Our Team

Dr. S. Robert Levine, alongside his wife, Mary Tyler Moore, has been a long-standing diabetes research advocate. As JDRF’s International Chairman from 1984-2017, Mary used her public recognition, personal experience with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and grace to support JDRF’s research and advocacy programs and offer hope to T1D families. Dr. Levine played an instrumental role within JDRF as a member of its International Board and Board Committees by helping transform its strategy and operations as they experienced rapid growth and expanding influence. Dr. Levine led initiatives that built a grass-roots health research advocacy program that is arguably one of the most effective in modern US history. As a volunteer leader, he helped develop the strategy and processes to manage a JDRF research budget that grew from $10-12 million per year to over $100 million per year, navigating the transition from small-scale bench research to large-scale Research Center and Mission-driven initiatives. Through his guidance, JDRF expanded to support clinical trials targeting the translation of scientific advances into therapeutic benefits for people with diabetes.

Dr. Levine has led the development of the “Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative” as a way to honor his wife — who suffered from vision-stealing diabetic retinal disease — and help make her dream of a world without vision loss from diabetes a reality.

Dr. Levine was an executive producer on the HBO documentary “Being Mary Tyler Moore.” He provided the filmmakers unprecedented access to Mary’s life, estate, loved ones, colleagues, and friends. “Being Mary Tyler Moore” explores Mary’s personal and professional journey as an iconic star, businesswoman, and advocate. The documentary shows how Mary revolutionized the portrayal of women in the media and empowered generations of women from all races and economic backgrounds to dream big, work hard, and make it on their own.

Dr. Levine graduated summa cum laude from Loyola-Stritch Medical School in 1979 and completed his specialty training in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He was the founding Director of Mt. Sinai’s Cardiac Health & Rehab Program.

Co-Scientific Director, Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative; Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School; Chair, Diabetes Initiatives, DRCR Retina Network; Vice Chair, Clinical Research, Dept of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Senior Investigator, Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center (JDC); Chief, Center for Clinical Eye Research and Trials, Beetham Eye Institute, JDC.

Dr. Sun is the Co-Scientific Director of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. She graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and completed an ophthalmology residency and a vitreoretinal surgical fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. From 2005-2009, she was the first program participant in the Harvard Vision Clinical Scientist K12 program and received a Masters in Public Health in 2007 at the Harvard School of Public Health. Since 2005, she has served as Chief of the Center for Clinical Eye Research and Trials of the Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center. She is Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Investigator in the Vascular Cell Biology Section of the Joslin Diabetes Center. Dr. Sun serves as Chair for Diabetes Initiatives of the DRCR Retina Network, a National Institutes of Health-sponsored, North American collaborative network of retina sites performing clinical research in diabetic retinal disease and other retinal diseases. This prestigious network has been cited three times in the US Congressional Record for its impactful clinical trials that have shaped the current standard of care for diabetic eye disease. Dr. Sun is also the Vice Chair for Clinical Research for the Department of Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Dr. Sun is Associate Editor for Diabetes and Clinical Challenges Editor for JAMA Ophthalmology. She received the 2008 ARVO/Alcon Early Career Clinician-Scientist Research Award; the 2016 RPB Physician-Scientist Award; the 2018 JDRF Mary Tyler Moore and S. Robert Levine, M.D., Excellence in Clinical Research Award; and the 2021 Macula Society Young Investigator Award. Dr. Sun has delivered named lectures, including the 2017 Wilmer Eye Institute Joseph Smiddy Lecture (Johns Hopkins), the 2018 Morton Goldberg Lecture (University of Illinois at Chicago), the 2022 UK Optic Lecture for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and the 2024 Matthew Davis Lecture at the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Gardner works to determine how diabetes impairs vision and how vision can be restored in persons with diabetic retinal disease. Specifically, his research focuses on how diabetes impacts nerve cells of the retina and how such changes can be detected in patients. He works to integrate patient care, teaching, and research in a clinical department and promotes the development of young clinician-scientists. He is inspired by his patients with diabetes, including his two brothers, Tim and Ted, who both have type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Gardner received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, served his internship at Emory University and ophthalmology residency at Northwestern University, and completed a Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami. He holds Board Certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Director of The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative Ocular Biorepository and Resource Center; Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Michigan Medicine; and Associate Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Michigan Medicine.

Patrice Fort, PhD, MS is the Director of The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative Ocular Biorepository and Resource Center. He is a neuroscientist focusing on the neuroretina and the neuro-glial interaction. He did his undergraduate studies at the Claude Bernard University in Lyon (France) before getting a master’s degree in neuroscience and a doctorate in Living Sciences from the Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg (France) with Dr. Alvaro Rendon and Dr. Jose Sahel at the Vision Institute in Paris. During his PhD, he uncovered novel key roles of one of the dystrophin isoforms called Dp71, one as a critical player in the regulation of retinal homeostasis by Müller glial cells, and the other as a critical protein for maintenance of lens transparency.

Following his PhD, Dr. Fort pursued his training at Penn State University, where he expanded his knowledge of retinal physiology and how it is affected by metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. As he joined Dr. Gardner’s laboratory for his postdoctoral fellowship, he studied how diabetes affects retinal metabolism and, specifically, protein synthesis. This led to the identification of novel mechanisms of regulation of protein synthesis specific to the retina and different from other insulin-sensitive tissues. He also identified previously unknown proteome changes, including effects on intrinsic protective mechanisms critical for cellular survival, using proteomic-based discovery approaches. Dr. Fort was recruited by the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center in 2010, where he continued to study the function and regulation of these intrinsic protective mechanisms in acute and chronic retinal neurodegenerative disorders. Over the last decade Dr. Fort also started developing and implementing targeted and discovery approaches using human ocular tissues to better our understanding of the human pathophysiology of diabetic retinal disease. Dr. Fort additionally joined the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology (MIP) and the Neuroscience Graduate program (NGP) of the University of Michigan, being the co-director of recruitment and sensory neuroscience module director of the latter.

Eric began his career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Los Angeles, California, where he spent 14 years as an agent and Co-Head of Television. During his tenure at CAA, Eric packaged billions of dollars worth of content.

After leaving CAA, Eric co-founded CK&D with his wife, Susan, establishing a premier cause marketing agency. CK&D partnered with charitable organizations, corporate foundations, and media companies, including the United Nations Foundation, PBS, the Alzheimer’s Association, Easter Seals, and LLS, to name a few. They have created and produced some of the most impactful social campaigns in history, including Stand Up to Cancer, iParticipate, Go Red for Women, and Stayin’ Alive (hands-only CPR) for the American Heart Association. They have produced more than 40 PSAs, collaborating with actors such as Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Zoe Saldana, Garth Brooks, Mark Wahlberg, Shonda Rhimes, and Elizabeth Banks.

In 2020, Eric and Susan sold their stake in CK&D to fully dedicate themselves to social impact and cause-driven organizations and entertainment initiatives, producing feature films and television broadcast specials for clients like the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. They work alongside partners who share their passion for driving meaningful, lasting change through compelling storytelling, innovative marketing strategies, and strategic media partnerships while leveraging their fundraising expertise to support critical initiatives.

Dr. Mark Atkinson’s passion for helping those with T1D guided his path to meet Mary Tyler Moore and Dr. S. Robert Levine over 30 years ago. He is the American Diabetes Association Eminent Scholar for Diabetes Research at the University of Florida (UF), the Jeffrey Keene Family Professor, and Director of the UF Diabetes Institute. Dr. Atkinson is the author of over 650 publications, with over 40 years of investigation into T1D. Expertscape notes him among the top three most cited authors globally in T1D research and care over the last two decades.

His interests include studies of the pathogenesis and natural history of T1D, immune regulation, clinical trials for T1D prevention/reversal, stem cells, and pancreatic pathology. He has also been active in leadership service to the diabetes research and care community. Dr. Atkinson is the founding Executive Director of nPOD, supporting over 340 research projects in 21 countries.

He has been the recipient of multiple scientific and humanitarian-based awards for his academic and charitable efforts, including the ADA’s “Outstanding Scientific Achievement,” Harold Rifkin, and Albert Renold awards; Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), Rumbough, The Mary Tyler Moore and S. Robert Levine award, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation “Jacobeus Award.” Dr. Atkinson has served as an advisor to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and is a member of multiple clinical trial consortia (e.g., NIH TrialNet, NIH ITN, INNODIA). He is active globally for causes related to the care and treatment of those in the developing world.

Ms. Markel has been the Senior Advisor to the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative since July 2024 after serving as the founding Managing Director for the previous two years. As the Managing Director, she worked with Dr. Levine and the leadership team to create the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative and launch its platform programs. She is motivated to end this devasting disease because her first cousin, who is the sister she never had, has had type 1 diabetes her entire adult life and now has significant vision loss. “Seeing someone you love, who defined independence, become limited by vision loss is heartbreaking.”

Ms. Markel brings extensive experience from four decades of leadership service at the University of Michigan (UM), with specialized expertise in creating and managing clinical research and diabetes initiatives. Her past achievements include: working with Dr. Francis Collins to create the NIH-funded UM Human Genome Center and serving as the Center’s Human Studies Core Director; serving as the Administrative Director of the NIH-funded UM General Clinical Research Center; founding Administrative Director of the Center for the Advancement of Clinical Research; founding Administrative Director of the NIH-funded Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research; andthe first Director for Clinical and Translational Research for the UM Medical School. She was the founding Director of the Brehm Center for Diabetes Research and Manager of the Brehm Coalition; she was also the founding Managing Director of M-Diabetes and the founding Managing Director of the Elizabeth Weiser Caswell Diabetes Institute.

Ms. Markel retired from UM in 2022 and retains an active emeritus faculty position in the UM Department of Learning Health Sciences. She has extensive experience in ethical and regulatory issues in human research, having served on the Michigan Medicine and Castle IRBs. She received her B.S. from Michigan Technological University in Biological Sciences; her M.S. from the University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Human Genetics, specializing in Genetic Counseling; and her M.H.S.A (Health Services Administration) degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Department of Health Management and Policy.

Jocelyne is the Project Manager for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative and Admin Specialist at the University of Michigan’s Caswell Diabetes Institute. As a certified Project Management Professional with over a decade of experience, Jocelyne has a strong track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget.

Her extensive background includes a decade-long role as Room Service Call Center Manager at Michigan Medicine, where she managed daily operations, optimized workflows, and prioritized patient satisfaction. Skilled in human resource management, Jocelyne ensured clear communication and effective collaboration across diverse teams, including onsite, hybrid, and remote staff.

Inspired by her father’s journey with type 2 diabetes, kidney failure, and diabetic retinal disease, Jocelyne pursued a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and became a registered dietitian. Her commitment to MTM Vision’s mission of curing diabetes-related vision loss drives her dedication to her role and the initiative’s impactful work.

Dr. Faulkner has extensive expertise in leadership, administration, and strategic management. She completed a five-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuronal regulation of metabolism and a two-year fellowship in Research Operations, Management, and Strategy at the University of Michigan.

As the Administrative Manager of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision) Consortium at the University of Michigan’s Caswell Diabetes Institute, Dr. Faulkner plays a pivotal role in combating Diabetic Retinal Disease (DRD), a complication of diabetes that requires more awareness and research support. This consortium facilitates collaboration among academic and industry experts by providing access to critical research resources. These efforts accelerate the identification of new therapeutic targets, expedite drug development processes, and support FDA approvals, ultimately benefiting patients with DRD.

“Returning to CDI felt like coming home. Partnering with MTM Vision is incredibly rewarding. We strive to innovate and preserve vision in people with diabetes, and this mission motivates me daily,” she notes.
Dr. Faulkner’s dedication and expertise are vital to advancing MTM Vision’s goal of addressing diabetes-related vision loss and offering hope to affected individuals worldwide.

Corey is the technical manager of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s Ocular Biorepository and Resource Center (MTM Vision-BRC). Corey’s years in science have produced a passion for improving research for scientists and the public, which she is excited to bring to the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s mission to facilitate research to end vision loss from diabetes. Corey conducts imaging, histologic characterization, processing, preservation, and distribution of ocular samples for the MTM Vision-BRC. She performs molecular analyses of these tissues, including proteomic, lipidomic, and transcriptomic analyses. Corey is involved in developing and maintaining the database of tissue and linked data, which will provide researchers from academia and industry much-needed access to high-quality samples and data for research into the pathogenesis of novel treatments for diabetic retinal disease.

Corey has 16 years of experience in research labs. Before the MTM Vision-BRC, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Matthias Truttmann’s lab, studying neurodegenerative diseases. Corey earned her Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she studied prostate cancer in Dr. Karen Sfanos’s lab. Before joining her thesis lab, she spent time in the labs of Dr. Isabelle Coppens, Dr. Marc Halushka, and Dr. Cynthia Sears. Before graduate school, Corey worked as a research technician in Dr. Piotr Kulesza’s lab at Northwestern University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Corey completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Kelli Ramos is the Senior Project Manager for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Ocular Biorepository and Resource Center (MTM Vision-BRC) located at the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan. Kelli oversees the hiring of technical staff to support the daily needs of the project and works with contractors and collaborators to bring components of the project to fruition. A large part of this undertaking is managing the collection of precious ocular tissues and the standardization of storage and distribution of samples for the project. Kelli actively collects and curates data collected from ocular donors and stored for scientific research and collaboration. Kelli works closely with each member of the MTM Vision-BRC team to achieve milestones and monitor project timelines.

Kelli has previous experience in technical program management (TMP) for domestic and international medical laboratory testing policy at Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation in Troy, MI. Her role as a TPM for laboratory accreditation provides her with extensive knowledge of good laboratory practices and regulatory compliance for clinical laboratory testing. As a TPM, Kelli helped implement and interpret international and domestic public policy to guide the quality and reliability of laboratory test results globally. Kelli also has extensive experience handling and collecting samples in a clinical laboratory setting when she worked at a CLIA-accredited laboratory at Columbia Memorial Hospital located in Astoria, Oregon for three years. Kelli earned her master’s degree in public health from Central Michigan University. She is honored to contribute to the MTM Vision Initiative in their shared goal to curiously and compassionately investigate therapeutic treatments to improve and end vision loss for patients with diabetic retinal disease.

Terry is honored to have served as Mary Tyler Moore’s Executive Assistant for over 25 years. During this time with Mary, he traveled extensively with her and worked on many of her television shows, films, and theatre projects, fostering a deep friendship with Mary and Robert. He also supported their passionate efforts to advance diabetes research, a cause that became personally significant when his father was diagnosed with the disease.

Following his work with Mary, Terry returned to the medical field, serving as Administrative Director of Cardiology, Surgery, and Anesthesia at NYU Langone in Brooklyn, NY. After eight years in this demanding role, he retired from NYU.

However, retirement didn’t last long, as Terry resumed his career as Robert’s Executive Assistant, contributing to MTM Vision and other significant projects. One of his proudest accomplishments is his work as Associate Producer on the Emmy-nominated documentary, “Being Mary Tyler Moore.”

Shelby Peterson Unsworth, PhD serves as an Associate Director for Business Development within Fast Forward Medical Innovation, a unit of the University of Michigan Medical School Office of Research. In this role, Shelby supports academic-industry partnerships with Michigan faculty and initiatives, including the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative, where she secures Industry support for the MTM Vision Consortium. Shelby earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. After her postdoctoral training, she completed a two-year Research Operations, Management, and Strategy fellowship in the Medical School Office of Research. Shelby is passionate about advancing research through industry partnerships and is interested in supporting initiatives whose primary goal is to improve patient quality of life through identifying and developing novel treatments.

Carmen conducts the imaging, histologic characterization, processing, preservation, molecular analysis, and distribution of ocular tissues and fluids for the MTM Vision-BRC. Carmen also develops and maintains the database of these tissues, providing researchers from academia and industry with much-needed access to high-quality samples and data for research into the pathogenesis of novel treatments for diabetic retinal disease.

Before joining the MTM Vision-BRC, Carmen worked in drug discovery and development to create next-generation precision medicines for patients with cancer and inflammatory diseases. Carmen also developed, verified, and validated a new Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) under CLSI guidelines, ISO standards, and LDT regulatory agencies. Carmen has conducted client-based pre-clinical in vivo oncology animal studies. Prior to her work in industry, Carmen worked at the University of Michigan, where she focused on G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) and heterotrimeric G protein signaling mechanisms. In the Muscle Biology lab, she studied the effects of age, diet, and exercise on insulin signaling and glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. Her research in Cell and Developmental Biology focused on hematopoiesis, hematopoietic stem cells, and the role of erythroid progenitors in the induction of fetal hemoglobin synthesis as a treatment for beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

Carmen is excited to be a part of MTM Vision and hopes to contribute to developing new approaches to prevent and restore vision in people impacted by diabetic complications.

Christopher German, PhD is Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s Lay Advisory Committee Chair. Chris has been a type 1 diabetic since the age of six and is deeply vested in the MTM Vision’s mission. He is a senior scientist at Myriad Genetics overseeing verification and validation studies required for regulatory approvals. Before his time at Myriad Genetics, Chris was an assistant professor at the University of Utah, researching substances of abuse. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Utah. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular neuroscience from the Mayo Clinic and B.S. in biology from the University of Notre Dame. In addition, Chris volunteers for the Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) Mountain West Chapter and has been on the Chapter board for the last eight years. Chris lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Mary, their two young sons, two dogs, and a desert tortoise. He enjoys mountain biking, backcountry skiing, hiking, and a glass of good single malt whisky when free time is found.

Tom Chapman is on the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Lay Advisory Committee. He is a 35-year T1D veteran and is committed to advancing diabetes research and awareness, particularly in addressing diabetes-related vision loss. He has served on Breakthrough T1D’s International Board, was a Board Observer with Viacyte and has participated in NIH expert panels for T1D research in Washington DC.

Professionally, Tom is the Chief Investment Officer of Teewinot Partners and co-founder of the Valparaiso Investment Fund in Singapore. His career spans founding Colony Capital’s Asian real estate business in Singapore and prior roles at Tiger Management, Goldman Sachs, and Tudor Investment in London.

He is the Board Chair of the Wyoming Retirement System and serves on the Investment Funds Committee for the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office. Tom also serves on the San Diego Zoo and Teton County Search and Rescue boards in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He holds a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Judy M. Hunt is on the Lay Advisory Committee of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. She has an adult daughter who was diagnosed with T1D at the age of two and she is a long-time diabetes research advocate. Leadership roles have included the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) JDRF International Board (now Breakthrough T1D), JDRF Canada Board, Canadian Clinical Trials Network, Network of Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (nPOD), Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES), The Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) and the Texas and Pennsylvania Diabetes Councils. She has a BBA and MBA from Southern Methodist University.

Monica serves on The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s Lay Advisory Committee to support the patient perspective in diabetic retinopathy research. She has had type 1 diabetes for nearly three decades, inspiring her to be a lifelong, passionate advocate for those with diabetes.

Monica holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Heller School at Brandeis University and her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Boston College. Monica is currently the VP of Content for Close Concerns. Prior to this role, she worked at Withings, where she led the health content team and the development of longitudinal programs to help individuals engage in and form sustained healthy behavior. Before Withings, Monica researched outcomes for patients with ocular cancer at Mass Eye and Ear. Her passion for equity for people with chronic conditions informs her work in health engagement and communication. Monica also serves on T1D Breakthrough’s (formerly JDRF) Young Leadership Council. In her spare time, Monica loves to run and play with her dog, Teddy. With the NYC and Chicago marathons under her belt, she hopes to complete all six of the World Major Marathons one day.

Adriana Plevniak has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 36 years and has faced the challenges of diabetic retinopathy for over 10 years. Despite these health hurdles, she has become a passionate patient advocate, dedicating her time to raising awareness and supporting others in the diabetes community. Adriana resides in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, where she enjoys living with her husband, son, and dog. Her personal experiences fuel her advocacy work, making her a committed and compassionate voice for those navigating similar health journeys.

Sandra Puczynski, PhD is a member of the Lay Advisory Committee for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. Her daughter, Michelle, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 39 years ago, at 11 months of age. Sandra has over 25 years of experience leading clinical research and regulatory programs at various academic institutions and has administered many clinical trials funded by NIH, DoD, and Industry. She has volunteered for 39 years at Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and is Director Emeritus. She is one of the founders and past presidents of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter and was on the International Board of Directors, including Chair of Research, from 1997-2003. Sandra has served on various healthcare boards and committees, including NIDDK Advisory Council. Now retired, Sandra and her husband Mark live in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Dr. Mark Atkinson’s passion for helping those with T1D guided his path to meet Mary Tyler Moore and Dr. S. Robert Levine over 30 years ago. He is the American Diabetes Association Eminent Scholar for Diabetes Research at the University of Florida (UF), the Jeffrey Keene Family Professor, and Director of the UF Diabetes Institute. Dr. Atkinson is the author of over 650 publications, with over 40 years of investigation into T1D. Expertscape notes him among the top three most cited authors globally in T1D research and care over the last two decades.

His interests include studies of the pathogenesis and natural history of T1D, immune regulation, clinical trials for T1D prevention/reversal, stem cells, and pancreatic pathology. He has also been active in leadership service to the diabetes research and care community. Dr. Atkinson is the founding Executive Director of nPOD, supporting over 340 research projects in 21 countries.

He has been the recipient of multiple scientific and humanitarian-based awards for his academic and charitable efforts, including the ADA’s “Outstanding Scientific Achievement,” Harold Rifkin, and Albert Renold awards; Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), Rumbough, The Mary Tyler Moore and S. Robert Levine award, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation “Jacobeus Award.” Dr. Atkinson has served as an advisor to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and is a member of multiple clinical trial consortia (e.g., NIH TrialNet, NIH ITN, INNODIA). He is active globally for causes related to the care and treatment of those in the developing world.

Sally L. Baxter, MD, MSc is on the External Scientific Advisory Board of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. She is a clinician-scientist working at the intersection of ophthalmology and biomedical informatics. She is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Informatics (Department of Medicine) at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Baxter has expertise in artificial intelligence, biomedical and clinical informatics, big-data analytics, and data standards, particularly in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical practice, research, and training. She is the first ophthalmologist to receive the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director’s “Early Independence Award” in 2020.

Additionally, Dr. Baxter was recognized in Ophthalmology Management’s “40 Under 40” list and received the 2023 NEI Director’s Award. Dr. Baxter is the Chief of Ophthalmology Informatics and Data Science at the University of California San Diego, chair of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Data Standards Workgroup, member of the AAO Committee on Artificial Intelligence, and founder and co-lead of the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics Workgroup in Eye Care and Vision Research. She is the PI of multiple grant-funded research studies and training programs and has over 120 scientific publications.

Dolly S. Chang, MD, MPH, PhD serves on the External Scientific Advisory Board for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative, driven by her experience seeing patients with diabetic retinopathy lose vision despite the availability of anti-VEGF therapy. Her mission is to develop therapies that address the root cause of the disease and design clinical trials with patient-relevant endpoints.

As Chief Scientific Officer at Kodiak Sciences, Dolly oversees pipeline development to advance transformative retinal therapies. She brings extensive experience in ophthalmic drug development, from early research to late-stage clinical trials. Previously, Dolly was Group Medical Director at Genentech (gRED), where she served as the ophthalmology expert and co-led the Digital Health Team in developing home monitoring tools and clinical endpoints. At Genentech, she led complex molecule programs and helped shape glaucoma neuroprotection and ocular cell therapy strategies.

Dolly earned her M.D. from National Taiwan University and her M.P.H. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where she also completed her ophthalmology residency. She further specialized with a glaucoma fellowship at Stanford University and continues clinical practice as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford’s Byers Eye Institute.

Sanjoy Dutta, PhD, is on the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Scientific Advisory Board. He is the Chief Scientific Officer at Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), the world’s largest non-profit organization funding research in type 1 diabetes (T1D) globally. He oversees all of Breakthrough T1D’s efforts to cure type 1 diabetes and improve the lives of those living with it, which includes screening for risk of T1D, beta cell therapies, immunotherapies, glucose, and metabolic control and complications. He is also responsible for international partnerships with world-leading government, non-government, foundation, and commercial organizations, including expansion to new geographies such as the Middle East. Dr. Dutta joined Breakthrough T1D in 2009. Prior to Breakthrough T1D, Dr. Dutta was the associate director of translational medicine and clinical biomarkers at Bristol-Myers Squibb and principal scientist of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at Hoffmann-La Roche. Dr. Dutta obtained his doctorate from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Southern California and was a Breakthrough Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Cell Biology and the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. McLeod is on MTM Vision’s External Scientific Advisory Board. He is Chief Executive Officer for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Professor and Chair Emeritus in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco. He pursued his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College and his medical doctorate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary of the University of Illinois in Chicago and fellowship training in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at the Doheny Eye Institute.

Dr. McLeod’s clinical specialty is refractive surgery, cornea, and external disease. His research interests include the study of improved strategies for diagnosis and management of eye infections in the U.S. and the developing world, as well as the development of novel techniques for pragmatic clinical trials. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers and delivered over a dozen named lectures.

Dr. McLeod is former Chair of the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration. He has served as a member of the National Advisory Eye Council of the National Institutes of Health, on the Council of the American Ophthalmological Society, and the Board of Directors of the American Board of Ophthalmology and the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Research to Prevent Blindness. Dr. McLeod is the former Editor-in-Chief of the AAO’s flagship peer-review journal Ophthalmology.

Dr. Tunde Peto is on the External Scientific Advisory Board of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. She is a professor of clinical ophthalmology at Queen’s University Belfast, the clinical lead for diabetic eye screening in Northern Ireland, a consultant ophthalmologist, and the clinical lead for diabetic eye in the Belfast Trust. Prof. Peto has considerable experience teaching and training for diabetic eye disease nationally and internationally. She has been working with the World Health Organization and other organizations to enable better care for patients with diabetes worldwide. Her work resulted in her being awarded the prestigious “Eva Kohner” award in 2024.

Dr. José-Alain Sahel is on The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s External Scientific Advisory Board. He is a Distinguished Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, the Eye and Ear Foundation Endowed Chair at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is the Director of the UPMC Vision Institute which he founded in May 2023. Dr. Sahel also founded the Vision Institute in Paris, France. He received his medical degree from Paris University Medical School.

Dr. Sahel is a clinician-scientist conducting vision restoration research focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying retinal degeneration and the development of treatments for currently untreatable retinal diseases. His work has contributed to the understanding and prevention of vision loss from photoreceptor cell degeneration.

He has conducted and overseen more than 80 clinical trials on retinal conditions, including first-in-human trials of artificial retina, gene therapy, and optogenetics. Dr. Sahel has co-authored over 700 peer-reviewed articles and 90 patents. He has co-founded companies developing innovative vision restoration therapies. His memberships include the Académie des Sciences-Institut de France, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Association of American Physicians, the American Ophthalmology Society, and the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Sahel received multiple awards, including the 2023 International Prize for Translational Neuroscience from the Max Planck Society, Germany (with Botond Roska) and the 2024 Wolf Prize in Medicine. He holds an Honoris Causa Doctorate from the University of Geneva. President Macron appointed him to the Conseil Présidentiel de la Science in December 2023.

Laura oversees communications and public relations for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative to amplify the organization’s mission of preserving and restoring vision for people impacted by diabetes, drawing attention to the critical need for research and solutions to cure diabetic retinal disease.
With a career rooted in entertainment and corporate communications, Laura worked at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where she played a pivotal role in managing public relations and communications for the agency and a diverse roster of clients, including talent, directors, athletes, and corporate partners like Coca-Cola, Sony, and NBC. This positioned her at the intersection of entertainment, corporate, and global brands. Following her tenure at CAA, Laura directed communications and PR at the renowned advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi and Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading communications firms.

Beyond her experience in communications and PR, Laura has worked across marketing, advertising, media, CSR, thought leadership, and licensing for some of the world’s most recognizable brands and talent, including Toyota, QVC, illy coffee, Barneys New York, The Food Network, the NFL, NBA, Disney, the Sundance Institute, Universal, and Vanity Fair.

Eric began his career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Los Angeles, California, where he spent 14 years as an agent and Co-Head of Television. During his tenure at CAA, Eric packaged billions of dollars worth of content.

After leaving CAA, Eric co-founded CK&D with his wife, Susan, establishing a premier cause marketing agency. CK&D partnered with charitable organizations, corporate foundations, and media companies, including the United Nations Foundation, PBS, the Alzheimer’s Association, Easter Seals, and LLS, to name a few. They have created and produced some of the most impactful social campaigns in history, including Stand Up to Cancer, iParticipate, Go Red for Women, and Stayin’ Alive (hands-only CPR) for the American Heart Association. They have produced more than 40 PSAs, collaborating with actors such as Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Zoe Saldana, Garth Brooks, Mark Wahlberg, Shonda Rhimes, and Elizabeth Banks.

In 2020, Eric and Susan sold their stake in CK&D to fully dedicate themselves to social impact and cause-driven organizations and entertainment initiatives, producing feature films and television broadcast specials for clients like the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. They work alongside partners who share their passion for driving meaningful, lasting change through compelling storytelling, innovative marketing strategies, and strategic media partnerships while leveraging their fundraising expertise to support critical initiatives.

Susan started her career at Creative Artists Agency. In her 15 years at CAA, she was Chief of Staff to the Chairman working at the highest level with the Agency’s actors, directors, writers, musicians, and athletes. Susan also worked with CAA’s advertising clients, including Coca-Cola and Nike, and the consulting group for media companies, including Sony, Universal, and Disney.

After leaving CAA, Susan co-founded CK&D with her husband Eric, establishing a premier cause marketing agency. CK&D partnered with charitable organizations, corporate foundations, and media companies, including the United Nations Foundation, PBS, the Alzheimer’s Association, Easter Seals, and LLS, just to name a few. The Carlsons have created and produced some of the most impactful social campaigns in history, including Stand Up to Cancer, iParticipate, Go Red for Women, and Stayin’ Alive (hands-only CPR) for the American Heart Association. They have produced more than 40 PSAs, collaborating with actors such as Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Zoe Saldana, Garth Brooks, Mark Wahlberg, Shonda Rhimes, and Elizabeth Banks.

In 2020, Susan and Eric sold their stake in CK&D to fully dedicate themselves to social impact and cause-driven organizations and entertainment initiatives, producing feature films and television broadcast specials for clients like the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. They work alongside partners who share their passion for driving meaningful, lasting change through compelling storytelling, innovative marketing strategies, and strategic media partnerships while leveraging their fundraising expertise to support critical initiatives.
Susan spent years helping her mother navigate her struggles with diabetes. It left a lasting impression on her and a lifelong commitment to helping others find solutions and cures for this disease.

Red Maxwell is a media and fund development advisor to the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. He is a serial entrepreneur and former technology executive with over three decades of experience in marketing and brand building. He currently serves as an independent Board Director for mPATH Health. Prior to mPATH, Red served as Chief Marketing Officer for Bigfoot Biomedical and brought the company through FDA clearance and commercial launch of its “smart pen” insulin dosing system. Like many MTM Vision team members, he has personal family connections with diabetes and has served the diabetes community at Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), where he volunteered as an International Board Member and is the current Vice President of the Directors Emeritus Council.

Red received his B.S. in Biology from Tufts University. He lectures at the Wake Forest University School of Business and was a contributing author to The Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller, “The Big Moo.”

Mia is the social media manager for The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative, where she amplifies the organization’s online presence while preserving the legacy of Mary Tyler Moore. As a woman in media, Mia is proud to represent a trailblazer like Mary, whom she admires as an entertainer and a passionate advocate for diabetes research. Originally from Southern California, Mia’s passion for communications led her on a cross-country journey to Indiana University, where she earned her BA and sharpened her expertise in marketing and digital media.

Now based in Chicago, Mia channels her creative energy into her work and freelance writing. She contributes Amazon affiliate articles to leading platforms like CNN, Daily Mail, and Rolling Stone, demonstrating her knack for producing captivating content that engages readers. When she’s not behind the screen, Mia explores Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods and culinary hotspots, travels back to the West Coast to reconnect with family, or escapes to hidden gems across the Midwest for weekend camping adventures with friends.