Washington D.C. (February 3, 2022) – The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) recently hired Dan Ignaszewski as their new Executive Director.
Ignaszewski joins NAEVR AEVR after serving for 16 years in various roles within the Amputee Coalition (AC), most recently as the Chief Policy and Programs Officer. After graduating from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2007 with his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Business Concentration, Ignaszewski spent a year working in a management trainee program in New England. He quickly decided that that was not the direction which he wanted to pursue as he was interested in government relations and advocacy, so in May 2008, he accepted a role with the Amputee Coalition in the entry level role of Government Relations Specialist.
Ignaszewski then spent the next 13 years learning and growing at the Amputee Coalition, being promoted six times while the breadth of his responsibilities increased. Since June 2011, he has served as the organizations chief lobbyist and is directly responsible for laying the groundwork which resulted in the passage of bills and regulation of laws related to prosthetic coverage in 18 states.
About NAEVR/AEVR
Eye and vision research is a fast-growing, dynamic scientific field with unlimited potential to improve human health and quality of life. For more than 20 years, NAEVR/AEVR have represented a broad coalition of organizations and industry groups that advocate for and educate about the value of eye and vision research and its contribution to achieving the national public health goal of reducing blindness and restoring vision. NAEVR has led a highly successful, multi-year effort to increase National Eye Institute (NEI) funding. The organization has also been able to expand eye and vision research programs elsewhere at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes, as well as other federal entities, such as the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
NAEVR is a 501c4 non-profit advocacy organization with 50 professional, patient, consumer, and industry organizations involved in eye and vision research and focused on increased federal funding of eye and vision research. AEVR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to increasing policymaker awareness of the benefits of federal funding of eye and vision research.
These organizations work independently of each other but share an overarching mission – to support the eye and vision research community.
About SMA
Sterling Martin Associates is a leading, specialty national search firm conducting chief executive-level searches for associations and nonprofit organizations. SMA has built an outstanding reputation by providing impeccable service to clients and by placing exceptional talent in associations and nonprofits. Based in Washington, DC, SMA has offices in New York, Chicago, Orange County, CA, and Portland, OR.
Founding the firm in 2006 with a mission to combine his search expertise with nonprofit board experience, David Martin now leads a highly experienced, diverse team of 15, combining in-depth client analysis with the latest search technologies to create effective, personalized searches. Since the day he founded the firm, David has personally taken a leadership role with every search, for every client.
