Each year NECO proudly awards the Distinguished Alumni title to deserving graduates who have exemplified excellence, embraced their role as compassionate caregivers, exhibited an unwavering dedication to the field of optometry, and made a profound impact on their communities.

We are proud to recognize and pay tribute to the following talented professionals and recognize them as truly outstanding individuals. Congratulations to our 2025 Distinguished Alumni: Dr. Maureen Hanley, Class of 1981 (posthumously), and Dr. Guang-Ji Wang, Class of 1992.

These distinguished alumni have furthered the optometric profession through their leadership and belief in the role optometrists can play in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. They each have taken a different path, yet one theme is constant, they collaborated and worked with others to move our profession forward and influenced future optometrists growth and development.

MAUREEN HANLEY, OD '81

Dr. Hanley passed away on March 8, 2025, at the age of 69.

Originally from Lincoln, Rhode Island, Dr. Maureen Hanley was a proud NECO alumna whose passion for education and mentorship left an indelible mark on the profession. Since joining the faculty in 1984, she played a pivotal role in training countless optometrists across New England. Her unwavering dedication to her students and exceptional teaching earned her the Dupuis Pellerin Award for Faculty Excellence and the Foster Namias Award for superior classroom instruction.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Hanley was deeply committed to patient care. She spent 14 years serving veterans at the VA in West Roxbury and more recently provided eye care at Uphams Corner Community Health Center, ensuring that underserved communities received the attention they deserved.

More than an educator, Dr. Hanley was a guiding presence and a mother figure to many. She opened her heart and home to students in need—whether offering a place to stay after a devastating apartment fire or hosting Thanksgiving dinners for those unable to travel home. Her generosity and warmth knew no bounds.

GUANG-JI WANG, OD '92

Dr. Guang-Ji Wang has been instrumental in helping to set up optometric education programs in China and creating a strong relationship between NECO and Wenzhou Medical University (WMU).

After receiving a medical degree in China, Dr. Wang came to Harvard’s Schepens Eye Research Institute in 1981 to study retinal laser application He brought his learning back to WMU and began to teach, do research, and practice ophthalmology. Eventually, he decided to help to establish optometric education to China at WMU with colleague Dr. Qu Jia.

Dr. Wang is recognized as the linchpin of the New England College of Optometry’s long-standing partnership with Wenzhou Medical University where he was chair of the ophthalmology department. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Optometry at NECO with research interests in amblyopia and low vision.

From Lindsay Allen, Director of Development & Alumni Relations

As we begin the new year, I write to share an update with our alumni community.

After much reflection, I have accepted a new opportunity with another Boston-area university. My last day at NECO will be Friday, January 9.

This was a difficult decision as my time at NECO has been deeply meaningful. I am profoundly grateful for the relationships I have had the privilege to build with alumni, friends, and partners who care so deeply about NECO’s students and mission. Your generosity, leadership, and pride in NECO are inspiring, and they have made this work a true joy.

Robert E. Miller, OD ’65, a longtime East Greenwich optometrist, recently received the Kent County Medical Society’s Lifetime Community Service Award. Dr. Miller served the East Greenwich community for more than 50 years before retiring earlier this year. Throughout his career, he paired clinical care with sustained civic leadership, including decades with the East Greenwich Rotary Club, and longstanding support for youth sports and local humanitarian initiatives.

Cayla Bergstrom and Andrew Rabkin, 2017 alums who met at NECO and were married in the school rotunda, are thrilled to introduce their son, Theodore Kenneth Rabkin. He was born on November 28, 2025, weighing 7 lbs., 8 oz. Congratulations, Cayla & Andrew!

We sadly note the passing of Philip Shapiro, OD ‘57, who passed peacefully on December 13, 2025, just shy of his 92^nd birthday. Born and raised in West Hartford, he attended NECO before serving honorably in the U.S. Army. He devoted nearly 50 years to optometry, including extensive volunteer vision care for students in Hartford, helping tens of thousands of patients over the course of his career. He is remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and vibrant community member.

Did your partnership start somewhere between clinic rotations and exam prep? If NECO played a part in your love story, we’d love to feature you in our February newsletter.

Join us on January 22, 2026, for the Second Annual Pediatric Symposium honoring Lea Hyvärinen, MD, PhD, FAAP, as we celebrate her remarkable legacy on the occasion of her 86^th birthday. This year’s virtual program, Amblyopia: Outcomes Measured in Clinical Practice, will run from 7:30–8:30PM via Zoom (COPE accreditation pending).

Our featured speaker is Michael Repka, MD, MBA, the David L. Guyton, MD & Feduniak Family Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute and President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A leading figure in pediatric ophthalmology, Dr. Repka has made significant contributions in amblyopia management, strabismus, and pediatric visual development.

In recognition of Dr. Hyvärinen’s pioneering impact—including her transformative work in early vision assessment and the development of the globally used LEA TEST VISION SYSTEM™—we invite you to consider a gift to the Dr. Lea Hyvärinen Pediatric Optometry Endowed Fund, supporting advances in pediatric vision care.

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