After a decade of outstanding service, Debra H. Rogers, Senior Vice President for Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, will be retiring at the end of this calendar year. Debra leaves a legacy of excellent leadership and invaluable contributions to the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear. Debra will continue part-time as Senior Director for Ophthalmology, working with both Chair Joan W. Miller, MD, and Mass Eye and Ear president CarolAnn Williams.
Since joining Mass Eye and Ear in 2013, Debra has been a great partner in numerous initiatives: from clinical growth and expansion of services to research reorganizations and improvements in educational programs. She is a great team member, recognized and appreciated across the organization and the Mass General Brigham and Harvard communities. She is a mentor of faculty and administrative staff, always looking to teach and develop her team.
Early in her tenure at Mass Eye and Ear, Debra successfully integrated Schepens Eye Research Institute into Mass Eye and Ear, a landmark achievement in the history of the department. Mass Eye and Ear now ranks either first or second in the nation annually, for funding from the National Eye Institute. Later, when Mass Eye and Earjoined Partners Healthcare, Debra helped lead the reorganization of research across the organization and served as VP of Research along with her colleagues for four years. She has also led the organization as SVP for Ambulatory Operations, working to improve access and the patient and provider experience. Debra oversaw the acquisition and expansion to our sites in Longwood, Plainville, Providence, Malden, Waltham, and Lexington, as well as moving our Woodland retina practice to an expanded Stoneham site. Under her leadership, clinical faculty grew by 50% and patient volume has doubled. Joining Partners in 2018 meant many administrative challenges for the clinical practice which she championed. She was also instrumental for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery.
Debra's contributions to Mass Eye and Ear are immeasurable, and her legacy will continue to shape the future of our institution. We extend our deepest gratitude for her dedicated service and are happy that Debra will have more time for her family, and her wonderful grandchildren.
One of her greatest impacts has been building a remarkable administrative team in Ophthalmology. We are excited to announce that Jon Mazzone has agreed to serve as interim SVP of Ophthalmology beginning in January. Jon first joined Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners) in 2008, and was recruited to Mass Eye and Ear in 2015 as a senior project manager. He joined Ophthalmology as Associate Director in June 2017, and was promoted to Director of Operations in February 2020. Jon has excelled and his responsibilities have grown to serve as Director for Cornea, Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract, Neuro-ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Trauma, and Optometry as well as overseeing Network, Ophthalmology Emergency Services, Budgets, EAM and ACT. Well respected by his peers and team, Jon was a natural choice for the role.
Jon and Debra will collaborate closely during the transition. Thanks to their partnership and the strength of the team of directors and managers across the department, we have full confidence MEE will continue to be a world leader in ophthalmic patient care, research and education.