11.00am-12.00pm

Practice Management

Presented by
Emma Gillies
Purple Key Consulting

Personalities in Practice

Whilst Emma Gillies Phd (Glaucoma) is well known as an optometrist for her expertise in Glaucoma and Contact Lenses she is less well known for her behavioural dynamics skills. 

Emma established Purple Key Consulting in 2018 through which she provides Executive Coaching, Corporate Training and Business Consulting.  Emma is an accredited Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. 

She works with people to understand their thinking and behavioural patterns, emotional state, and aspirations and how to use that to better understand customers in the optometry practice. 

11.30am-12.30pm

Dispensing

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

Accurate Measurements for Dispensing

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

1.00pm-2.00pm

Dispensing

Presented by
James Gibbins
ACOD

Introduction to Dispensing

James Gibbins has been a dedicated optical dispenser practitioner since 1983, gaining his optical qualifications in Optical Dispensing and Optical Mechanics along the way.

Passionate about guiding and training any new employee in sight, the move from practitioner to educator was a natural fit. James began his teaching career with TAFE NSW at Sydney Institute (Ultimo) in 1997 and his since taught with OTEN (Western Sydney Institute), Sydney Institute (Randwick) and the University of New South Wales, gaining his teaching qualifications along the way (Bachelor of Adult Education, Certificate IV in Training and Assessing).

In January 2017, along with teaching colleague Chedy Kalach, James launched – The Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD), enrolling students throughout Australia and New Zealand.

1.30pm-2.30pm

Practice Management

COVID Changes in Consumer Behaviour - Is your business ready?

Jim Papas holds a BSc specialising in Biochemistry and Pathology (First Class Honours) as well as graduating with BSc in Optometry at Melbourne University and is the Managing Director of NWO Group.

He has established a number of companies within the optical industry providing wholesale and retail services within Australia and internationally as well as holding numerous executive positions and board memberships. Directorships previously held by Jim include Aspect Vision Care Australia , Ocular Sciences Australia, Cooper Vision Australia and representative on the Australian Contact Lens Industry Council & Vice President Of the Australian College of Optometry.

Jim has also participated in Government international trade delegations for information technology as well as undertaking numerous speaking engagements in Australia and internationally.

With over 30 years of extensive business experience in optical retailing, business and brand development, training, technology and software design and development. Jim’s dedication to business excellence, customer service and retail innovation has been recognised with over 25 national, local and government awards for retailing, customer service and software innovation.

Jim is also a member of the Australian Optometrists Association, The Australian College of Optometry, The Australian Retailers Association. 

2.45pm-3.45pm

Presented by
Virgilia Readett
ACOD

Dispensing

Knowing Your Customer - Dispensing To Their Behavioural Type

Virgilia Readett is a senior Trainer with the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD). She holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, a Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications.

Virgilia has been teaching with ACOD since 2019 and is passionate about student support and development. Having begun her optical career with Specsavers in 2012, she found training and staff support were her passion and went on to complete her optical dispensing qualification, and later her training and assessment qualification. Over her 9 years of optical experience, Virgilia has worked in several stores in supervisory and in store trainer positions.

2021 has brought exciting opportunities for training in the optical industry and saw Virgilia take on increased responsibilities in delivering training across Australia and New Zealand. Virgilia believes the key to customer satisfaction lies in more highly trained staff and is excited to assist ACOD in upskilling the Optical Assistants of our industry into qualified Optical Dispensers.

3.30pm-4.30pm

Presented by
Belinda Musitano

Practice Management

7 Tips For Successful Practice Management

Belinda is a qualified Optical Dispenser with 25 years’ experience in the optical industry.  Her broad range of knowledge, both in retail and sales management has led to a successful career in optics. She has also completed the Diploma of HR Management, and a CERT IV in training, Sales Development.

 She has been awarded Business Person of the Year for the last 2 years in South West WA Business Awards. Belinda owns and operates 2 Optical practices, with a team of 10 staff. She is presenting her 7 tips for successful practice management.

4.00pm-5.00pm

Practice Management

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

What is Glare and How To Reduce it?

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

9.45am-10.45am

Presented by
Kathy Allen
Dewings Accountants

Practice Management

Start Your Own Independent Practice

Kathy Allen is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser with over 30 years experience in providing tax and business advice to a wide range of businesses, including medical and ophthalmic professionals.

She is a director of Dewings, a boutique accounting advisory firm and having a special interest in the health care sector, she has worked with many professionals and business in this field. She is also a regular speaker at eyecare industry events.

She is a member of the Institute of Chartered accountants in Australia and New Zealand, the Taxation Institute of Australia, Family Business Association and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and was the Inaugural Chair of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia.  

10.30am-11.30am

Presented by
Grant Hannaford
AAOO

Dispensing

Specific Lens Applications - From Anti-fatigue to Blue Light

Practising in optics for over two decades and working with optometry and dispensing students as well as industry, Grant Hannaford is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia. He is an ophthalmic physicist, researcher, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser.

Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. He holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. Grant is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UNSW.

He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice models. 

He is currently a doctoral candidate researching ocular biometry under Dr Nicola Logan at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England.

11.00am-12.00pm

Presented by
Chedy Kalach
ACOD

Practice Management

The role of dispensing in health and safety at work

Chedy Kalach began his optical life when first qualified as an Orthoptist in 2001, and soon after moved into the retail and spectacle sphere of Optical Dispensing.

Working with both corporate chains and independent practices, Chedy gained his Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing in 2004. Ever eager to learn, develop and grow, Chedy began his teaching career in 2009, completed the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, gained a Masters of Business Administration in 2012, and has now taught across a variety of vocational education and training institutes in both Australia and New Zealand.

After some years of consideration, and in partnership with one of his original teachers James Gibbins, Chedy launched – The Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD), enrolling students throughout Australia and New Zealand.

12.00pm-1.00pm

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

Dispensing

Practical Lens Dispensing – 5 Skills You Can’t Do Without

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

1.00pm-2.00pm

Presented by
Kathy Allen
Dewings Accountants

Practice Management

Succession Planning and Practice Valuation

Kathy Allen is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser with over 30 years experience in providing tax and business advice to a wide range of businesses, including medical and ophthalmic professionals.

She is a director of Dewings, a boutique accounting advisory firm and having a special interest in the health care sector, she has worked with many professionals and business in this field. She is also a regular speaker at eyecare industry events.

She is a member of the Institute of Chartered accountants in Australia and New Zealand, the Taxation Institute of Australia, Family Business Association and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and was the Inaugural Chair of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia.  

1.30pm-2.30pm

Presented by
Grant Hannaford
AAOO

Dispensing

Myopia Management For The Optical Dispenser

Practising in optics for over two decades and working with optometry and dispensing students as well as industry, Grant Hannaford is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia. He is an ophthalmic physicist, researcher, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser.

Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. He holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. Grant is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UNSW.

He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice models. 

He is currently a doctoral candidate researching ocular biometry under Dr Nicola Logan at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England.

2.15pm-3.15pm

Presented by
Belinda Musitano

Practice Management

7 Tips For Successful Practice Management

Belinda is a qualified Optical Dispenser with 25 years’ experience in the optical industry.  Her broad range of knowledge, both in retail and sales management has led to a successful career in optics. She has also completed the Diploma of HR Management, and a CERT IV in training, Sales Development.

 She has been awarded Business Person of the Year for the last 2 years in South West WA Business Awards. Belinda owns and operates 2 Optical practices, with a team of 10 staff. She is presenting her 7 tips for successful practice management.

3.00pm-4.00pm

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

Dispensing

Accurate Measurements For Dispensing

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

3.30pm-4.30pm

Presented by
Jim Papas

Practice Management

COVID Changes in Consumer Behaviour –
Is your business ready?

Jim Papas holds a BSc specialising in Biochemistry and Pathology (First Class Honours) as well as graduating with BSc in Optometry at Melbourne University and is the Managing Director of NWO Group.

He has established a number of companies within the optical industry providing wholesale and retail services within Australia and internationally as well as holding numerous executive positions and board memberships. Directorships previously held by Jim include Aspect Vision Care Australia , Ocular Sciences Australia, Cooper Vision Australia and representative on the Australian Contact Lens Industry Council & Vice President Of the Australian College of Optometry.

Jim has also participated in Government international trade delegations for information technology as well as undertaking numerous speaking engagements in Australia and internationally.

With over 30 years of extensive business experience in optical retailing, business and brand development, training, technology and software design and development. Jim’s dedication to business excellence, customer service and retail innovation has been recognised with over 25 national, local and government awards for retailing, customer service and software innovation.

Jim is also a member of the Australian Optometrists Association, The Australian College of Optometry, The Australian Retailers Association. 

10.15am-11.15am

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

Dispensing

Practical Lens Dispensing - 5 Skills You Can’t Do Without

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

10.30am-11.30am

Presented by
Kathy Allen
Dewings Accountants

Practice Management

Start Your Own Independent Practice

Kathy Allen is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser with over 30 years experience in providing tax and business advice to a wide range of businesses, including medical and ophthalmic professionals.

She is a director of Dewings, a boutique accounting advisory firm and having a special interest in the health care sector, she has worked with many professionals and business in this field. She is also a regular speaker at eyecare industry events.

She is a member of the Institute of Chartered accountants in Australia and New Zealand, the Taxation Institute of Australia, Family Business Association and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and was the Inaugural Chair of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia.  

11.30am-12.30pm

Presented by
Grant Hannaford
AAOO

Dispensing

Specific Lens Applications - From Anti-fatigue to Blue Light

Practising in optics for over two decades and working with optometry and dispensing students as well as industry, Grant Hannaford is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia. He is an ophthalmic physicist, researcher, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser.

Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. He holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. Grant is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UNSW.

He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice models. 

He is currently a doctoral candidate researching ocular biometry under Dr Nicola Logan at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England.

1.00pm-2.00pm

Presented by
Grant Hannaford
AAOO

Dispensing

Progressive Lenses – Manipulating Design For Maximum Impact

Practising in optics for over two decades and working with optometry and dispensing students as well as industry, Grant Hannaford is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia. He is an ophthalmic physicist, researcher, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser.

Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. He holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. Grant is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UNSW.

He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice models. 

He is currently a doctoral candidate researching ocular biometry under Dr Nicola Logan at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England.

1.30pm-2.30pm

Presented by
Belinda Musitano

Practice Management

7 Tips For Successful Practice Management

Belinda is a qualified Optical Dispenser with 25 years’ experience in the optical industry.  Her broad range of knowledge, both in retail and sales management has led to a successful career in optics. She has also completed the Diploma of HR Management, and a CERT IV in training, Sales Development.

 She has been awarded Business Person of the Year for the last 2 years in South West WA Business Awards. Belinda owns and operates 2 Optical practices, with a team of 10 staff. She is presenting her 7 tips for successful practice management.

3.00pm-4.00pm

Presented by
Steve Daras
TAFE Digital

Dispensing

Accurate Measurements For Dispensing

Steve Daras has been teaching Certificate IV Optical Dispensing since 1995 and is the optical dispensing course coordinator for TAFE NSW.

He has been in the optical field since 1975, having managed a low vision clinic and an assistant manager for a national ophthalmic instruments company. He also ran a successful private practice for 16 years.

He has written and/or reviewed many optical resources and in 2014 co-authored the text books Practical Optical Dispensing (3rd edn) with David Wilson and Practical Optical Workshop (2nd edn) with David Wilson and Steve Stenersen.

He is currently a director of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

3.00pm-4.00pm

Practice Management

COVID Changes in Consumer Behaviour – Is your business ready?

Jim Papas holds a BSc specialising in Biochemistry and Pathology (First Class Honours) as well as graduating with BSc in Optometry at Melbourne University and is the Managing Director of NWO Group.

He has established a number of companies within the optical industry providing wholesale and retail services within Australia and internationally as well as holding numerous executive positions and board memberships. Directorships previously held by Jim include Aspect Vision Care Australia , Ocular Sciences Australia, Cooper Vision Australia and representative on the Australian Contact Lens Industry Council & Vice President Of the Australian College of Optometry.

Jim has also participated in Government international trade delegations for information technology as well as undertaking numerous speaking engagements in Australia and internationally.

With over 30 years of extensive business experience in optical retailing, business and brand development, training, technology and software design and development. Jim’s dedication to business excellence, customer service and retail innovation has been recognised with over 25 national, local and government awards for retailing, customer service and software innovation.

Jim is also a member of the Australian Optometrists Association, The Australian College of Optometry, The Australian Retailers Association.