Press release: ABDO announce new board members

The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has announced the appointment of five new members of the ABDO Board. There were eleven candidates and voting took place online between 12 July and 27 August.

The new Board members are:

Deborah Bill

Sarah Gilbert

Kimberley O’Donnell

Dylan Russell

Gillian Twyning

The ABDO Board sets the strategic direction for the organisation and oversees the work of the executive team in supporting and representing members, enabling them to develop their careers, raising awareness of the valuable roles they carry out and advancing the profession as a whole.

The new Board members will take up their roles at the next Board meeting on Thursday 7 November 2024 at which they will have the opportunity to discuss and decide on ABDO’s Annual Plan for 2025. Their period of office will be three years, with the opportunity to stand for a further term of three years.

Kevin Gutsell, ABDO president welcomes the new members to the board, “I would like to congratulate the successful applicants and look forward to working with them. The new members bring a wealth of different experiences and I’m predicting a good impact from all.  There’s always next year for those who were not successful.”

Alistair Bridge, ABDO chief executive, says, “Thank you to all the members who put themselves forward for election. Congratulations to those who were successful and commiserations to those who were not on this occasion.

“The new Board members have an important role to play and I look forward to hearing their perspectives and working with them to enable ABDO’s members to achieve the recognition they deserve as expert eyecare professionals who deliver outstanding care for patients.”

##ENDS##

Notes to Editors

  1. Media enquiries to Carol Smith csmith@abdo.org.uk
  2. High res images available to download here.
  3. The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) is the professional body for dispensing opticians – working for dispensing opticians and advancing the profession in the UK and worldwide.
  4. Registered address Unit 2 Court Lodge Offices, Godmersham Park, Canterbury, CT4  7DT.