private practice in eastern Ontario since 2013 and is a partner at SD&G Optometry Clinic in Alexandria and Cornwall. Dr. Smith completed his Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Waterloo in 2013 after completing a M.Sc. at the University of Calgary and a B.Sc. (Hon.) at Mount Allison University. He has a special interest in post-stroke visual neurorehabilitation, working with the stroke rehabilitation unit at the Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria and speaking at several conferences on this topic. Dr. Smith is also a consultant at the Leyaata Hospital in the Savannah Region in Ghana, and has a long history of medical missions abroad to Central America and Africa. Dr. Smith is also the co-founder of the Wabano Eye Clinic, a non-profit eye clinic in Ottawa, ON which serves members of the indigenous community in eastern Ontario. Dr. Smith served on the board of the Ontario Association of Optometrists from 2014-2021, including as President from 2018-2020. He also served for three years as Ontario’s representative on the Council of the Canadian Association from Optometrists and is currently the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Optometric Education Trust Fund.
Dr. Krista McDevitt
Secretary / Treasurer
Dr. Krista McDevitt is from Saint John, NB and did her undergraduate studies at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. She completed an optometry internship program at JFK Hospital in Philadelphia and graduated with her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo in 1995. She has been practicing in Saint John in primary care since that time. Dr. McDevitt has cumulatively spent nine years on the Council of the New Brunswick Association of Optometrists in roles including secretary-treasurer and president (2013-2015), as well as participating in various committee roles. She has served in different capacities with the national optometric examining board (currently OSCE), including several years as a clinical examiner and participating in question writing and validation. Her practice has been a clinical externship site with the University of Waterloo since 1998. She lives in Saint John with her husband, Michael, where they are recently embracing the empty-nesting life, as their two children are at university in Nova Scotia.
Dr. Sheila Morrison grew up in Alberta and is a private practice clinician and educator. She earned her Doctorate of Optometry and Masters Degree in Vision Science, along with a Residency in Cornea and Contact Lens from Pacific University College of Optometry.
After serving on faculty at the University of Houston College of Optometry as a full-time clinical professor, Dr. Morrison joined Mission Eye Care (Calgary, AB, Canada) where she is a residency supervisor of the Mission Eye Care Residency in Cornea and Contact Lens and also adjunct faculty at NSU Oklahoma College of Optometry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the Scleral Lens Education Society, and an awarded member of the International Society of Contact Lens Specialists.
Balancing her passion for eye care, she literally runs around—trail racing in the mountains, being a proud girl mom, and traveling the world.
Dr. Tara Mahvelati completed her bachelor’s in Biology and her Master’s in Immunology prior to her completion of doctorate of Optometry from SUNY College of Optometry in New York. She has published several papers in peer reviewed journal on the topic of neuroinflammation. She was a recipient of the COVD award for excellence in vision training. While in New York, she worked in various disciplines with a focus on ocular disease, pediatrics and vision therapy in different settings including private MD/OD practices and hospital-based settings. In Montreal, she has worked in different modes of practices including private, corporate and hospital-based. Dr. Mahvelati’s deep passion for binocular vision and vision therapy led her to pursue post graduate training to further her knowledge and proficiency in the field to better serve her patients and community. Currently, she is working in private OD practice in Montreal and continues to maintain her New York license.
As an optometrist in private practice since 1991, Dr. Cheryl Letheren has served on many boards and committees; she has also served as a consultant for PABICOP, a pediatric brain injury program, and for the Fowler Kennedy Physiotherapy Centre at Western University. She is a member of the COVD, OEP, OAO, AAO, CAO, ICBO, COVT&R, ONS, and OCCR.
She completed her fellowship with AAO in 1995 and is currently working on NORA and COVD fellowships.
She has more than 20 years of experience treating brain injury patients and is a co-founder of the Parkwood Hospital Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Clinic, the first of its kind in Canada. At Parkwood, she assesses acute in-patient and out-patient brain injury patients, as well as complex care and stroke patients.
In her private office, Dr Letheren does consults for patients with chronic conditions, motor vehicle injuries, head injuries, developmental conditions, learning disabilities and concussions in adults and children. Dr Letheren provides assessment and treatment for binocular vision problems, strabismus, amblyopia, learning difficulties, autism, and sports vision. Her practice provides complete ocular and health examinations using the most up-to-date technology and the full scope of Optometry care including glasses, sunglasses, vision enhancement aids, safety and sports glasses, specialty contact lens fitting and training, myopia control, and vision therapy.
Continuing education is a high priority for Dr. Letheren and she is always enrolled in a course (or teaching one), whether to improve her abilities as a brain injury specialist or for personal interest. She loves travel and is ready to hop on a plane for her next adventure at a moment’s notice!
Dr. Heath Holliday
Trustee
Heath has been in private practice optometry since graduating from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis TN in 2004. He practiced for 5 years with wife who is also an optometrist in his home state of Kansas before moving to Swift Current SK in 2009. Heath and Tricia are owners of Holliday and Holliday Vision Care & Boutique where they practice full scope optometry with special interests in dry eye and vision therapy and rehabilitation. Practicing in a vast rural setting with limited ophthalmology coverage keeps their clinic days interesting to say the least. Heath and Tricia have 4 beautiful active children and enjoy watching and coaching their sports and school activities. Heath has been active on SK Association of Optometry’s council since moving to SK including President in 2022 and 2023 and is finishing his last term in 2025. Heath’s highlights from his time on council include negotiating provincial contracts and helping the effort to advance scope.
Dr. Surjinder Sahota
CAO Liaison
Dr. Sahota has been practicing in private practice since 2001 in British Columbia. Dr. Surjinder Sahota graduated from the Doctor of Optometry program at the Illinois College of Optometry and was then accepted into a residency program at the Illinois Eye Institute in Ocular Disease/Primary Care. She had the unique opportunity to work with world renowned ophthalmologists from the University of Chicago. After completing her residency, Dr. Sahota went back to her rural hometown of Williams Lake to practice for a few years, before relocating to Abbotsford.
Dr. Sahota has served on the board of the British Columbia Doctors of Optometry since 2008, including serving a term as President. Dr. Sahota has also been serving on the Canadian Association of Optometrists and is the current Vice President.
She has a passion for public education and has worked with the public relations committees in helping educate patients about the importance of eye health and preservation of vision. Dr. Sahota has a passion for eyecare and educating patients on achieving their best vision and maintaining good eye health. When not advocating for optometry and eye health, Dr. Sahota can be found enjoying the outdoors and following her passion of traveling.
Melissa Raouli is a third-year optometry student at the University of Montreal School of Optometry. Before beginning her optometry training, she completed two years of undergraduate studies in Neurosciences, where she developed a strong interest in vision science and patient-centered care. As the current President of the Montreal chapter of the Canadian Association of Optometry Students (CAOS), Melissa is actively involved in supporting student engagement, promoting professional development, and strengthening communication between optometry students nationwide. She is eager to collaborate with the COETF team this year and contribute to projects that foster innovation and growth in optometric education and research.
Anne Stacey
Executive Director
Anne Stacey has been supporting non-profit associations for almost 20 years. Her career started at Chambers of Commerce in both Lindsay, ON and Mission, BC and extended to multiple National non-profit associations over the past several years. Anne built a knowledge around business affairs, supporting members and donors, and developing both communication and marketing strategies. She looks forward to working with COETF Trustees to maximize the positive impact of COETF initiatives.