Barry Barresi, OD, PhD, a renowned optometry and public health expert, has been appointed as a professor of health policy at the Salus University College of Health Sciences. Dr. Barresi will be teaching a new MPH course entitled Value-Based Health Care. He also will be involved in health services research initiatives such as a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) project, designed to compare the effectiveness of rehabilitation service models for improving patient outcomes for age-related macular degeneration chronic vision impairment.

Dr. Barresi has had a distinguished 30-year optometric career as a practitioner, clinical teacher, lecturer, academic administrator and business and healthcare executive. He served as vice president and dean of academic affairs at the State University of New York, State College of Optometry, and founding director of the school’s Center for Vision Care policy. He also served as director of outreach programs at Southern California College of Optometry as well as vice president of clinical affairs at New England College of Optometry, New England Eye Institute, Inc.

The founder of two start-up companies, Partner Providers Health, Inc. and OcuHub LLC., Dr. Barresi is currently the CEO of Association Ventures, a consulting firm advising professional societies and nonprofit associations.

Dr. Barresi was the executive director of the American Optometric Association (AOA) from 2008-2014 and served as the executive director of the AOA’s foundation, Optometry Care, as well as the founding CEO of AOAExcel, Inc. which operates financial business and clinical support services for practicing optometrists across the country.

Dr. Barresi earned a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross College and a Doctor of Optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry. He received his PhD from the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

About Salus University

Salus University, founded as the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1919, today is a diversified, globally recognized professional academic center of learning that offers a wide range of degree programs in the professions of Optometry, Audiology, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Biomedicine, Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology. Salus operates four clinical facilities in the Philadelphia area that provide highly specialized vision, hearing and balance, and speech-language pathology services. The University has more than 1,200 students, including PhD candidates, and more than 14,300 alumni worldwide. For more information, please visit www.salus.edu.