New Association of Optometrists (AOP) council members have been elected following an appointment process late last month.
Geographical positions were contested in Scotland, South East England, South West England, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber. Councillors were elected unopposed in East Midlands, East of England, London, North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
The AOP also received applications from undergraduate students, pre-registration optometrists and newly-qualified optometrists for three appointed, designated posts.
The Councillors will begin their three-year term of office on June 6.
Henrietta Alderman, AOP chief executive, said: ‘Highly deserved congratulations are in order for our re-elected and newly-elected council members, who’ve already made a significant contribution to the profession – proving their dedication and passion in striving for optometry.
‘Some interesting challenges and opportunities lie ahead, and I’m very much looking forward to working with these individuals on the key issues facing optics in the coming years.’
Newly-elected Councillors representing geographical constituencies across the UK
| COUNCILLOR | CONSTITUENCY |
| Emma Spofforth | East of England |
| Tushar Majithia | East Midlands |
| Gordon Ilett | London |
| Jane Ranns | North East England |
| Martin Sweeney | North West England |
| Valarie Jerome | South East England |
| Ed Bickerstaffe | South West England |
| Francesca Marchetti | West Midlands |
| Stewart Mitchell | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Julie-Anne Little | Northern Ireland |
| Eilidh Martin Kevin Wallace | Scotland |
| Nadeen Joseph | Wales |
Newly-elected appointed, designated positions
COUNCILLOR | DESIGNATED POSITION |
Shivani Rughani | Newly-qualified Optometrist |
Ali Yasen | Pre-registration Optometrist |
Shoaib Ilyas | Undergraduate Student Optometrist |
