Anshu Chandra ’08, R’09 to Receive Alumni of The Year Award; Four Additional Alumni Recognized for Service, Mentorship, & Rising Leadership
New York, NY — SUNY College of Optometry will celebrate the accomplishments of five distinguished alumni at its 2026 Alumni Awards Ceremony on Saturday, October 24, recognizing graduates whose leadership, service, and professional achievements reflect the strength and impact of the SUNY Optometry community.
Dr. Anshu Chandra ’08, R’09 will receive the Alumni of the Year award. Dr. Marianna Butera ’21, R’22 and Dr. Ora Esfahani ’16 will be recognized as Alumni Rising Stars. Dr. Kyriakos “Ken” Mandadakis ’01 will receive the Alumni Mentor of the Year award, and Dr. Michael DelGiodice R’09 will be recognized as Alumni Resident of the Year.
“This year’s honorees exemplify the excellence, leadership and service that define SUNY Optometry and the profession we serve,” said Dr. David Troilo, President of SUNY College of Optometry. “They are expanding sustainable eye care in severely underserved communities, mentoring future optometrists, advancing pediatric and rehabilitative vision care, and supporting patients with complex needs. They are leaders in the profession and reflect the many ways SUNY Optometry graduates improve lives and strengthen communities. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the example they set for our students and the profession.”
“Alumni are one of SUNY Optometry’s greatest strengths. Their accomplishments demonstrate that the impact of a SUNY Optometry education extends far beyond the classroom, shaping careers, advancing the profession, and improving lives in communities around the world,” said Dawn Rigney, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director for SUNY College of Optometry Foundation. “Their achievements inspire our students and remind us that the connection between SUNY Optometry and its graduates is one that continues to grow and give back for generations. We offer our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to this year’s recipients.”
The 2026 Alumni Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 24, from 5 to 6 p.m. at SUNY College of Optometry. The awards recognize graduates whose accomplishments reflect the excellence, leadership, and service that define the College’s alumni community.
Honorees include:
Alumni of the Year: Dr. Anshu Chandra ’08, R’09 Dr. Anshu Chandra is an optometrist, educator, humanitarian, and founder of the Global Eye Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding sustainable eye care in underserved communities. A graduate of SUNY College of Optometry and its Ocular Disease Residency Program, she also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at SUNY Optometry.
For more than 17 years, Dr. Chandra has volunteered in eye care initiatives across 12 countries, with a primary focus on Haiti since 2010. Recognizing that short-term mission trips could not meet the overwhelming need, she partnered with the local community to establish the only sustained source of
comprehensive eye care serving more than 500,000 people in rural southern Haiti. Under her leadership, the clinic has provided more than 139,000 free eye examinations, delivered thousands of sight-saving treatments and trained Haitian eye care professionals to provide high-quality, sustainable care for their communities.
Guided by the belief that quality eye care should be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live, Dr. Chandra is currently leading efforts to build a permanent eye care center in rural Haiti to preserve and expand access to vision care for future generations.
Alumni Rising Star: Dr. Marianna Butera ’21, R’22 Dr. Marianna Butera is an Assistant Clinical Professor at SUNY College of Optometry and Interim Chief of Pediatrics at the University Eye Center. She earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY Optometry and completed the Dr. Irwin B. Suchoff Residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Butera is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and the Optometric Vision Development & Rehabilitation Association. She is involved in clinical care, teaching, and clinical research, with areas of interest including cerebral visual impairment, binocular vision, strabismus, amblyopia, and traumatic brain injury.
Alumni Rising Star: Dr. Ora Esfahani ’16 Dr. Ora Esfahani is an optometrist at Richlin Eye in Los Angeles, where she is committed to delivering exceptional patient care through innovative technologies and advanced treatments. She previously served as Director of Optometric Services at Southern California Eye Institute, where she led the development of the optometry division at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and helped create a multidisciplinary approach to patient management between optometry and ophthalmology.
Since graduating from SUNY Optometry in 2016, Dr. Esfahani has distinguished herself as a leader in organized optometry through the Los Angeles County Optometric Society, rising through executive board positions to serve as President. In that role, she led initiatives that expanded continuing education, strengthened member engagement and supported the professional growth of optometrists throughout Los Angeles.
Dr. Esfahani has also demonstrated a deep commitment to service, partnering with the National Optometric Association to establish a scholarship recognizing future leaders in optometry, helping organize LACOS’s 2025 wildfire relief efforts and mentoring pre-optometry and optometry students. She received the California Optometric Association Young OD of the Year Award in 2025, was named one of Beverly Hills Living Magazine’s 40 Under 40 in 2024, and received the LACOS Outstanding Leadership & Dedication Award in 2019.
Alumni Mentor of the Year: Dr. Kyriakos “Ken” Mandadakis ’01 Dr. Kyriakos “Ken” Mandadakis is the founder of Dr. K. Mandadakis & Associates in Toronto, where he has built a practice known for combining advanced diagnostic technology with compassionate, personalized care for patients of all ages. Born and raised in Toronto, he earned an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition and Disease from the University of Toronto before receiving his Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY College of Optometry.
A dedicated advocate for the profession, Dr. Mandadakis has served as a Board Director for the Ontario Association of Optometrists. He is especially passionate about mentoring future optometrists, supervising fourth-year interns, and helping guide the next generation of eye care professionals.
Inspired by the mentorship he received during his four years at SUNY Optometry, Dr. Mandadakis strives to provide the same encouragement, guidance and support to his students and colleagues. His commitment to leadership, mentorship, and outstanding patient care continues to positively impact both his profession and the community he serves.
Alumni Resident of the Year: Dr. Michael DelGiodice R’09 Dr. Michael DelGiodice is Medical Science Liaison of Ophthalmology at Sun Pharma and has more than a decade of experience in health care, clinical practice, and industry leadership. He completed his optometry training in 2004 and his residency at the New Jersey Veterans Hospital in 2008 before going on to serve in clinical and industry roles.
Dr. DelGiodice has experience managing a wide range of eye and vision conditions, including dry eye, neurological eye diseases, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, contact lenses, keratoconus, and amblyopia. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and is active in professional organizations including the New Jersey Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, and the Physician Scientist Association.
Over the course of his career, Dr. DelGiodice has written and lectured on ocular disease, authored the Neuro-Clinic section for Review of Optometry and received professional recognitions including America’s Top Optometrist Award and the American Health Council’s “Best in Medicine” recognition. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Science with a sub-focus in neuroscience and continues to pursue work that bridges clinical care, science, and patient impact.
About SUNY Optometry
Founded in 1971 in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry (SUNY Optometry) is the only school of optometry in the state and a nationally recognized leader in optometric education, vision research, and patient care. The College prepares the next generation of eye care professionals through its Doctor of Optometry program, residency programs, and advanced graduate degrees in vision science, including MS and PhD programs. As an academic health center in optometry dedicated to advancing eye and vision care, SUNY Optometry conducts a robust portfolio of basic, translational, and clinical research focused on improving diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of visual disorders.
Clinical training and patient care are anchored by the University Eye Center, one of the largest outpatient vision care facilities in the region, which serves a diverse patient population and provides students with hands-on experience alongside expert clinicians. SUNY Optometry also maintains more than 65 affiliated clinical training sites across the country. Beginning in Fall 2027, the Doctor of Optometry degree will be offered in both New York City and Syracuse, providing students the opportunity to choose where they live and practice.
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